The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-07-02
A JULY SERMON,
OR THE JULY MORN

When that great artist painted that
world famous picture September
Morn," little did he dream that a
"July Morn" would dawn through his
window and find mankind, too, naked
and shorn; little recked he of the
whirlwind changes that a few years
has brought to pass, and the misery
that change has fastened upon u.s.
But yesterday, "July Morn" dawned
upon US, and found mankind wholly
unprepared to meet it; it has left him
shorn and naked, as the artist in that
famous picture. May we but have
courage to face it; mankind, left
naked to his enemies!
We laughed and winked at the pic
ture where the artist had shorn WON.
an of her every robe, and shown her
as she was; but little we dreamed that
picture to be a prophetic portrayal
of ourselves but a few years hencei
Man took credit for the picture, and
like the fable of old, the gate has been
swung on the other side; things are
reversed, and man has been stripped
of his freedom by his counterpart,
woman! The morning dawns without
a cheer; the noon day sun shines
through the lattice as before, but the
ring and tinkle of the glass on the
counter is silent; the sun sinks to
rest as to natures plan seemeth wise,
but the merry din we once heard as
we took our parting glass is buried!
III of
claims credit. To you it is due, but
do you recall the divine injunction,
vengeance is mine, sayeth the
Lord? 1t was a work of retaliation,
Of revenge for the folly of that artist;
he left you shorn and naked, and you
sought revenge! But why, oh why,
fair woman, the world painted not
that picture! Why punish the whole
world for the sins of that one man?
Are you to claim divine rights, and
like the Father who punished the
world for its sins against His Son?
Why not have called upon man t.
avenge your feelings, and punish that
thoughtless offender? He would have
been punished, yea, cursed! He would
have been banished, stoned, starved,
tortured, cut up into bits; no punish
ment could you have demanded at
mans hands he would not have in
flicted with cheer! Rather than suffer
a "July Morn" to have dawned upon
him, no ocean depths would he not
have fathomed! No mountain peak
would he not have scaled for you!
But alas. the July Morn has dawn.
ed, and the picture it has drawn is
fearful; but are it's imprints lasting
Will man permit it to go on forever ?
You boast you have charge of the
legislature, Congress. the executive
and judicial departments of the coun-
try. You may have now through the
instrumentalities of a few effeminate
| weaklings, who never had the man.
hood to take a drink when anyone was
looking; you may have it through q
few weaklings who dare not let the
world know what and how they drink.
But your time is short, make the
best of it you can. for man has now
arisen to his feet; he will be sorrow
full no more. Did our forefathers stop
to weep over the savage butchery of
their loved ones? No, they pursued
the foe, and slew him, leaving the
dead to take care of its own; and that
spirit pervades US yet. Fair woman,
this is your last chance. Speak, oh
speak, and tell those weaklings, over
whom you dominate, and who have
not the right to wear the spurs of
manhood, to change, and change
quickly; Force them to give back to
mankind that which you so subtly
robbed it of! Repent, o woman, and
GO back to the days when Old Glory
waved over the land of the free! The
savage man has awakened, the trum-
pet has blown that will not call re-
treat until the world is free; it is
YOUR last play in a long drama, and