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S1.00 A YEAR, IN ADVANCE,
BETRAYED’
-OP.
A. DARK MARRIAGE
\ t MORN.
\
'
A Romanes of Love, Intr ue and
Crime ,
l
BY'MRS. ALICE P. CARRISTON.
e'jgAPTER XXIV—(Continued.)
He thoitglff it b id tasto in Clara not to
have maiub'b od longer the high ideal his
innocence Ijad i reuied ior her,
Neverthi ie-R, when ho approached her
house, and bad the presentiment of her
approving pres nee, he was troubled,
aud anxiety assailed him.
When he saw through fhe irees the
win’ ow of herivom his heart throbbed so
violently that he h d to sit down en the
loot of a tree for a moment.
"Iloveler like a madman!” ho mur¬
mured. Thou, leaping up suddenly, he
exclaimed: “B ;t she is only a woman
after all. I shall go on." _
For the fir t time Clara received him
in her own apartment. She was sitting
iu an arm-chair, aud, contrary to her
custom, had no work in her hands..
She appeared aim, though two livid
circl’S surrounded her eves. She had
evidently suffered dear much, aud wept much.
On socing this face worn an I hag¬
gard with grief, Leland forgot the neat
phia-es he had prepared for liis ontrance.
He forgot all except that he really adore 1
1 er.
He advanced hastily toward her, se’zed
in his two hands those of tho young lady,
und without speaking interiogateil her
ejoi with tenderness anil profound pity.
“It is nothing," she said, withdrawing
her huu 1 and bending her pale face
gently; "I am better; I may even be
appy, if you wish it.”
There was in the smile, the look and
ti-o accent of Clara Denloa something
indefinable,. which froze tho blood of
Leland.
He filt confusedly that she loved him,
an I yet was lost to him; that he had be¬
fore him a species of being he did not
understnnd, and that (his woman, sad¬
dened, broken, and lost by love, yet loved
something lhat olse-in -th s world belter even
than love.
She made him a slight sigii which k:
obeyed her. lilto a child, and he sat down he
sido .
“Mr. I eland,” she sail, in a voico trem
u’ous at first, but which grew stronger as
she proceeded, with little “I hear too^much 1 you last hight—
perha; s a patience.
X shall now; lu'-return, ask .from you the
same k udness. Yon have ibid me that
you love me; and I avow frankly that 1
entertain a warm affection for you. Such
being Ihe ca-e, we must eifher separate
forever, or unite ourselves by the only tie
worthy of us both. To part would affect
me much, nnd I also-believe it would oc
• casiou grjpf to you. To unite ourselves
—for my own part I would be willing to
give you my life; but 1 cannot do it, I
cannot wed you .without mauife.,c folly.
You aro younger than I am, I think!”
Then hurriedly:
“But there is another reason. I do not
belong to myself. I belong to my daugh¬
ter, to my family, to my past. In giving
tip my name for yours I would wound—I
would cruelly wound all the friends who
surround me, and, I believe, some who
exist no longer.
“Well, sir.” she continued, after a mo¬
ment’s hesitation, “I have discovered a
way by which we may avoid breaking off
an intimacy so pleasant and sweet to
both of us—in fact, to make it closer, if
anything. My propos 1 may surprise
you, but have the k nilness to think over
it, and do not say no at once.”
She glanced at h m. and was terrified
at the pal lor-which overspread his face.
She gent y took his hand and said:
“Speak “Listen ou,” patiently.” hoarsely.
he muttered,
“Mr. l.eland,” sho continued, with hei
angelic smiio, “you have seen and e.d
>n red mv heart’s darling—my friend and
companion, Mildred is I.ester. Yo , know
how much she fo me. Since she fir-t
came to us I have learued to love her with
all my heart: Sho is more than a friend
— more th n a sister to me. Having
watched ov r.hor so long anil constantly,
i have all a mother’s feeling and affec¬
tion for ter. She is, she must ever I o
the same tome as my own child. She is
beautiful—far more oeautifnl than I am,
and since she' has wholly recovered h r
physical health, rapidity; her mind has developed
with marvelous and although a
portion of her life is yet a blank, iu edu¬
cation and refinement she is the peer of
any lady in the 1 nd. Warren Leland, I
desire you to make Mildred Lester your
wife!” *
Seized Leland the staried abruptly wiist, to his feet nnd
woman b the casting a
Searching look into her eves. Then, as
he realized the full purport of her words,
he sank back as one thunderstruck.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE LINES DRAWING NEARER.
Clara Deirton regarded and her companion said:
anxiously for a moment, then
“I swear to you that I shall he very
happy if \ou only tell me you will con-,
sent to what I have proposed.” ’
His answer, when it came, was an im¬
patient exclamation of irony and anger.
Then ha said:
“You will-pardon me, madam, if so
sudden a change in my sentiments can¬
not be as prompt as you wish."
She blushed slightly. “I
“Yes,” she said, with a faint smile,
can undersUn 1 how you feel about it at
this moment; but try to famili.irize your¬
self with Hie idea, try to look upon me
as her elder sister—her mo her, if you
will, and all maj’ yet come right, and—
*nd wo miy be very happy soon.”
The soul of Leland was suddenly a perverted, touched
not a base one, and was
at this woman’s heroi-m. He rendered
it the greatest homage he could pay, for
his eyes suddenly filled with tears.
She observed it, for she va ched wiih
an anxions eye tho slightest impress on
she produced upon h m. So she con¬
tinued more cheerfully:
“And see, Mr. Lelaud. how this will set¬
tle everything. In this .way we can con¬
tinue to* see ereh other without danger,
because vo 1,r **-»««' wifa will be ai*
w ivs between ou. sentiments will
eooa be in h rmeny wi'U our new
thoughts. Even your future prospects,
"rich, iu a way. will also be mine, will
xonntcr fewer obstacles, because I
shall push thc-m more openly, without re
■vealiEg to my f ther what ought to remain
a secret between ns two.
"He thinks the world of Mildred, and 1
can let him suspect my topes, and that
will enlist him in yonr service. Above
all. I repeat to you'that this thus wi 1 insure the
my h-.ppiness. Will you accept
r.eculi r affection I offer''”
l.eland, by a powerful effort of will,
had recovered his self-control.
“Pardon me, Mrs. Denton he said,
®te ♦
with a faint smile, “but this is all #e sad,
Jen and strange.” Thcu abruptly:
“But who is Mildred Lester? You have
aever told me. and onto you promised to
ioso.”
"She is an orphan, of good parentage,
and has but one relative in the world, a
brother, who is now traveling. To all in
tents and purpo es, my father is het
guardian and piotector.”
“She came to you under peculiar cir¬
cumstances, I believe?”
“Yes, she w ,s tr iveling with her broth¬
er, and was accident seriously injured in the great
railway at Cos Cob. He b: ought
her here, and hired tho little cottage lie
lon.iug to us ou the lower road, but soon
consented to her being taken into oul
own family. ”
“Her iujinies affected her mind to £
certain extent?”
“They aff ected her memory. For a long
time alter the fover left her, all her past
life was a blank; but by 1 ttle and little
certain things have come back to her,
and aga'n, other thin, s have rushed upon
her memoiy like a great awakening, ns,
for instance, her musical and ether ac¬
complishments parents, Still, dear she cannot friends, recall
her nor any not
even her I ro'.her, and there is yot a wide
gap in her pa-1 life.”
“It is very singular,” mused Leland.
“And yet not without a parallel,” s <id
Clara- “I have been informing myself on
the subject, and have found many cases
quite similar.”
“Genc-allv speaking, her mind seem3
very “Unusually bright,” iemnked she the gentleman. th
so; has a rst for
knowledge, and seems to comprehend, as
by intuition, everything sho hears and
reads.”
“And now you have told me all you
know about her?”
“Yes, except what you already know,
that she is the dearest, the best girl in all
the world."
“And, seriouslv, you wish me to marry
her?"
“Yes, it is the one great wish of my
heart. ”
“But pardon me, dear madam. What
is it you ask of me? Do*you yourself
fully comprehend? Have you reflected
well on th s? Can either of us contract,
without delicate imprudence, nature?” an engagement of
such a
“I dem nd no positive engagement of
you at this time,” she repliod, “for I feel
that would ba unreasonable. You must
be fully satisfied abo it Mildred first, of
course. But if you give mo any encour¬
agement i t all, this is what I propose;
You shall secure us respectable quarters
in New York, convenient to somo great
physician—a specialist, and we will re¬
move there with the loast possible delay;
and whatever can ho done to restore her
completely to hor former self shall bo
done.
“I believe—I almost know sho loves
you already, and if you marry her X am
convinced she will make you an excellent
wife. Th nk—do think, Mr. I. el and; she
is so much to mo, I love her better than
a sister, I regard her—1 love her as though
she were iby own child.”
tit ill Leland did not speak.
“Well, take time to think over it,"she
went on, “nnd return to favorable. give mo your If de¬
cision, should it ba not,
we must bid oac i other adieu."
“Mrs. Denton,” said Lelaud, rising anil
standing before her, “I will promise
never to address a word to you which a
dear brother might not utter to a sister,
or a son to h:s mother. Is it not this
which you demand?”
Claia Den ou fixed upon him for an in¬
stant hor beautiful eyes, full of joy and
gratitude, tben suddenly covered hor
face wiih hor two hands.
“Thinks,” she murmured; “you are so
good! I am very happy?” liand, wet with her
She extended her
tears, which he took and pressed to his
lips, bowod low, and left tho room.
If there ever was a moment in his fatal
career when tho young man wa3 worthy
of admiration, it was this.
His love for Clar i Denton, however un
worihy of her it might be, was, nevertbe
L-ss groat. It was the only true passion
he had ever felt.
At the moment when ho saw this love,
the triumph of which ho thought ceitaiu,
escape him forever, he w.is not only
wounded in hio pride but was crushed in
his heart. Yet he took the stroke like a
gen Isrnan,
His agony was well borne. His first
bitter voids, checked at once, alone ho
trayed what he suii'ored.
]'lo was . s pitiless for his own sorrows
as ho sought to be for those of others.
Ho indulged in none of the common in¬
justice batilual to discarded lovers.
Ho recognized the decision of Mrs. Den¬
ton as true anil final, and was not tempt¬
ed for a moment to mistake it for one ot
those equivocal arrangements by which
women sometimes deceive themselves,
and of which men always take advan¬
tage.
He saw that the sacred refuge he had
sought, was inviolable.
Ho neither argued nor protested against
hor resolve. Ho submitted to it, and
nobly kissed tho hand which smote him.
As to the miracle of courage, chastity,
transformed and faitii by and which purified Clara Denton love, had
her he
cared not to dwell upon it.
This example, which opened to his view
a div ne soul n iked, so to speak, destroy¬
ed his theories.
One word which escaped him, while
passing to his own house, proved it from the
judgment which he passed upon
his own point of view.
Lme'”” “Vory childisb,” he muttered, “but sub
On returning home, Leland found a
letter from his father notifying him of
his sistor’s marriage with Eugene Cleve¬
land, which was to take place in a few
da s, and requesting him to come to New
York without delay.
The marriage was to be strictly private,
with only the family to assist at it.
Lelaud did not regret this hasty gum.
mens, as it gav"’ him the. excase for some
diversion in his thoughts, of which he
felt' the need.
He was greatly tempted to leave at one*
to diminish his sufferings, but conquered
this weakness.
The next evening he passed at Nathan
Metcalfs, and, though his heart was
h eeding, piqued brow himself and on inscrutablS presenting
an unclouded an
smiie to Clara.
He announced his speedv departure,
the ’
and explained will present reason. best wishes
“You mv to
your family," said Mr. Metcalf, “andes
pecialiy to your siscer; I hope she may
be h 7,'hanks, ippy." sir; I shall bear good
your
wishes with pleasure." tell of all the delicate
As for Clara, to
attentions an J exquisite delicacies that
the tender female spirit knows so well
how to apply how to heal the wounds glided it into has
inflicted, gracefully she
her maternal nnd sisterly relations with
I,c!and—to tell all this would require a
pen wielded by her own soft hands.
At parting, and while for a moment
thev were alone together iff the hail, she
reminded hiin that he wr.3 to secure
quarters for herself and Mildred in New
York.
He a=snred her that he would not for
get. and then, with a per,He pressure of
the hand, deputed.
HAMILTON. HARRIS COUNTY, GA.. MARCH MO, 18W.
The next isy he left Koxbury for the
great city. later, Clara and Mil¬
One weok Denton
dred Lester were establ shod in comfort
able quarters on Madison avenue, only
one block away from the palatial head man¬ ol
sion which sheltered the guilty
Cora Ellistou.
CHAPTER XXVI. I
THE KEl’TILE MOVES.
The Hon. Sherwood Ellistou remained
ill New York ior some days. At the
formal request of his nephew, he called
upon his old friend Sidney Leland, and
demanded for Eugene his daughter'*
band, at the same time assuring the
banker that ha charged himself with the
future of the ; oung couple.
In secret, Fiora! Leland had long ad¬
mired, and of late had learned to love,
Eugene Cleveland. Iler happiness, thou,
when sho heard her father's announce
meut alter dim,er that day, may be im¬
agined, but can hardly be described.
Iuil ed, it would be painful to dwell on
Iho joy she felt, and her only regret was
that Eugene had uot come to her iu per¬
son to press his suit.
But Eugene had not tho heart to do so.
Ho remained at his counting-room all
tho morning, aud only called at tho Be¬
lauds’ when he had learned that his over¬
ture was accepted. resolved this
Once having on monstrous
actions, tho worst part of which he did
not himself know, ho was determined to
carry it through iu llie most correct man¬
ner, and by thii timo he was master of all
those arts.
After he had withdrawn, Flora flew to
her mother, who, believing in Cleveland,
shared her happiness, and thoy sat to¬
gether a long time, hand garden, clasped in hand,
looking out upon tbo dimly seen
by (he soft light of the stars, the daughter
blessing her mother, her friends, every¬
body, aud tue mother thanking God; both
mingling their hearts, their dreams, their
his es, and their tears—happier, poor
women, than is permitted long to human
being i under tho heavens.
The marriage took placo tho ensuing
month. Senator Ellistonwas present, anil
when he returned accompanied to Washington wife. this
timo he was by his
At tho earnest request of his bride’s
parents, Eugene took np his residence still had
with them, aud Warren Leland
a suite of apartments in the same stately
and commodious manion.
His politic il campaign had now opened,
and ho was very busy, visiting Itoxbury
or some other town in the Congressional
district every day; but particularly in order to Mi'- be
near Mrs. Denton, and
dred Loster, in whom—must we confess it?
—ho was beginning to feel a rapidly grow¬
ing interest, he sjient most of his nights
in New York.
Finding presently that he could not at¬
tend to all his correspondence alone, lie
beg ,n to look about him for a privnto sec¬
retary, aud soon ono presented himseli
and was promptly engaged.
It was— Osc ir Slymo!
Tho extraordinary session of Congress
lhat commanded the presence of Sonatoi
ElliBton in Washington length was still drag¬
ging its weary for along. and
Cora endured it some timo,
then, informing hor husband that it was
necessary for her to visit New York,
promptly few days returned laier to Oscar that Slyme city. throw
A up
his situation and followed her.
The next dny after his arrival ho was
installed as Warren Loland’s private sec¬
retary. lived in the house with them.
He same
He came early in the morning, aftet
breakfast, passed the day in Warren’s
piivate room, and often dined with thorn,
if ho had work to finish in the evening.
Instinctively. Flora disliked him from
tho first.
“His name is a bad one to begin with,”
she said.
“Yes,” rejoined her mother; “but the
man himself is a good enough creature,
except that I somewhat dislike his cat¬
like style of looking at one.” Flora.
“1 don’t like him,” reiterated
“He has such insufferable a peculiar pride, vauity. or perhaps his
I should say But
groat f .uli, in my eyes, is the scoffing
tono be adopts when the subject is rolig
iou or morals.”
Eugene entered the room in thno to
catch his wife's 1 st remark, Ho said
nothing at the time; but that day, whilo
they wore dining, Slvme allowed himself
to indulge in a rather violent t r.ido of
this description. It was doubtless con¬
trary to all good taste.
“My de r Slyme,” said Eugene, quiotly
aud yet ironcally, “lo mo, and perhaps
Mr. Leland, these pleasantries of jours
are indifferent; but pray remember that,
While you aro a strong-minded man, my
wife is a veak-miniiod woman; and
strength, you know, should respect weak¬
ness."
Oscar finally Slyme first grew white, then red,
and green. He arose, bowed
awkardlv, and immediately afterward loft
the table.
The moment he was gone, Flora said
to her brother.
“You may think me indiscreet, but
pray let me ask you a question, llow can
you confide ail your affairs and all your
secrets to a man who professes to have no
principles?" Warren laughed.
“Oh, he talks thus out c£ bravado." he
answered. “Ho Links to make himself
more interesting in your eyes by these
Mephistophelean fellow. aim. At bottom he is a
good “But,” objected Flora, “he has faith
in
nothing.” I believe. Yet
“Not in much, ho would
not deceive mo. Ho is an honorable
man- ”
Flora opened said her ej’es wide at this.
“Well,” herbrother, with an amused
look, “what is the matter, Flo?”
“What is ask this honor sis,” you he speak replied. of?”
“Let me you,
“Great heavens!” she cried, blushing
deeply, “I know but little of ,t, but it
seems to me that honor sepiarated from
morality is no great thin:; and morality
without religion is nothing. They all
constitute a chain. Honor hangs to the
last link, like a flower; bnt if the chain
be broken, honor falls with the rest.”
^! er husband, "who heretofore had re
mamed silent, looked at her with strange
eyes, as though be were not only cou
founded bnt disquieted bv her philoso
SBld T* ,en ho S ave 8 dee P s, S h > and n8 “
ln E> :
“ Very neat, that definition—very neat."
“Y’es, by Jove!" exclaimed her brother,
“I didn’t know Flo had so much iu her!”
That night, at the opera, Eugene was
very at tent ve to his wife. Cora accoin
panied them; and at parting, Flora begged
her to call for her next day in passing to
Broadway and Twenty-third stre-t, on a
shopping expedition, idol, for and this sho magnifi
Cent woman was her loved
to be with her.
On their return home Eugene remained
silent, contrary to h is custom.
Suddenly he said, brusquely:
“Flora, are you going out ^ shopping
with Mrs. Elliston to-morrow?”
“Yes."
“But you gee her often, it seems to me
— morning and evening. Y'ou are always
with her.”
“Heavens! I do it tote agreeable to you,
Is not Mrs. Elliston a good associate?'’
“Excellent' Only in general l do col
ft male fifsndsMin, fist T
wrong to spenk to you ou this subject.
Youhivo wit anil discretion enough to
preserve the proper limits.”
Eor some timo after her marriage
Flora was quite happy, tllo but first gradually enthusiasm she
becamo less so; for
and first illusions of marriage could not
for long deceive a spirit as quick and
acute as ho. .
A y oung girl who marries is ...n, easily j. do
ceiyed bv tho show of an affection of
which she is tho object.
It is rare that she does not adore her
husband, and believe sho is adored by
him, simply because he has married her.
The young hcait opens spontaneously
and diffuses its delicate perfume of love
and iis soft songs of tenderness; and
enveloped in this heavenly cloud all
around it is love.
But little by little it frees itself, nnd,
too often, tho. MMo...
Thus was it here; as far as tho pen can
render tho shadows o' a female soul.
Such were the impie stons which, day
ler little a* 1 ?. Ho. penetrated tho very soul of
poor It nothing than this, but this
was more
was everything to her.
band, Tho and idea that, of being betrayed with cruel by promedi- her bus*
too.
tation,had never risen to torture her soul.
she felt nerselt disdained “fti and nfT slhhted.
Marn.ge had not home, changed Eugenes of
habits; he dined at instead at a
tostaurant or hotel, that was all.
She believed herself loved, however,
b it with a lightness that was almost
offensive.
Yet, though sho was sometimes sad and
nearly in tours, you coul I see that she
did not despair, and that this valiant lit
Eugene con inued very indifferent, as
one may readily comprehend, to tho ngi
tation which tormented this young heart,
but which novor occurred to him for ft
moment.
For himself, strange as it may appear,
he was happy enough. painful
This marriage had been a slop
lo take; but once confirmed iu his sin, ho
became reconciled to it.
But bis conscience, seared as it was,
bad some living failed fibers in in the it; duty nnd he
would not have be
thought he owed to his wife.
Those sentiments blendod were composed of a
sort of indifference with pity.
IIo was Vaguely sorry for the poor girl,
whose existeneo was absorbed and de¬
stroyed between those of two beings of
nature superior to hor own, and tho fate
to whioh she was condemned.
He resolved nevor to nogloet anything
that might extenuate its rigor; but he be¬
longed, nevertheless, more than over solo
ly lo the passion which was the supreme
srimo of his life.
For his inlriguo with Cora Elliston,
constantly excited by mystery and danger
aud conducted with profound address by
a woman whoso cunning was equal to hor
beauty, coll inued as strong, after months
of enjoyment, i s at first.
Tho gracious courtesy of regarded Eugene, on
which he piqued himself, ns his
wife, had its limits, as Flora abuse perdeived
whenever she attempted lo it.
Thus, on sever .1 occasions, sho de¬
clined receiving comp ny, ou the husband ground
of indisposition, abandon hor hoping hor solitude.
would not lo her
Sho was in error.
Euguno gave her, inrealily, of under few these
circums nncos, ntete-a-teto a mo¬
ments after dinner; but 1 iter lio would
leave her with iu perfect tranquill tv.
I’erhaps an hour sl.o would receive
a pack choico t of fruit, bonbons, that would or a pretty basket her
of permit to
pass the evening as best sho might.
These little gifts she romotimes shared
wiih her mother, sometimes with Slyme,
her brother’s secj'etaiy.
Slyme, for wl oui sho had at first con¬
ceived an good aversion, was gradually gett ng
into her > laces.
In tho absence of Eugene, she always
found h in at h nd, and referred to him
for many little details, such ns addresses,
invita'ions, the selection of books, and
the purchase of pictures. familiarity;
From this came a certain
sho begcti to call him Slyme, or friend
her Slyme, little while commissions. he zealously performed all
lie manifested for iier a great deal ol
respectful attmiiion, ami even refrained
from indulging displeured i’> the skeptical snoers
which ho knew her.
testily Happy her to gratitude, witness sho this invited reform and him lo lo
remain ou two or thveo evonings when bo
came to her rooms to take his leave, aud
talked with him <! books un i tho th oa
ters.
Being indisposed for soma litllo time,
Eugene passed the fir t two evon ngs with
her until nine o’clock. But this effort
fatigued him, ereced and the edifice poor woman who
had alre dy an for the fu¬
ture on this frail basis had tho mortifiea.
tion of observing that oil tho third even¬
ing lie hod resumed bis bachelor habits.
This was a great blow to her, and her
sadness became greater than it had been
up to that time—so much so, iu fact, (hat
soiitudo was almost unbearable.
Unfortunately, and her intervals father and she mother adopt¬
were away, in the
ed the habit of ret Eugene .ining Slyme, mself, or threo- even
sending for him. h
fourths of the lime, would bring him in
bofoie going out in the evening,
“I bring you Slyme, my dear,” bs would
say, “ari l a good author. Y’ou <■ in read
him together.”
But Slyme, whonever he looked at her,
wore mortified such e sympathetic when she did air and iuv.te seemed him
so uot
to stay, that, even when wearied of him,
she About frequently the end did of so. the month Slyme
was
alone with Flora about ten o'clock in the
evening. They were reading “Faust,"
which she hud never before heard. This
reading seemed to interest the lady more
than usual, and with her eyes fixed on tho
reading, she listened with r.ipt attention.
She was not (done fascinated by tho
work, but, as is frequently the case, sho
traced her own history across the gr ind
fiction of the poet.
We all know with what strange clair¬
voyance a mind resemblances possessed and with alius a fixed
idea di-covers ons
in accidental description. Flora per¬
ceived without doubt some remote con¬
nection between her husband and Faust
—between herself and Marguerite—for
she could not help show ng that she was
strongly agitated. prison cries in
When Marguerite madness, in blending out ot
her agony and a
sonfnsed'sentiments, of powerful sym¬
pathies, of vague apprehension, suddenly
(sized on her breast. One can scarcely of
imagine their force—to the verge dis¬
tracting her.
She turned on the lounge and closed
uer beautiful eyes, as if to keep back the
.ears which lolled under the fringe of
aer beautiful lashes.
At this moment Slyme cased to read
Hopped his Look, sighed profoundly, and
dared for a moment.
Then ho threw himself at Flora’s feet,
:ook her hi nd, and said with a tragic
(igh
“Poor angel!”
{TO 2E COXTINUiCP.)
T) 1? V I \ T} TAT If A fil?
AI JJ r • A/.Lli A Xl. I jlUxl-Vl IJ,
HIK ^BROOKLYN DIVINE’S SUN
, DAY SERMON.
1
-'
Subject: “From Conquest to Con
Ruest.
-.
Text: Behold the days come, saith the
l.ord, that the plowman shall overtake the
reaper."- Amos ix., 1!?.
Picture of a tropical dime, with a season
f0 prosperous that tho harvest reaches dear
over to the planting time, and the swarthy
husbandman swinging tlie'sicklo in the thick
grain almost feels the breath of the horses on
bis shoulders, the horses hitched to the
plow preparing for a, new cioo. “Behold
«» --««:h tjotaljo, tta
,ariII >* bav0 >: 0 ’ 1 ‘ loao ,™P «>>” harvest
Pl °“ 18 R8ttm * ten,,y Iw
I know that many declare that fhrlstinnitv
has collapsed: that the Bible is an obsolete
book; that tho Christian church is on the
retreat, I will here an t now show that tbo
opposite of that is true.
An Aran guide was leading a French in
Adel across a deBert, and ever and anon the
Arab guide would get down in the sand and
:s-£,iss;s,s: on* ^ toSde/^bf
!qio ofl.is the
Tab W do youunowthem isauGoFf'-ml
!ho und^ guide said“How i l-now tZt tw
a “iglit? man camel passed ato m r w
1 know it by the footprints in tho
And you want to know how I know
whether there is any God? Look nt Unit
sunset. Is that the footstep of a man?” And
by the same process tiiis you and I have comoto
understand that book is tbo footstep of
■
"" Tke , ’ A,J canteens lte !,! ' an Imv.tsAaVT;!: f ritu, T B
2. 'UnJ JJ*® 5'ncr °nrrnr« a V h man m „T. Af ( F „T v fl Barn ■ dig i'i and T i
attorney Ove/whelmhig as well staUs'uo ,istor inroga'til^to^’ln'is- an ' l i’v. A" Ids
Hnnttv ans'bi'A'liH nWd In diffemifcontuAiTa'A^In'the roAnri in ii.A,ATS, ni 'firKt i!
t rhS«™“i Ll^a
oemnrv eentnrv’ MO OM 3 1 n 2 1 1? „ “
<< nail snn
century century! ls’oOOOOO (’bristhns • in' {be tboVivlli seventh
20,000, 00(1 Cbristbms ; In
‘ill
ians'- j;;IS'/eemh 3 the^^ourtecu' eSrv’ToT 1A ° !
in 1 centui), centurv H0 80,000,000 000 000
eiriu Christians , ; I. In n the fifteenth I< century, 100,
000,000 Christians; in the sixteenth cen
ttry, 125,000,000 Christinns; in the snven
teentli century, 155,000,000; in the eight¬
eenth century, 200,000,000 Christians—a de¬
cadence, as you observe, in only one century
and more t ban made up in the following cen¬
tation turies, that while there it is tho usual compu¬
will bo, when tho
record ol the nineteenth century Is made up,
fit least 800,000,000'Christians,
Poor Christianity ! Wlint a pity it bus no
friends ! llow lonesome it must bo! Wlio
Will take it o.ut of the poorhouso? Poor
Christianity ! Three hundred millions in one
century. In rt few weeks of the year 1881
2,500,000 cojilcs of tile Hew Testament dis¬
tributed. tle with Why, tlic earth is llko au old cas¬
twenty gates and a park artillery
ready to thunder down every gate. Lay
aside all Christendom and see how heathen¬
dom is being surrounded and honeycombed
nnd attacked by this all conquering gospel.
At the beginning of this century there were
only missionaries 150 missionaries native ; now there are 25,000
and helpers and evang
rdisls. At tho beginning of this century
there Wore only 50.000 heathen converts ; now
there are 1,750,000 converts from heathen¬
dom.
There i« not a seacoast on tho planet but
the battery of thegospel is planted and ready
to march on—north, south, east, west. You
all know that tho chief work of an army is to
plant tho batteries. It may take many days
to plant tho batteries, and they may do all
their work in ten minutes. These batteries
are being planted all along tbo eoaeoasts and
in all nations. It may take a good while to
plant thorn, and they may do all their work
in born one day. day. They will, Nations are to be
til one But just come hack to
Christendom and recognise tbo fact that
during tho last ten years as many people
have connected themselves with evangelical
churches as connected themselves with the
churches in tho first fifty years of this cen¬
tury.
Bible, Ho Christianity they is is becoming falling back, and (lie
say, au obsolete
book, I go into a court, nnd wherever I.
find a judge’s bench or a clerk’s desk there I find
a Bible. Upon what book could bo
uttered tho solemnity of an oath? What
book is apt to ho put in the trunk of the
young man as ho leaves for city life? The
Bible. What shall I find in nine out of every
fen homes in Brooklyn? The Bible. In nine
out of every ten homes in Christendom? The
Bible. Voltaire wrote the prophecy that tbo
Bible in tlio nineteenth century would be¬
come extinct. Tho century Is nearly gone,
and as there have been more Billies pub¬
lished in the latter part of the century than
In the former part of tho century, do you
think the Bible will become extinct In the
next have six years? to [that I
I tell you the room in which
Voltaire wrote that prophecy not long ago :
was crowded from floor to ceiling with
Bible* from Switzerland. Suppose the Don-I
gross of tho United States should pass a law
that there should be no more Bibles printe 1 j
in America and no more Bibles read. Ir
there are 40,000,000 there grown people in the
United Hiatus, would be 40,000,000 pco
defend plo in an their army right to put down read the such Bible. a law and But
to
suppose the Congress of the United States
should make a jaw against the reading or
the publication of any other hook, how many
peoplo would go out In such a crusade?
Could you get 400.000,000 people to go out
and risk their lives in defense of Shake
speare’s tragedies or Gladstone’s tracts or
Macaulay’s “History of England?” You
know that there are 1000 men who would
dlo in defense of this book where there Is ;
not more than one manwho would die in
defense of any other book. by telling You try to the In-j !
suit my common sense me
Bible is fading out from the world.
Itis tlio most popular book of the century. :
How do I know it? I know it just ns t know voi- j
in regard toother books. How many i
umes of that book ore published? copies of Well, book you
say 5000 How many that
are published? A hundred thousand,
Whb h is the more popular? Why, of course
the one that has 100.000 circulation. And if
tbisbook has more copies times abroad in Bibles the
world, if there are five as many
abroada* any other l ook, docs not that
show you that the most popular book on the
planet to-dnyis the word of God?
“Ob.” say people, “the church is a codec
tion oi hypocrites, and it is losing its power,
and it is fading out from the world.” Is it? !
A bishop of tho Methodist church told me
that that denomination averages two new
churehee every day of the year. There are
least 1500 Christian churches built in '
at new
America every year. Docs'that look as though :
the church were fading out, as though instifu-i it
were a defunct institution? Which
tion stands nearest tho hearts of tho people j
of America to-dav? Ido not care in what
village or in what city, or what neighbor- . i
hood you go. Which institution is it? Is it
the lecturin'" post office? Is it the hotel? Is it the
hall? Ah. , ou know it is not. You
know that the institution which stands near
. st to the 11' arts of tbo Ann rican people is
the Christian <*htiru*h. If you have ever seen i
it church burn do,vn, you havo seen thou
bands of people Vbo .-Muding find looking at it
- j.eoola never go iutg a church-the j
VOL. XXIII. NO. IS.
tears mining down their cheek*. Thewhole
story is told.
You may talk about tho cliurch being a
collection of hypocrites, but when the diph
tlicria swoops your children off whom do
you send for? Tho postmaster, the attomey
general, tho hotel-keeper, alderman?
you send for a minister of this Bible region.
licit? £*}&^sequi^w Do “(rive hVbSud&
you say, me the finest room
in tho hotel?” Do you say, “Give me that
theatre?" Do you say. “Glvo me a plnce in
that public building, where I can lay my
dead for a Uttlo wliilo uutil we say a prayer
over it?” No. You say, "Givo us the house
of “;" '
A,u1 ! f ther ,° is ? son K to be 9ll!1 k at the
ohs , ” f l ,m 's, what do you want? What does
' va !V 1 ‘‘ Tho Marseillaise” hymn?
t>od Save the Queen/ , Our own grand
!!,'!!T'ii Ao ' They want tan hymn
SZSU%S£ffSS&3S?XS& f 10 q t lelr ,? 1 ' Christian
Cirevwr «■■..s-V' heart know'th^most I appeal to vovw indeadng ” mmon
You in
stUution on earth, flic most popular insli til¬
t'on on earth to-rlay Is the church or tho
J pfri„Va I ,St ‘
1 bo „ infidels say, « «r Infidelity rim shows i i, its sne
oess !K ' l!e "' P* s e “ 'L om audit *y° can fl!0t say tllat what ,l: 19 it will."Why-, everywhere
rnends, in(ldolity is not half so blatant
»&"^rssr8ttBSf5 r n twa Aif f hn?i?« ~ Ur
p " hlic they could get any
P o),ti ™> position? Let aman to-day declare
' ,imsolt antagonistic to the (lliristian ro
Mon. and wl,at wants him for mayor,
w, ' at Htat0 Wants ,llnl for governor, what
? at lon wants him for president or for king?
‘ lt: ,. n n lau °P cu| y Proclaim himself the
011PU 'Y ot , our glorious Christianity, and ho
? nnnot get a in majority ot votes in any State,
V 1 any city, any county, in any ward of
z :a Trrr 1
«J“valod as a goddess and was carried in a
golden chair to a cathedral, where incenso
wa9 lim- ned to her and people bowod down
before her ns a divinn being, God*Almighty, she taking the
P te «* of mAl ' while
in tho ° r , hat were en
'“-ted such scones of druiikoniiess and de
bnu<J,K ‘ r y nml obscenity as has never been
witnessed? Do you believe such a thing
could possibly Occur in Obrlstendom to-day?
fctu’wswtrr*'“■ f know inn,lolit deal - df
y makes a good
{? ,k ZinZ overboaMW^^cSnSrl
^ “dous °Uia {"wMoit 1 1S ‘
600
t<nm from jumps fl \mlplt from In lhTOtSNt fidelity, but e pfil
0r ‘o does
tllat k ceptbn Bible and the Church from
( ' .|irrvimr their millions millions of of passengers nnssnm/nrs l.itr, into
They say, theso men, that science is over¬
coming religion in our day. They look
through tho spectacles of the infidel sotou
tists, and they say: “It is impossible that
lids book cun he true. People are finding it
out. Tho Bible lias got to go overboard.
Science believe is going Hint to throw it overboard.” Do
you the Bible account of the
origin of life Wilt bo overthrown by infidel
scientists Who have [lily different theories
about the origin of life? If they should come
up in solid phalanx, all agreeing Upon one
sentiment and one theory, pet baps Christian¬
ity might differences bo damaged, but tltore are Inside not so
many of opinion the
Church as outside tho church.
different Peoplo used to say ( “There are so many
denominations of Ghristinns—that
shows there is noihlng in religion.” 1 have
to toll yon that all denominations ngreo on
the two or three or four radical doctrines ol
the Ohrisliau religion. Thoy are unanimous
in regard to Jesus Christ, and they are
unanimous in regard lo the divinity of tho
Scriptures, How is it on tho other side?
All split up—you cannot find two of them
alike, Oli, 11 makes mo Hlek to see those lit¬
erary fops going along with a copy of Dar¬
win under one arm aud a case of transfixed
grasshoppers and butterflies under tho other
arm, telling about tbo “survival of tho fit¬
test,” and Huxley's protoplasm, and the
nebular Tbo hypothesis, that
fact is some naturalists just as
Boon as they find out the difference between
the feelers of a wasp nnd tlm horns of a beetle
begin to patronize tho Almighty, while Agas¬
siz, glorious Agassiz, who never made any
pretensions tils feet on to the being doctrine a Christian, of evolution puis both and
says, “I see that many of tho naturalists of
our day are adopting facts which do not
bear observation or buvO not passod under
observation." These men warring against
each other— Darwin warring against La*
inarehe, Wallace warring against Cope, oven
Hersehcl denouncing Ferguson.
They do not agree about anything. They
do not gradation agree on embryology, do not agree
on the of tho species. What do
they agree on? Herschel writes a whole
chapter on the errors of astronomy. La
Place declares that the moon was not put in
right place, JIo says that If it had been
put four timis farther from the oartli than It
now there would be more harmony in tho
universe, but Lionville comes up just in time
prove that the moon was put in tho right
•
How many colors woven into the light?
says Isaac Newton. Three, says
Brewster. How high is tho aurora
borealis? Two and a half miles, says Idas.
hundred and sixty-eight miles, says
How far fs the sun from the earth?
million miles, says Lacalio.
million miles, says Humboldt,
million miles, says Henderson. Ono
and four million miles, says Jtayer
u little difference themselves—not of 28,000,000 miles !
split up among agreeing
anything. They come and say that tho
of Jesus Christ are divided on the
great doctrines. All united they are, In
Christ, in the divinity of the Scrip
Whilo they come up and propose to
their verdict, no two of them agree
that verdict.
“Gentlemen of the jury, have you agreod
a verdict?” asks the court or the clerk of
jury as they come in after having spent
whole night iu deliberating. If the jury
“Yes, we have agreed," the the verdlet jurj-men is
but suppose one of
“I think the man was guilty of mur
another says, “I think he was guilty of
in the second degree,’ and
man says, “I think he was guilty of
and battery, with Intent to kill,” the
would say : “Go back to your room
bring in a verdict. Agree on something,
is no verdict. '
Here these infidel scientists have impan
themselves as a jury to decide this trial
between infidelity, the plaintiff, and Chris
tho defendant, and after being out
for centuries they come in to render their
verdict. Gentlemen of the jury, have you
on » verdict? No, no. Thengobaok
for another 500 years and deliberate and
on something. There Is not a poor,
miserable wretch in the Tombs coart to-mor
row that could be condemned by a jury that
did not agree on the verdict, and vet you ex
pact us to give up our glorious Christianity
to please these men who cannot agree on
anything. friends, the church of Je*us Christ
Ah, my fading back, is theadvance. I
Instead of on God,
am certain it is on the advance. O Lord
Tby sword from Thy thigh and ride
forth to the victory! I And
I am mightily encouraged because
among other things that while this Chris
tianity has been bombarded for centuries in
fidelity has not destroyed one church, or
crippled one minister, or uprooted one church verse
of one chapter of all the Bible. The
all the tim<- getting the victory, and the shot
and shell of its enemies nearly exhausted.
I haw been examining their ammunition
lately. I have looked nil through their
rartrid^© ho*©3 1 Thlfv
twenty y<*ars a<l*a»e#d one new i‘ieu» They
have utterly exhausted their ammunition In
the battle against the church and against
the Scriptures, while the sword of the Lord
Almighty is as keen as it ever was. We are
just getting our troops into line. They arc
coming up in companies, nnd in regiments,
nnd in brigade#, and you will hear a sliout
after awhile that will make the earth quako
and the heavens ring with “Alleluia !” It
will be this, “Forward, the whole line!”
And then I find another most encouraging
thought in the fact that fhe secular printing ho
press and pulpit seem harnessed in f same
team for the proclamation of the gospel.
Every Wall street banker to-morrow in New
York, every Stnto street banker to-morrow
in Boston, every Third street banker to-mor¬
row in Philadelphia, every banker in the
United States, nnd every merchant will have
in his pocki-t a troatiso on Christianity, a
call to repentenee, ten, twenty or thirty
passages of Scripture in tho reports ot ses¬
sion preached throughout these cities and
throughout the land to-day. It will be so in
Chicago, so in New Orleans, so in Charles¬
ton, so in Boston, so in Philadelphia, so
everywhere. I societies doing
know the tract are a
grand nnd glorious work, but I tell you there
is no power on earth to day equal to the
fact tllat tho American printing press Is tak¬
ing up the sermons which are preached to a
few hundred or a few thousand peoplo and
on Monday morning nnd Monday evening, in
the morning and evening papers, scattering
that truth to the millions. What a thought
it is ! Wlint au encouragement for every
Christian man :
Besidos that, have you noticed that during
the past few years every one of the doctrines
of the Bible oamo umler discussion in
tho secular press? Do you not remember
a few years ago, when every paper in tho
United States had an editorial on 1 he sub¬
ject, “Is There Such a Thing as Future Pun¬
ishment?" It was the strangest thing that
there should be a discussion in the secular
papers on that subject, but every p*pcr in
the United States and In Christendom dis¬
cussed, “Is There BuoU a Thing ne Retribu¬
tion?" I know there were smalt wits who
made sport ot the discussion, but there was
not an intelligent man on earth who, as the
result of that discussion, did not usk himself
tho question, “What is going to be my oter
nol destiny?' 3o lt was in regard to Tyndall’s
prayer gauge. remember,
About twelve years ago, you
the secular papers discussed that, and with
just ns much oarnestuess ns the religious
papors, and there was not a man in Christen¬
dom who did not ask himself the question :
“Is there anything In Creator?” prayer? Oh, May what the
creature Impress the a
mighty fact, wlint a glorious fact—tho secu¬
lar printing press and the pulpit of tho
church of Jesus Christ harnessed in the same
team!
Then look nt the international series of
Sunday-school lessons. Do you know that
every Sabbath, between 8 and 5 o’clock, tliora
aro 5,000,000 children studying the same les¬
son—a lesson prepared by tlio leading minds
of tho country nnd printed In tho pap era—
and then these subjects are discussed anrl
given over to the teachers, who give them
over to the children? Ho, whereas, once, and
wlthtn our memory, the children nibbled
hero and there at a story in tho Bible, now Re¬
they are taken through from Genesis to
velation, und we shall have 5,000,000 chil¬
dren forestalled, for Christianity. My soul is
full of exultation. I feel as if I could shout
—I will shoujt, “Alleluia, the Lord God om¬
nipotent reignoth!” notice significant fact, u
Then you a more
you have talked with people on the subject,
that they aro getting dissatisfied with
philosophy and science as a matter of
comfort. They say lt does not amount to
anything when you have a dead child in tho
house, Thoy will toll you, when they were
sick nrtd tlio door of tbo future seemed
opening, the Only e.omlort they could find
was was in in (he (ho Gospal, Gospel. Peoplo ~ are having
demonstrated all over the land that science
and philosophy cannot solace tho trouble
and woes of the world, nnd they want some
other religion, and they are taking Chris¬
tianity, the only sympathetic World. religion that
ever came into the
Now, thoro are soma men who say they
have never seen Christ crowned In tho heart,
anil thoy do not believe It Is overdone. There
is a group of men who say they have never
heard the voioo of Christ; they have never
heard the voice of God. Thoy do not bollevu
it over transpired or was ever heard—that
anything like lt ever occurred. I point to
20,000,000 or 1,000,001) peoplo who say,
“Christ was crowned in our hearts’ affec¬
tions ; wo have soon Him and felt Him in our
souls, and we have hoard His -olce ; wo have
hoard it iu storm and darkness: wo lmvo
hoard lt again and again.” Whose testimony
will you take? These men who say they
have not hoard the voice, hare not seen tho
coronation, or will you tako the thousands
and millions of Christians who testify of
wlint they saw with their own eyes and heard
with their own ears?
Yonder is an aged Christian aftor fifty
years’ experience of the power of godliness
ill his soul. Ask this man whether, when ho
burled his dead, tho religion of Jesus Christ
was not a consolation. Ask him if through
tho long years ol ilia piigrimago the Lord
ever forsook him. Ask Mm if. when lie looks
forward to the future, if ho tins not a peace
rind a Joy, and a consolation tho world can¬
not tako away. Put this testimony of what
he lias seen and what ho has felt opposite has not to
the testimony of a man who says he
8»eji anythin# on tho subject or folt anythin#
on the subject, Will you take the testimony
of people who liavo not seen or people who
have seen? You
You say tline morphia puls one to sleep. useful. I
gay lu ot sickness it is very
deny it. Morphia never puts anybody to
sleep; it never alleviates pain. f You ask
me why I say that. havo never
tried it. I never took it. I deny
morphia is any soothing to the
nerV es or any quiet In time of sickness. 1
deny that morphia ever put anybody to
s |,, a p t, u t hero are twenty persons who say
they ’have all felt tho soothing morphine. effects Whose of a
physician's will prescribing take? Those who toot
testimony you testimony, I never hav
the medicine or my is the Gospel
Jnft taken the medicine? Here trouble,
of Jesus Christ, an anodyne for all
the mightiest medicine that ever came down
t0 £art h. Here is a man who says: “I
don’t believe in it. There is no power in it.
Here are other people who say: “We have
found out its power and know iis soothing
influence, lt has cured us.” Whosetesti
many will you take in regard to this healing
medicine. in
I feel that I have convinced every man
this house that lt is utter folly to take the
testimony of those who have never tried the
Gospel of Jesus Christ in their own heart and
i ife We have tens of thousands of wit
. ready take their
nesses. I believe you are to
testimony. Young man, do not be ashamed
to be a friend olthe Bible. Do not put your
thumb in your vest, ns young men sometimes
do, and swagger about talking of Ihe
oug u K ut ot the nineteenth century and of
there being no need of a Bible. They have
the light of nature in Indiaand China and in
all the dark places on earth. Did you ever
hear that the light of nature gavethem com
fort for their troubie? They have lancets to
cut and juggernauts to crush, put no com
fort Ah, my friends, you had better stop
. put
your skepticism. Suppose you child are is dying. in.
this crisis: Ob, father, your
what are you going to say to her?
Colonel Ethan Allen was a famous infidel
in his day. His wife was a very consecrated
woman. Themother instructed theuaugh
ter in the troths of Christianity. Ihedaugh
ter sickened and was about to die. ajMjho
gaid to her father: Father, shall I take
yoa r instruction, or shall I take mother sm
struction? Iamgoingtofftenow. I must
have this matter d.eelded. Th;at man vho
had been loud m his mfldelltj, said to his
dj-ing daughter, mother _ s Mydear, religion. jonhadbetter My advice is
take j'our you—oh, you had
the same to young maa,
better take your mother s religion. You
know how it comforted her. You know
w hst she said to you wnon she was religion, dj mg.
You had better take your mother s
Th© sprinX, or bundle of f©cd pip©s»*_
! is the ue prototype l > I of th© bagpipe. or 1