Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1853-11-12
Evening Prayer. sour Father"

low, and tender. and solemn.
Our Father On two sweet voices |
the words were borne upward. Ii was
the innocence of reverent childhood that
gave them utterance.
Who ar.ip the heavens repeated the |
children, one with eyes bent meekly |
down, and the other looking upward, as if
she would penetrate the heavens into
which her heart inspired.
'Hallowed be thy name
Lower fell the voices Of the little ones.
In a gentle murmur they said--Hallo wed
be thy name.'
Thy kingdom Gomez
And the burden of prayer was still TAX.
en- by the children-eThy kingdom come
Thy will be done on earth as it is done
in heaven
Like low, sweet echo from the land
of angels. Thy will be done on earth as
it is done in heaven filled the chamber
And the mother continued--'Cive US
this day our daily bread
'Our daily bread" fingered a moment
on the air, as the mothers voice was
hushed into silence.
'And forgive us our debts as we also
forgive our debtors.
The eyes of the children had dropped
for q moment. But they were uplifted
again as they prayed--'And forgive us
our debts as we forgive our debtors.'
'And lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from all evil. For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory.
for ever. Amen
All these holy words were said piously
and fervently by the little ones, as they
knelt with clasped hands beside their
mother, Then, as their thoughts, uplift-
ed on the wings Of prayer to their Heav.
emily Father, came back again and rested
on their earthly parents, a warmer love
came gushing from their hearts.
Pure kisses--tender embraces-the fond
good night What a sweet agitation
pervaded all their feelings! Then the
two dear heads were placed side by side
on the snowy pillow, the mothers last
kiss given, and the shadowy curtains
drrwn.
What pulseless stiffness reigns
throughout the chamber! Inwardly the
parents listening ears are bent. They
have given these innocent ones into the
keeping of Gods angels. and they can al.
most hear the rustling of their garments
as they gather around their sleepless babes.
A sigh, deep and tremulous, breaks on the
air. Quickly the mother turns to the
father of her children, with look OF
earnest inquiry on her countenance.-
And he answers thus her silent question
Far back, through many years have my
thoughts been wandering. AT my mothers
knee thus said nightly, in childhood, my
evening prayer. 1t was the best and holi
est of all prayers, Our. Father that she
taught me. Childhood and my mother
} passed away. I went forth as man into
, the world, strong, confident, self.seeking
. Once came into a great temp alton
, Had fallen into that temptation, wouls
have fallen, I sadly fear, never to ris'
t again. The struggle in my mind wen
on for hours. l was about yielding. AL
!, the barriers could oppose to the in.rush
ing flood seemed just ready TO give way
, when, as sat in my room one evening
r there came from an adjoining chamber
e now first occupied for many weeks, tn
/: murmur of low voice. listened. A
y first, no articulate sound was heard. an
e yet something in tones stirred my hear
o with new and strange emotions. AT lengt
It there came to my ears, in the earnest an
It loving voice Of a woman, the words sDt
;, liver us from evil For an instant.
.t seemed 10 me as if the voice we're that {
my mother. Back, with sudden boun,
through all the intervening years, wer
my thoughts; and, a child in heart agair
e l was kneeling at my mothers knee
Q Humbly and reverently I said over tn
words Of the holy prayer she had taugl
It me, my heart and eyes uplifted to HEAVIER
g, The hour and the power had passed.
,e was no longer standing in slippery place
with flood of waters ready to sweep m
> to destruction; my feet were on rocl
NV mothers pious care had saved HI
n son. In the holy words she taught me
lie childhood was living power to resi-
Re- evil through all nay altar life All tn
= unknown mother, as she taught her chi
ID to repeat his evening prayer, how lit
g, dreamed she that the holy words were
sy reach strangers ear, and save him, thr
er memories of his own childhood, and
own mother! And yet it was SO. VIII
-, power there is in Gods word, as it flo,
Su into and rests in the minds of the inn
:" cent children!