Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-06-19

"Our father" The mothers voice was low ,o,,.-
and solemn. uer
Sour father" On two sweet voices the ,vo.,.
were borne upward. II was the innocence Of rao.
ent childhood that gave their utteranee ef'
"Who art in Heaven" repeated the children ~.
with her eyes bent meekly down and the other ioI
ing upwards as if she would penetrate the heavonn:
into which her heart inspired.
"Hallowed be thy name."
Lower fell The voices of the little ones. In pen
tie murmer they said" Hallowed be thy name !, s'u'
"Thy kingdom come"
And the burden of the prayer was still taken -.
by the children Thy kindom Gomez up
"Thy will be dore on earth as it is in Heaven
Like low sweet echo from the land of anosls
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven s
led the chamber III
And the mother continued" Give US this dav on,
daily bread" OuF
Our daily Bread" fingered a moment on tb. ii,
as the mothers voice was hushed into silence
6 And forgive us our debts as we also forgive ~
debtors" F
The eyes of the children had dropped for momo,.
But they were uplifted again they PRAYED" All
forgive us our debts also forgive our debtors
| land lead US not into temptation, but deliver y.
from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power
and the glory forever Amen"
AllThose holy words said piously and feryent
ly, by the little ones, they knelt with casped
hands beside their mother. Then as their thought.
upfted on the wings of prayer to their Heavenly
Father, came back again and rested on their ear,hlv
parents, warmer love came gushing from their
hearts.
| Pure kisses-tender embraces-the fond "good
night What sweet agitation pervaded all Their
feelings Then two dear heads were placed side bv
SIDE en- snowy pillow, the mothers last kiss given
and the shadowy curtains drawn.
What pulseless Stiffness reigns throughout the
chamber Inwardly the parents listening ears are
bent. They have given these innocent ones in The
care of Gods angels, and they almost hear the
rustilng of their garments as they gather round their
sleeping babes. sigh, deep and tremuIous 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 chldhood.my evening prayer 1t was the
best and hottest of prayer, "Our Father" that sba
taught me. Childhood and my mother passed away
| went forth to the world, strong confident
AMI sef-seeking. Once | came into great tempta.
tion. Had | fallen in that temptation | would have
fallen sadly fear, to have risen again. The
struggle in my mind went on for hours. | was about
yielding. All the barriers | could oppose to the rush
ing flood seemed just ready to give way, when as
sat in my chamber, first occupied in many weeks the
murmur of a low voice was heard. listened AT
first articulae sound was heard, yet something in
the tones that stirred my heart with and strange
emotions. At length there came to my ears, in the
earnest, loving olce of woman, the words" De.
liver from evil" For an instant it seemed to me
as if the voice that of my mother. Back, with
a sudden bound, though all child in heart again
was kneeing at my mothers knee
Humbly and reverently said over the words of the
holy prayer she had taught me. heart and eyes up.
lifted to Heaven. The hour and power of darkness
had passed | was no longer standing in slippery
places with flood OF water ready 10 sweep to des-
truction cut my feet were on q rock. My mothers
pous care had saved her In the holy words she
Taught me in childhood there was living power to
resist evil through all my after life. All that un-
known mother. she taught her child to repeat his
evening prayer how little dreamed she that the holy
words to reach strangers ears, and save him
through the memories of his own childhood! And
yet it was So What power there is in Gods word
as it flows into and rests in the hearts of innocent
I,b;