The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1857-06-25
MisrrllunruuH KraAing.
The Evening Prayer" Our Fatber.p


words were borne upward. 1t was the in.
nocence OF reverent vchlldhood that gave
them utterance. 1,a e' .f<-rI =
",Who art in the heavens repeated the
children, one with her eyes bent meekly
down and the other looking upward as if
she would penetrate the heavens into which
her heart inspired. - II e -.... .....f
Hallowed be thy name"
Lower fell the voices of the little ones.
In gentle innrmur they said" IIallowed
be thy name."~ 1 -sa '.-
THY kingdom come" ..., ...... .
And the burden of the prayer was still
taken up 10y the children" Thy kingdom
Gomez ? ST '... --r... -. ~
THY will be done on earth as it is in.
Heaven"
Like a low, sweet echo from the land of
angels-"Thy will be done on earth as it is
in Heaven" filed the chamber. ....
And the mother continued" Give us
this day our daily bread"
"Our daily bread" fingered moment
on the air, as the mothers voice was hush
ed into silence. .... ......... ......
And forgive us our debts as we also for
give our debtoIs."
a moment. Blu, they were uplifted again
as they prayed" And forgive us our debts
as we also forgive our debtors"
And lead lis not into temptation, but
deliver US from evil For thine is the king.
dom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen" ... '.....
All these holy words were said pionslv
and !er'ently, by the little ones rs they
kueit with clasped hands beside their moth.
er Then AS their thoughts, upifled on the
wings of prayer to their heavenly Father,
| came back again and rested on their earth.
ly parents, warmer love came gushing
from their hearts. e..
Pure kisses-tender embraces-the fond
"good night" What sweet agitation
pervaded all their feelings Then two dear
heads were placed side by side on a snowy
pillow, the mothers last kiss given and the
shadowy curtains drawn.
What puseless stiffness reigns through.
out the chamber! Inwardly the parents
listening ears are bent. They have given
these innocent ones in the care of Gods an
gels, and they can almost hear the rust!iny
Of their garments as they gather around
| their sleeping 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 OIL her coun.
tcnance. 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 holies
| nf On. 81, -, Il. .
Childhood and my mother passed away.
went forth as a man to the world, strong
confident, and seIfseeking. Once came
into great temptation, would have faI-
len, / sadly fear, never to have risen again.
The struggle in my mind went on for hours.
/ was about yielding All the barriers I
could oppose to the rushing flood seemed
just ready to give way, when, as sat in my
chamber, first occupied in many weeks, the
murnur of a low voice was heard. listen
ed. AT first no articulate sound was heard
yet something in the tones that stirred my
heart with new and strange emotions, At
length, there came to my ears, in the earn
est, loving voice Of a woman, the words
| Deliver us from evil For an instant it
seemed to me as if the voice was that of my
hN1hS'. L'hShi WIN pOUlIu,
though all a child in heart again, l was
kneeng at my mothers knee.
Humble and reverently, said over the
words Of the holy prayer she had taught me,
heart aud eyes lifted to Heaven. The hour
and power of darkness had passed. r was
no longer standing in slippery places with
a flood of waters ready TO sweep me to dies
;ruction; but my feet were on rock. My
mothers pious care had saved her son., 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, as she tanght her enid TO
repeat his evening prayer, how little dream
ed she that the holy words were TO reach a
strangers ear, and save him through the
memories of his own childhood and bis own
mother! And yet IL was so. What pow
cr. there is in Gods word. rs il flows into
and rests in the hearts Of innocent children" ;"
H VAcUIry.--An old lady desired her worse
half to look into barrel that stood in the
corner, and tell her what ho saw. The old
gentleman looked and thus answered.
o ICUR MT. s's