Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-06-19
g Thy Son hiYeth."

Many q parents heart has been wrunS
with anguish by hearing Of the dangerous
illness OF IL beloved son. lie is at Il dis
tauce from the paternal roof, and circuln-
stances forbid the ycarnins father from
fastening to him. Day after day follows
oh, how heavily! and perhaps no IL
dings come to relieve the distressing anNi
ETY.. At length letter is received. How
,rc,nblngly it is opened! but how his
heart leaps with joy if it contains the
remedy for his tears--the annunciation-
Thy son liveili,"
There is another sense in which these
worlsmay convey tidngs of higher import
ard minister. to u far higher joy. 1t tre-
pnently happens that the son goes forth
to engage i'll the 'labors, and meet tee
temptations and suffer the sorrows of
life, with no interest III Christ, no hope
of ain unfading Inheritance above. Some
times God finds him among strangers.
ard brings conviction home to his soul.
The sense of danger and of guilt, the
earnest inquiry for the means OF deliver
ance. the struggles, the tears. the prayers
which precede his entrance to 6 new life.
are all experienced among strangers. The
news comes to the anxious father, "lhy
son liveth." He is no longer dead in
trespasses and sins; he is no longer at
variance with God; he has no longer be-
fore him the prospect of an undone cter-
nifty.
Christian father! have you son away
from your immediate influence, andis he
stranger to God? Has he gone forth
into the world without the blessing of
Goo? Is he the enemy of God? Is he
condemned already and is all his prosper
ity owing to the forbearancc OF that God
whose clemency he is abusing every day {?
How great must be your desire to hear
not merely of his success in business, but
that he liveth unto Righteousness and
eternal life! How constant and fervent
must be your prayers for his conversion !!
Is it not so? Are not your chief anx-
ieties respecting his spiritual health and
spiritual prosperity? Do you not believe
that souls are converted in answer to
prayer? And does not every considera'
ton of affection, as we'll as of duty. urge
you to pray? If you do not pray for
your own son, can you expect others to
play for him?
Sometimes the parent is conscious that
his own prayers arc lacking in fervency
and earnestness. He feels that such
prayers will not prevail; but he comforts
himself that other and better men are
praying for his sou-that the church is
praying for him. 1t may be so. 1t may
be that some man of God cares more for
the soul of the young man than his father
does. Itis doubtless true that the church,
that is, the praying members of the
church, are offering their supplications for
the salvation Of men. But may not the
parents hinder those prayers? We read
of prayers being hindered. What is
more likely to hinder the prayers offered
for the conversion of q son than the neg
iect of the weightiest responsibilities by
the Christian parent?
Baxter says, that if parents were faith.
FIJI to their children, there would be few
unconver:ed adults to preach to. If there
were church in every house-if every
parent were devout, consistent and grow
ing Christian-how different would be
the prospects of the rising generation! !
The chilling reserve On the subject of re-
lgion would be banished. Parental eX-
ample would not nullify the effect of pa
rental admonitioh. The ministry of the
sanctuary would be aided by the ministry
at home. Families would be What they
were designed to be, nurseries for heaven.