The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-04-03
THE MOTHER AND HER BOY.
An Incident Told by Rev. Dir. Moody, th'
Evangelist, In One OF his Sermons.

An IoIu py hpNs Ituudyt AhC
Evangelist, In One Of bis Sermons.
In England I was told about an only
son-these only SONS are hard to bring
up properly ; they have every whim and
caprice gratifed; they have grown up
headstrong, self-willed, and obstinate,
and make it miserable for any one to
have anything to do with them. Well,
this son had father something like him
self in disposition. And one day o
quarrel arose between them, and at last,
as the son would not give in and own he
was wrong, the father in 6t OF anger
said that he wished his son would leave
his house and never come back again.
"WeIl," rejoined the boy (As angry US
his father, ST will leave, and ! never
will enter your house again until you
ask me-" "Well, then, you won't come
back in q hurry" replied his father,
The boy then left. The father then
gave up the boy, butthe mother did not
Perhaps these men here won't un.
derstand that, but You women do. A
great many things will separate n man
from his wife, a father from his son,
but nothing in the wide, wide world will
ever separate mother from her child.
A Jury can bring in verdict against her
son; the Kisses may go up against him
he is condemned 10 be hanged; there is
not friendly paper to Write an article
in his favor. But il his mother be there,
the boy has at least one eye to rest upon
him, one heart to beat in sympathy with
him. He is taken to the cold, damp
cell and left to his fate. All forsake him
but his mother. She comes there she
puts her arms around his neck she
kisses him; she would spend all the
time with him il the officers would allow
it. She cannot save him. The day be-
fore his execution she sec him for the
last time she has not the courage to see
him in the shadow Of the gallows. The
supreme moment at length arrives; he
is led forth, and in few minutes he
bangles q corpse. Does the mother
then forget himl No; even now she
goes to his grave, strews flowers upon
II, and waters them with her tears. A
mothers love is next to Gods love.
Death is stronger than everything else !;
yes, bntwith the exception Of one thing
mothers love. Death and decay may
wreck city, buildings may cease to
exist, everything yields before him but
mothers love. 10 refer to the illus.
tration again When the father had
given the boy up, he thought he would
never come back, the mother was taken
very sick. She had been trying by
every means in her power to effect
reconciliation between the father aud
son. When she found she could not re-
cover from her illness, she again re-
.uewed her efforts with all the power Of
mothers love. She wrote to her son,
imploring him to ask his fathers for
giveness. He sent word back that he
would not write to his father unless his
father first wrote to him. 81 will never
come home until he asks mo, he said.
The mother began to get lower and
lower. Her husband at this time came
to her bedside md asked il there was
anythingh he could do for her. eyes, yes"
she cried, "there is one thiug-you can
send for my boy. That is tho only wish
I have on earth that is not gratifed. II
you do not care for him while am alive,
who will care for him when I am gone
cannot bear to die and leave my child
among strangers. Just let me- see him
and speak to him and l will die in
peace" The father said he could not
send for him. He could, but ho
wouldn't. He did not want to. The
mother has but few hours now to live.
She again beseeches her husband that
he will send for their son. The father
said he would send a dispatch to him,
but in her name. "No, no; that would
not do" Well, he can stand it no long
er, and he signs his own at the foot o.
the telegram. 1t was sent, and the
moment the boy received it he took the
first train home. The father was stand.
lug by the side OF the bed when the son
arrived. But when he saw the door open
he turned his back upon him aid walked
away. The mother grasYed the hand OF
her boy and pressed it again anu again,
and kissed him fervently. ooh! just
speak to your father, won't youI Just
speak the first word" "No, mother, I
will not speak to him until he speaks 10
me-" The excitement was too much
and she was rapidly sinking. Sho told
her husband she was dying. She now
took his hand in one OF hers, and held
the hand OF her boy in the other, and
sought and strove to bring about a re.
conciliation. But neither would speak.
With her last strength she then placed.
the hand OF the son into the hand Of the
father and sunk down into The arms oil
death, and was borne by tho angels into
the kingdom OF God. The father looked
at tho wife and then at tho boy; he
caught his eye; they fell upon each
others neck, and there stood weeping
by the bed Of the departed. That is the
illustration have given, but it is not 4
fair illustration in this respect: God is
not angry with us. With that e1cep-
tion it is q good illustration OF reconcile.
alton. Christ brought the hand Of the
Father clear down TO this world; he
put the hand OF the sinner into the hand
Of His Father and died that they might
bo reconciled. You have nothing to DO
then to bring about reconciliation.
God is already reconciled to us and is
ready TO save us. III. ,