The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-12-06
THE CRADLE SONG.

What our mothers sang to Us when they
put US to sleep is singing yet We may
have forgotten the words; but they went
into the fibre OF our soul and will forever
be a part of 1t. 1t is not so much what you
formally teach your children, as what you
sing to them. A hymn has wings and can
fly everywhere. One hundred and fifty
years after you are dead, and " Old Mortal
ity" has worn out her chisel in recruiting
your name on the tombstone, your great
grand children will be singing the songs
which this afternoon you sang 10 your little
children gathered about your knee. There
is place in Switzerland where, if you dis
tinctly utter your voice, there comes back
ten or fifteen distinct echoes. And every
Christian song sung by mother in the ear
of her little child, shall havo ten thousand
echoes coming back from all the gates OF
Heaven. Oh! ii mothers only knew the
power of this sacred spell, how much
oftener the little ones would be gathered
and all our homes would chime with the
songs of Jesus.
We want some counteractiDg influence
upon cur children. The very moment your
child steps into the street he steps into the
/ path of temptation. There are foul
mouthed children who would like to besOil
| your little ones. It will not do to keep
| your boys and girls in the house and make
them house plants; they must have fresh
| air and recreation. God save your children
l IL. i.
ming influence of the streets 1 know Of
no cOunteracting influence but the power Of
! Christian culture and example. Hold be-
/ fore your little ones the name of Jesus; let
that name be the word which shall exercise
evil from their hearts. Give To your in
struction all the fascination of music,
morning, noon and night; let it be Jesus,
the cradle song. This is important if your
children grow up, but perhaps they may
not. Their pathway may be short. Jesus
may be wanting that child. Then, there
will be soundiess step in that dwelling and
the youthful pulse will begin to futter, and
/ little hands will be lifted for help. You
cannot help, and great agony will pinch
at your heart, and the cradle will be empty,
and the world will be empty, and your soul
will be empty. No little feet standing on
the stairs. No toys scattered on the carpet.
4 No quick following from room to room.
No strange and wondering questions. No
upturncd face with laughing blue cyes,
come for kiss; but only a grave, and a
wreath of white blossoms on the top of it
and bitter dcsolation, ard signing at night
fall with no one TO put to bed, and a wet
pillow and a grave, and wreath of white
blossoms on the top of it. The heavenly
shepherd will take the lamb safely anyhow,
whether you have been faithful or unfaith-
full: but would it not have been Pleasanter
if YOU could have heard from those lips the
Il praises of Christ? l never read ANYTHING
more beautiful than this about child's de
parture. The account said, she folded
her hands, kissed her mother good~byS
sang her hymn, turned her face to the wall
said her little prayer and then died"
Oh if I could gather up in one para
graph the last words Of the little ones who
have gone out from all these Christian cir.
cles, and could picture the calm look, and
the folded hands, and the sweet departure
nethinks it would be grand and beautiful
as one of Heavens great doxologies. II
my parish in Philadelphia, little child
was departing. She had been sick all hcl
days, and a cripple. 1t was noon-day Al
she went, and as the shadow Of death gath
cred on her eyc-id, she thought it was even
ing and time to go to bed, and 50 she said
Good night, papa! Good night, mamma =
And then she was gone It was Coco
| night to pain, and Good night TO death
, and "Good night" to Garth; but it va
Good morning to Jesuit was Goo,
r msrning" to Heaven. l can think Of NJ
r cradle song more beautiful than Jesus
Chriaiaa at Work.