The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-05-26


Il Fear not for God hears the VOICE OF your
child where ever it is" When the parental
guard ceases then Gods protectloh is us
cerned more clearly, when parents can no
longer hear the ehilds voice, the Lofd per
ceiyes II. He. who placed them at your
kea,,t embraces them to day with His pater-
nal kindness and in that they are SAFE,
really safe You also we've ONCE w1thufaWn
from your parents they looked at Yen with
solicitude and hope, but His grace mas
never forsaken you, His mercy has gufdea
vol hititer. You are the living witnesses
and uronfs of the inspired words OF the dl-
yipe nsalelist g If father and mother should
ahandod ilan, He will never be Absent"
Tbereforf1i answer these questions your
selves and draw strength, courage ana CON
fidence from the everlasting source but
ono thing more. pious parents, who are IN
earnest concerning the true salvation OF |
THAR children, not satisfied with procuring
external fortune for them, are remlnded'by
| tho sfpht of the confessing youth OF these |
| Questions: Will these children remain faith |
| full to this confession, will they never go as
| tray from the one Gud never depart from the
| difficult path of duty shown to them on this
holy occasions will they cleave unto the
| Lord, IL Justice and holiness, keep law and
| lesson : + am aware that these questions
| trouble YOU still more than those relating TO
material success--this solcitude must pene
| trafe still deeper. What Is more terrible tom
telIigert, religious parents than the Thought
| of a lost SON. of degraded daughter, who
have abandoned their religion And be-
| cause the temptations of our age are SO ex-
csedingly great, and the ignorance and lndlf-
ference and the levity respecting religion so
highly luxuriate, so thai you can not trust
upon the youths religious doing tomorrow,
though YOU are sure of it to-day, how much
more depressing is your anxiety at this mo-
ment Yea we pray with you and tor you
all parents, that your eyes may be closed Ill
death rather than you to live to see this
When YOU have discharged your duty, when
you have brought up your children like
faithful and careful parents, IN moral DIS
ttipline, when you have trained them to rev
erence and obedience towards the Lord, to
LobserTe.,Sabbath and holy days and thus
: i.nknaffafed their impressible minds with the
love and fear of God-behold We might eoG-
kdentlv address you: Fear not, because
she Lord will perceive the child voice where
over it may be"-and the word OF confession
proclaimed in its filial purity at least dispen-
| ses GU from accountability-th word OF the
gow coming from its mouth exempt you at
, | least from the answer
i. Because the accomplishment indeed de-
sends not only on your continually good ex-
ample hes not only in your hands, but IN
he hands of those whom may the Lord en-
tfylften by His truth, infiame by His virtue
and guide to the right aim for the happy
, satisfaction and contentment of you, their
parents. Amen.
After hymn followed the address
, to the confirmed.
Aud now my address turns to you, my be-
Flowed children, to render your hearts partic-
, :ularly mindful of this hour. This moment
is for You the boundary of two ages. Behind
won lies the blooming and cheerful land OF
) Childhood, you are entering the age of ripper
/, youth, the age of responsibility. No de-
. ,seription of the past period-be IL ever SO
I brilliant and eloquent-can replace the gay
reality of its innocent joys, as well as No
]: i:wish Of the present-be it ever so ardent
G and longing-could bring you OIL its balmy
Q path again after you have once measured
this most joyful part of the human pilgrim
age on earth.
Overcome by tie burden of the various
J duties nf the more earnest part OF youi
youthful age, dazzled in like manner by the
3 inviting joys which enticingiy attract every
! new conner, you look for Il guiding staff Il
support, you seek u shelter to protect you
\ FROM the glittering splendor OF the new
:; world of things that surround you. 1ht
u Lord, who, when you We're helpless shielded
: you from unknown dangers, He, who pre-
. served the life of His representatives OF
L i EARTH the life of your parents and teachers
y has amply provided for all this.
But while III the years of your childhood
-: he showered countless benefactiOns upoI
o your heads and was satisfied with your en-
al ioyment-or later with your innocen
II prayers-words devoutly repeated afte
} careful mothers, anxious fatbers-He nov
=: asks from you more solemn pledges, as 4
:; | were, for the continuance OF His mercy, no
T.; | as a recompensation, but III order to shoy
~ that the ripen youth with the advanced de
u velopment of mind and heart must ae
y knowledge and know, that man is altogethe
y dependent on the divine grace, that man a
t<I,1 I,nJu Iait oh
worthy of His Maker aTd Master, by bein
lust and charitable to his fellow men.
20 Being initiated into the lessons OF gu
j, most reasonable religion you will under
!, stand the Importance and Specification q
= the difficult task hich you have to perform
!, Our religion uses for the purpose OF eleyat
:, ing your devout attention most solemn cert
n m0ny and by its indestructible impression
- opens to YOU q well of waters of life. Whie
q shall never be exhausted. This ceremony
e. held on religious festival, which marks tn
&. E birth day of truth, the dawn of the enligh
Sc enment of the human family, the remen
!, brance of revelation. This ceremony
q presided by your religious teacher, who hk
20 the Hermes of old, a divine messenger, az
j companies you TO the boundary of youthfI
"a childhood, whereupon he returns to prepar
be new apprentices on the difficult path of IL
hi struction.
~ Here then the scheme must become con
N plete, you commence to live, to practice a
m the good precepts you were taught, to avoi
NJ all the SHARES which you were instructed I
II esrape. Indeed, you feel yourselves calle
80 upon to strengthen reason and religion witt
I;s in You and in order to foster this holy vigo
,r let nue. give you an admonition, which
an teacher, who parted forever from his scho
NJ, airs, gave to his faithful wards. His pupil
he seeing the end of their revered master a
lie preaching, said to him: . Rabbi, dear pr
he ceptor, bless ps" And he said thereupon
nd !" May the fear of heaven be upon you as Il
-, 70 fear of man Surprised at what the
va thought the sipgularity of the dying injun
If. ton of one as renowned as their superio
"a. they asked him: Q Apd is this all4" "Wou
~ to God, replied the sage. that this might
81 so, for when one is going to sin he looks abol
"a for fear that some man might see HIM, and
an then you have the fear OF God upon you
90 the fear of man, you will ever reflect TIL
in the Lords eye is upon you aud you will
a saved from transgression." This simple n
of plique of antiquity is so beautiful and SCI
70. evident, that it is almost impossible to &C
,se any thing to it by way of illustration. it is
mr. sermon in itself this my admoHition al
will surely find q response in the hearts