The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-02-22
RELIGIOUS READING.


RELIGIOUS READING.
Full Measure.
Fun measure, pressed down and running over
Thou givest, Lord. fun me isure,
And that is good for me;
| 1hou keepest safe each treasure
hat orhde to Thee:
safe in Thy presence hide them;
| Safer they cannot be. 8.
Thou see'st my hearts detection &
| Why am full of frars
| l think of Thy rejection. - >
| AND stay my tsithiss tears; n
| For the very wound that pains mes .
| Thy tender touch eRdears. ~
Then give me. Lord. .sfull I1easuFs
OF Thy grace 20 rich and ffees ssf = -
Give. Lord, at M good pleasure.
| Il leave i all with Yhees
And claim each profeieed blessing,
1 As mine, by Thy decree.
| Search the Sefipsures 81
a short time since, had the pleasilI
of fIlisg q vscsnt- pulpit in easssrsl
Pepnsyi ganias u one Of the richest farm
ing sections Of the state. Peace and
plenty abonnded on every hand. The
| spires fschnrches. dotting the lapdscapes
~ s1skk = g fss5eEt3 70 4
| ward, betoKened that religion was neither
wanting nor neglected. The houses,
with scarcely an exception, seemed TO be
houses of real substantial comfort and
refinement. There was an air of gladness
and happiness everywhere diffused,
which, when breathed, it being 30 buoy
ant, 50 exceedingly exbilarating, made
one feel like dancing with all his might
before the Lord, after the fashion of
King David. The Sabbath was day of
cloudless sunshine. Everybody came
out to church clad in his best attire aud
wearing smiling face. Even the cattle
in the grassy fields seemed to take Just
pride in being so sleek and glossy and
well-fed, and as we passed along they
raised their heads and looked thankful
that their lives were cast in such pleasant
places.
One of the elders took me to the resi-
dence of his father for entertainment.
And, as l understand that household was
very much as its neighbors. I think that
l discovered there, in the family of that
devout and godly man, the secret Of the
abundant wealth and prosperity 50
visible i'll all that goodly land. He was
the owner of two splendid farms, well
titled. His barns and granaries were
well filed. He was the happy husband
of a genial, sweet-tempered, industrious,
frugal wife, and the proud father of
noble sons and amiable Christian daugh~
ters, and he could point with fond and
joyful exultation TO the respectful
grandchildren, ready to rise up and call
him blessed.
Now, what was the secret Of this
cheerful, golden sunset, and the over
flowing competence which the aged /
couple enjoyed? When bedtime came /
the old father asked me TO lead in wor-
ship. One Of the daughters handed me
a well-worn copy Of the bible. The !
marks of long and frequent use traced |
on the leaves of that holy book plain
ly declared the secret of success. Those /
marks explained the whole matter salts
tactonly to my mind. That was no |
dust-cOvered volume, but was &" lamp" !
and "light," and it shone bright on /
the pathway Of its pOssessor. There was
scarely page in it where one or more !
verses were not underscored, to indicate !
that they had been used as texts of ser
mons to which the family had listened. /
And, behold on the margin were in
scribed the names of the ministers who
preached the sermons and the dates when |
they were delivered.
The father had observed the divine
command to search the Scriptures"
and, searching, he had found eternal life.
He had sought first I" the kingdom of |
God" and all these temporal blessings
had been added unto him. In early life
he had made rule to read the bible
morning and evening, and he kept the |
rule. Sundays he read much more than |
other days, trying to prove all things"
which his pastor had said, and wishing
only to " hold fast that which is good"
He prayed as often as the prophet Dan
iel. And you might say to him, as Paul
said to Timothy: From a child thou
hast known the holy scriptures"
That old farmer sets an example which
all Christian families would do well to
follow. There is a tendency in this fast
age to neglect family worship; and the
synod of Albany is not the only body
which needs to resolve to reform in this
respect. If people would be blessed,
they must search the scriptures" and
profit by their doctrine.-T Rev. c. E
Lawrence, in n. Y. Observer.