St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-12-05
Neglect.
BY REV. L. K. JAMES.

Sad word! Suggestive of blighted
lives, ruined hopes, moral wrecks.
In Il dimly lighted attic, upon a pile
of rags, there lies an old man, heavily
breathing his life away. Nothing to
impart single ray of comfort, either
in outward surroundings, or in the in
ner consciousness of soul at peace
with God. Bare floors, no furniture,
a cold, damp atmosphere, all betoken
poverty and grinding want. Upon the
face, no light, no beam of hope. De-
spair hovers over, mantling all the
scene with the shadow of her dark
wing. .r,l|. "fr-r.s
What is the secret of all this misery :?
VIII so cheerless Pickering out of a
human life r.? All, the answer is told in
the one word, neglect. -- ..-..-.-.
The little child, sweet, joyous, COM
paratively Innocent, was bountifully
fed, comfortably clothed and even well
schOOled, but alas, the moral nature
was left to grow and mature, a plot of
nOxiOus weeds. Parental love was
pure and ardent; parental care was
far-reaching and anxious i'll the securing
this worlds goods for the son and heir.
Oh, with what eagerness of expectation,
and with what loving pride did the do
ting parents look forward to the final
settlement in life of their darling
How did they toll early and late
How did they deny themselves even
the common comforts of life-all that
their boy might rise to higher social
plane, feasting while they tasted
Astounding while they suffered need
caressed of the multitude while they
remained obscure and unsOught. But
all this care, and fOrethOught, and toll
and fond doting was but a wretcheG
and pitiful offset to the utter negligence
of soul culture. AS the boy grew an6
matured in mind and body, tempta.
tions gathered thick and fast, with ne
power to resist. Evil influences, OF
multifarious character found ready
Judgement in heart unguarded, un.
kept. What wonder that even the
the child went astray, breaking the pa
rental hearth What wonder that the
young man left the fathers roof for 8
wild, mad tramp to the ends of the
earth What wonder the money 81
lavishly bestowed for purposes of re
covery and keeping up responsibility
WIS 50 sOOu lOOllSuly anu WlckeulN
squandered All, what wonder thu
last, squalid, closing, rayless scene il
the atticq Such is but the natural re
suit of neglecting to "train up a chile
in the way he should CO."
But such was not the only neglect
Ministers of the Gospel, Sabbath schoo
teachers and Christian people general,
passed him by on the other side, o
shrank from contact with one so repul
sive and repellent, or deemed hin
hopeless-a swine before whom pearl
must not be cast-and thus gave hin
reason to cry out in anguish, upon re
viewing his life on his death bed, an
man careth for my SOUL"
Christian reader, while you ambitious
ly strive for the temporal good of you
children, by no means neglect thei
spiritual and eternal interests. 'Seek,
for them, ''first the kingdom of Go
aud his righteousness. and all thes
things shall be added" But revers
the rule and there is no surety even G
the added things.
Neglect not the wanderer, whethe
he be young, or past the eleventh hour
whether he be clad in rags, or in pul
pie and fine linen; whether he we
come or repel.
Let no duty be neglected, for ne,
leeted duties leave bitter regrets, sa
memories, and irredeemable results.