The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-09-24
&c TIE HoME
WHAT WE MAKE IT,
Preached in the Edgefield Bap-
tist Church by the Pastor,
Rev. William Henry
Strickland, Sept. 3.
From the Nashrille Arnerican.

/ AUA shOOS " AOS~i~hAf AL oOh1 my SoA
-2d SAM, viii. 80.
These words are the wall of
broken hearted father over the lol
of his ruined son: David mournin
for Absalom. 1 take these word
| and their connection from which
| discourse upon Home and its In
iuences."
The family relation is the onl,
one left US that antedates mans fal
and punishment from primevaI bliss
1t is the purest and truest institu
ton that is wholly of this world.
"The Family Tree" it is NOR
beautiful than any other and point
more invitingly toward heaven.
s'The Sacred Hearthstone," itl
blessed memories echo and re.eehC
through our souls unto the Glates
hour. .sgog 4;e i Bssvai al
HThe Social Reunion" what en-,
dearing type of heaven it may be
The ideal home is very inviting
very beautiful; the reality is often
marred, stained, defaced. alf
Let us consider this subject in the
light of David and AbsaIom. The
home as David made it; the home
as we make it. ~ - aa1pi q i''
I. A rock bottom factor here, as
elsewhere, in unhappy families is
unfortunate marriage.
David was a Jew, jealous for his
nationality, its customs, laws, reli-
gion Maacah, Absalom's mother,
was foreigner and a heather; quite
likely she was closely welded to her
people and false religion.
In espousing this woman, David
violated sound sense, good policy,
the law of God. We believe that
physical peculiarities, mental in
irmities and excellencies are trans
mitted from parent to child; he who
weds a consumptive girl may expect
to have consumptive children she
who joins herself in marriage with
a scrofulOus man may look for dis
eased offspring. The man who has
followed the bowl till intemperance
has become d disease, will beget
children with a natural thirst for
strong drink to begin with In this
way we account for the perpetuation
of predispositions, idiosyncraciss,
heredity.
So, sin, moral impurity and inn
perfection is handed down from pa
rent to child. The sins of parents
are visited upon the children.
Gods Word declares this: "For I,
the Lord, thy God, am jealous
God, visiting the iniquity Of the
fathers upon the children unto the
third and fourth generation of them
that hate me. Exodus Xxx, 5.
The transferring of sin from gen.
Grafton to generation is not done by
the Almighty in any arbitrary, un-
merciful way 1t comes about by
law. "F
The father who habitually pro-
fanes Gods holy name will thus
bring up his sons to be swearers.
He who keeps a rum hsle and
makes his money by coming the
tears of wives and cries of children
for bread, who outrages human ten
1encies till they die within him, who
rears his offspring IN such influences
nay expect tS see them unfeeling,
till they naturally accept
he situation and sins of the father
md often cutrun him in vice.
The parent is guilty, the child
Voluntarily accepts the parents
yices and becomes guilty as we'll.
Like father, like SON. Each sins
or himself and each must suffer in |
himself and for himself
The heather foreign wsman trans
nitted her predispositions and sins
O her son. Absalom came into life |
Inder tremendous disadvantages.
lie begun life with wicked tenden
les moving within him at acceler- 1
ted speed. The chances were
,gainst him, as the boy born of |
Irunken parents has the odds against
Iim tremendously at the outset of |
ife's struggle. '-1
1t was not impossible for Absalom
o dc right and be good, but. it was
Iarder for him than for Isaac or
samuel.
i know gentleman who, take
i'm all in all, is the most pious, self
minister of God in my
cquaintance, who works six days
n the week to support his family
nd goes out and breaches as mis-
ionary on Sundays, who was a few
ears ago profane, unclean. dishon-
st-whose father was drunkard, I
nd on this wise was the son con,
'erted. Being in New York he
pplied to a phrenologist to have a
hart of his head taken. Among
ther things The examiner said:
Yenug man, your bump of venera@
ion is small your tendencies are
cry strong toward irreligion. 1t
light be well for yon to think of
bat as you have a soul to dispose
e. This word dropped into this
oung mans heart was blessed of
be Holy Spirit to the awakening
nd conversion of his soul. I men /
on this to show that the deor ofi
ope is not shut upon any, how
yer unfavorable might have beenll
beir BIRTH III this doctrine of he.
sdity be true, how careful shouldl
oung people be in forming the
marriage relation Many woman |
lakes for herself and her children
a earthly hell when she marries. /
Fhsre social affinity, culture, tastes
nd sympathies are not Harmonious.
How can TIVE walk together hap-
ily unless they be agreed ~ ~
Many > young man starts down
III when he marrias. lie is poor,
rs position and moderate salary. |
2 wsds > pretty face, whose wearer
- no Idea Of aeonony, Whe loves 1