The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-04
LAY OUT MY PLANS

for sixty years in this world, and that
will make me eighty. | may not live
an hour, but | must have plans, and SO
l take in calculation sixty more years,
added to my past twenty, and ] must
keep in mind that these sixty years are
a short preface to the 500, 900 quintil-
lions of years that make up the volume
of my existence. These, then, are my
resources and my opportunities. If
there be an all-wise and all-beneficent
Being anywhere in the universe to help
me, / want him at this tremendous
juncture. The old leather covered book
among the family relics says there is a
God, and that for the sake of His son,
one Lord Jesus, He will help. To Him
/ apply, now | start for it. Sixty years
to do for myself and to do for others.
This body shall develop by all indus
tries, by all gymnastics, by all fresh air
and sunshine, and this soul, it shall be
swept and garnished and glorifed by
all that can do for it, and all that can
get God to do forit / am going to have
it Luxemburg of all grand pictures,
an oehestra of all grand harmonies, a
palace in which God and righteousness
shall hold Dominion. I wonder how
many kind words | can utter in the re-
naming sixty years that will bring me
to eighty. | will try. / wonder how
many kind deeds / can do in these six
coming decades. / will try, Lord God,
help me in this consecrationl
Well, busy life opens for that young
man. Disappointments chase him.
Graves open all around him. He makes
mistakes and falls, but never surrenders
his faith, and his life is one of blessing
to himself and blessing to Others. God
forgiyes his errors and makes eEeriast-
ing account of his holy endeavors and
greets him at last With "Well done,
good and faithful servant" You can
chisel on that mans tomb the words:
"HIs WAS A LIFE WORTH LIVING"
In the olden time, among the noun
tains of New Hampshire, there sits a
mother. There are six children in the
house, four sons and two daughters.
The farm is small and very rough. and
It requires very hard work to coax out
Of it living. It is mighty tug to
make the two ends Of the year meet.
The BOYS are sent to school in winter
and work on the farm in summer. The
mother with her own hands knits all the
stockings for the little feet, is the
mantua-maker for the boys and milliner
for the girls, and the presiding spirit of
the whole household. The only musical
instrument in the place is the spinning
wheel. The food, though plain, isalways
well prepared. The winters, though
very cold, are kept out by blankets she
quilted. On Sabbath day when she aP-
pears in the house Of God with her fam
lily the minister looks down at them and
thinks of the description of q good
housewife in Proverbs: Her children
arise up and call her blessed, her hns-
band also, and he praiseth her. Years
pass on and two Of the older boys ask
for college education, and then the
economics Of the New England farm.
house become severer and the calcula'
tions closer, and until the boys are edu'
Gated Il IS battle TO get bread. 0ne 81
the boys entered the Gospel ministry,
and IN pulpit Of wide influence breaches
Righteousness, temperance and judgment
of God. The other son enters the Law
and passes On into legislative halls and
commands the attention of listening
Senates, while he pleads for the Op
pressed and the doWn-trodd den.
One Of the younger sons enters com
mercial life at the foot Of the ladder
and climbs up till his successor and hi
philanihropies are known AL over thu
land The other son stays on the farm
because that style Of life the betteI
pleases him, and because that be wishes
to take care 0f father and mother when
they ges old. OF the fWo daughters ont
Of them, when the war broke out. wenl
through the hospitals aE PitfsburR Land
ing and Fortress M0nr0e cheering til
dying and homesick. and took the lael
messages Tor kindred far away, and
when Christ thought 81 her, hs said 4
Of old The same is my sister an6
mother. The other daughter has
bright home 81 her own, from which II
the afternoon, after devotine the fo1e
noon Of each day to her own family "A!
e0ce forth 70 look after The siek and En-
confaee fks disheafie Leaving smile
and keneIaction eNeF where fls
awhile there are Gre ieIegrans sent Ir1Eg
the New Entl1nd FiIIsea, telling 81
4hfea cons ard tHo danehtaTs "a eom|
home. For mother Is d6aa r1iislY ill ana
before tAeF can set ready q come ix'
l1ax s|e#I4a5s are started saying
f61HtI lend hs afs 11l6|
II # .|4s 1rnHH8 #4 r farm s'