National Republican., 1886-11-29
Cd w ARD g. LOT.
ANC I'll STORE 1913 Il, STR II FCT r.

couple be Christians, but one Is so naturally
constructed that 1t is impossible to enjoy the
services of a particular denomination, and the
other is not so sectarian or punctilious, let the
one less particular go with the other who is very
particular As for myself, feel as much at
home in one denomination of evangelical
Christians as another, and think must have
been born very near the line. / like the
solemn roll Of the Episcopal liturgy, and like
the spontanlety of the Methodists. and like
pSyen By SSe hs Es the
freedom Of the Congregationalists, and like
the government and the sublime doctrine of
the Presbyterians, and like many Of the
others just as good as any have mentioned,
and could happily live, and preach, and die,
and be buried, from any of them. But others
are born with SO stout, and unbendlug, and
that II is g. positive necessity they have the
advantage of that one. What they were in
tended to be In ecclesiasticism was written in
the sides of their cradle, If the father and
mother had eyes keen enough to see 1t. They
would not stop crying until they had put in
their hands as playthings Westminster cato.
current OF their temperament, and thought,
and character, runs Into one sect of religion.
lists as naturally as the James river into the
Chesapeake. 1t would be torture to such
persons TO be anything outside of that one
church. Now, let the wife or husband who
is not SO constructed sacrifice the milder pref
ercnce for the one more inieNible and rigor-
and sinuosties of the oak or hickory. Abram,
the richer in flocks of Christian gracs, should
say to Lot, who Is built on a smaller scale:
me and thee, and between my herdmen aad
thy herdmen. Is not the whole land before
thee?" As yon can be edited and happy any
where, go with your companion TO the church
to which he or she mnst go or be miserable.
Remark the third II both the married
couple are very strong in their sectarianisms,
let them attend the different churches pre-
ferred., 1t IS not necessary that youattend the
same church. Religion is between your con-
science and your God. Like Abram and Lot,
agree to differ. When on Sabbath morning
YOU come out of the door of your home to-
gether, and one goes one way aud the other
the other, heartily wish each other good SER
mon, and time of profitable devotion, aud
let 1t be evident, each to each, and to your
children, and To the hired help that you have
both been on the Mount Of TRANSPORTATION.
although you went up by different paths, aud
that you have both been fed by the bread of
life, though kneAded by different bands In
different trays, and baked In different ovens,
"But how about the cnildrenp' am OMEN
make make Il tHeir Choice. They viii grow gro SI up with With
reverence for both the denominations repre-
sented by father and mother, If you by holy
yfSs uns ebe bntsp 1s9 a hny w have Inc ths
more favorable opinion of his denomination.
If the mother lives the better liit they will
have the more favorable opinion of her demon
ination. And some day both the parents will,
for at least one service, 20 TO the same church.
The neighbors viii say: ~ wonder what is
going on to-day, for saw our neighbor and his
wife, who always go to different churches,
going arm.in.arm to the same sanctuaryP
Well, will tell you what has brought them
together, arm.in n'arm, to tho same altar.
Something very important has happened.
Their son is to day uniting with the church.
He is standing in the aisle taking the vows of
q Christian. lie had been somewhat way.
ward and gave father and mother good deal
of anxiety, but their prayers have been, an-
swered In his conversion, and ms he stands In
the aisle and the minister of religion says:
,D9you SonseeraIe, yourself you 70 the GOD VINO no
to serve him all your days." and with manly
voice he answers II do" there is an April
shower in the pew where father and mother
their souls that makes all differences OF creed
infnitesimal. And the daughter who had
been very worldly and gay and thoughtless
as the sunlight of that Sabbath streams through
the church window and falls upon her brow
and cheek she looks like their other daughter
whose face was lumined with the brightness of
another world onthe day when the Lord took
her into His heavenly keeping years ago.
l should not wonder If, after all, these
same church, all differences of church prefer.
ence overcome by the joy of being in the same
house of God where their children were pre-
pared for usefulness and Heaven.
But can give you recipe for running your
children. Angrily contend In the household
that your church is right and the church Of
your companion is wrong. Bring sneer and
children Will make up their minds that rell-
giOn is sham. and they will have none of It,
In the northeast storm of domestic controversy
the rose of Sharon and the lily OF the valley
will not grow. Fight about apostolic success.
sion, fight about election and free agency,
fight about Baptism, fight about the blshopric,
fight about gown and surpllce, and the re.
liglous prospects of your children win be left
dead on the field. You viii be as unfortunate
as Charles, Duke Of Burgundy, who in battle
lost q diamond the value OF nation, for in
your Gght you will lose the jewel Of salvation