, 1886-05-16

tho very yeast of heaven, the ono quality
not born from below. but infted in
univer- al nature. 1t is the golden
thread leading men to spiritual life. Even
welded love has Its burdens and exceptions
The cradle has none. We love and ars loved
again. We rass through tho dream Of
early love when all is paradisical,. and at
last, according TO the old myth, we fall; we
fall when we discover that our angel was
human 1t was a pure and perfect diamond.
Alasl some day there are flaws found in it.
Thenceforth we bear and forbear; we suffer
that we may love. Not so the cradle. There
is no dros' in that gold: there is no COM
merce there; there is no giving and taking.
The heart, like n smitten rock. flow a
pure and un Unfinished ST am ever on the
deser.s of poverty; and there is no love
so spontaneous. no love that hath in it so
little of the influence and motive that actu
ates every o her part of life as the simple,
Indispensable. irresistible love which parents
have for new born children. and at every
step or word until they begin to be
men. Now consider what tue value
OF such an element must needs bt
in the unfolding OF a race as low
RS the human race has been. How il
lays the foundation OF the household; how
the household lays the foundat on Of nei- b.
borhood; how neighborhoo1 lays the
foundation Of states an kingdoms: how the
qualities that are afterwards imperfectly
ripened into laws or customs sprang from
these primitive necessities of the hou .chold-
Never in all after life shall we repay the
lessons which our children teach us. They
inspire enterprise, and industry, and courage.
as nothing else does. From rude and painful
strife with nature, mon find relief by the
love which they find when they come back
to the household The buried minor
from whose face the sun is wiped
away, coming out in twilight wecry and en-
grimel, wi h no expectation or ambition,
yet Is cheerful and hopeful; he is gong
home where tn, little children live; hs re-
turns aga.n to his most unwelcome
task in the morning. with yet nc
expectation of honor or wealth, but
only that THROUGH his patient tot
the little chill lren may live OH. Fol-
himself alone, or even for welded compan-
ionship. man might grow weary, but fol
children, never. So long as there s n little
hand that cannot he'll itself, so long "a there
are Ii tie feet that cannot mr Q musi, pat
tering on the floor of home. 50 long ms there
are Inns that know only how to cry, so long
will the rulest and the strongest men tasb
Themselves to the uttermost.
What else would so teach us industry,
frucn!.'y, FORESIGHT, long suffering, d~isintcr
e'tednrssi Children are more 10 men thar
the church or the temp Q; they are The very
foundations on which now cur religious in
stru"slon is founlel, and we work by thos,
great natural instincts AMI impulses into {
kind of practical gospel for the enlishtcn-
ment and salvation of MANKIND. They are the
very al mr. on which God kiadlcs our hest af
f~cciions. and when parents are loving lheil
children they are nearer to God thar
at any o.her time, for their ang L
do always stand before the face
Of Col AMI they that stand ii
the angels place, loving them, ARE next tc
God in these hours. lanl the purrst ] y,, and
the d;Frest, aud iii, most tnluring, md the
mos; r!s".s.rs, are the joys that + Ing into
pnrentu i.nfts in the presence OF their deai
little children.