Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-06-05
NUNDll Ar LHE nLD HOME.
VTU
Ihe Godiy Example OF a rious Father and
Holy Mother.

The Cody Example OF "a r,ous Father and
Holy Mother.
Rev. pr Vincent III \. \. Independent.
sunday AT my fathers house WAS sabbath.
Not that we called IT so ; but 1t wasso. What
precise twonty.fOur hours we observed and
what name We gave them were matters OF no
moment To my parents, who, perhaps, never
examined the question rs between " First
Day. and "SeNenth Day." rs they are mat
ters OF no momeut to me- although have en-
amiued the whole question from top to bot
tom The Sunday of my bOyhood was the
Christian Sabbath, aud was kept in the
Christian spirit
The preparation for the Sabbath was mad q
ON Saturday evening. The wood and coal
put III place, the meats roasted, the house
cleanlng oi the day completed and the boots
and shoes POLISHED. The boys took their
bath, the clean clothes were made ready for
putting on in the morning, and at an early
hour on Saturday night the household were
asleep.
The rising tell rang at rs early AN hour on
SUNDAY As ON any other morning. Why
not D.? There WAS no crowdiug of business on
Saturday evening, and, therefore, Sunday
morning mapping was unnecessary. My
father was always an early riser lie did
much reading before breakfast. His chit
dren were less enterpiising; but what ambi.
ton did not secure was brought about by
word 0t command, which i'll those days had
great weight not So much | fear, through
loving devotion rs through a wholesome fear
oi certain consequences which were sure to
follow indifference or irresolution. The
morning.bell in my fathers house meant all
that IL said, and more.
Family prayer was tho order before break
fast Ii was invariable-literally so. The
reading OF scripture, a hymn sung through,
ana prayer, taking what time they would,
constituted the programme at my fathers
house, not only ON Sunday, but on every
other morning of the week-and every even
ing we'll.
After breakfast such "chores" rs had not
been performed at an earlier hour were at
tended to-with how much reluctance on NV
part am ashamed now to confess If had
only appreciated the value of the religious
resolution and energy put into the feeding of
pigs, the watering OF horses, and sundry
other disagrUe eable jobs that sometimes fell to
my lot should not have sung or prayed
with amy less zeal and confidence: but my
singing aud PRAYING would have been worth
more To me-, aud there would have been more
cheertulne>s in the practical services at sly
ana StaOle. II the dear face that used 10 look
so sad when her son was impatient and dis
inclined to do uncongenial things-i that
dear lace could look once more on me, ] do
think would try to make it brighter by be-
ing more selt-tOrgetting and submissive and
10y putting more religion into my secular
work. But alas the boys and girls generally
learn this lesson too late.
For years We had a ride or walk of two
and ahalf miles to the Sunday school, OF
tul superintendent And that sunday school
began at o'clock. OF course we went, and
we started so Is TO be there ON time. After
sunday school came preaching, which the
children OF our family attended-always
and then class-neeting; then lunch or din
uer with dear family who were As full of
hospitality a. they were of Christian friend
ship tor my father and mother. Whether we
yielded or not tO their persistent invitation,
we went home for an afternoon of Sunday
school work in the old "stone mill,n or in
the " Sand Hill School-house," superiutend-
Ell by my father. There was always after
that an hour for reading, and it seemed as il
everybody in the house read. 1t was on
those afternoons that | consumed the vol
ulnes OF Christian biography in my fathers
library. Some of them did me good, and
some did me harm but, on the whole, am
z lad read them.
After "chOres" and supper we had a
family evening song. 1t was rarely omitted.
Not going To the evening church service, ex-
cept on rare occasions, we had time for this
home service. For an hour or more we sang
the old hymns sacred songs from 1.-THE
southern Harp" and sometimes the latest
revival and prayer-meetiug and Sunday
school songs. Now and then my father
would make few earnest remarks suggest
ed by the hymn we had Just sung. And
there into the night we sat, singing and list
ening, and at last joining in prayer. The in
iluence OF these Sabbath evening-song ser
vices follows me TO this day.
OF Holes" For fifteen years that | can re-
member, il was my mothers invariable Gus.
tom 10 take the children into her own room
alter the regular Sabbath evening song and
prayer l have described. In the darkness
in the twilight, or in the moonlight we fol.
lowed her. And there, seated together with
out light, she would talk in tender way
about eternity and duty, about our faults as
children, her anxiety about us, her intense
desire for our salvation, how we ought to be
more patient with each other more cheer
fully obedient to father more guarded in our
speech, etc. Then we knelt together, and
she prayed. And how she could pray, Liv- |
ing with God seven days a week, through all |
the weeks, when she brought us, her chill |
dren, to the mercy. seat on the Sabbath even |
ing, was not heaven opened, and did not the |
place seem holy ground, and can any one |
wonder that her children cannot recall those |
see mes without thrill and a flood OF tears |
and vow OF renewed conservation
Then came the night and silence and pro- |
tecting wings of Gods angels and the bless |
ing of our mothers God hallowng the day, |
hallowing the house and making the mem |
Dry OF the Sabbaths of my childhood a means |
Of grace of penitence, OF confession, of conse- |
Grafton and OF faith in the verities of the /
Christian religion which no arguments can |
shake.
No those days were not /" too religious"
nor were they ga burden" There are lust
such Sabbaths ~ we need in this age aud in
he homes OF this land.