Democratic messenger., 1888-09-01

through the window and over the wal
talking in private over the matter. ant
saying: GLOW glad / am that We efrccte,
that rescue. In coming times others ma,
get the glory Of Paurs work, but no ont
shall rob us ofthc satisfaction of knowing
that VIC held the rope"
THEY HELD THE ROPE.
There are said to be about 60,OOO minis
tiers Of religion In this country. Abou
10000 warrant came from early home,
which had to struggle for the ncccessaricl
of life.
The sons Of rich bankers and merchants
generally become bankers and merchants
The most Of those who become ministers
arc the sons OF those who had terrific
struggle to get their everyday bread. Til,
collegiate and theological education ofthaI
son took every luxury from the parents
table for eight years. The other children
were more scan,ingly apparcled. The sor
at college every little while got In bundle
from home. In II were the socks tina,
mother had knit, sitting up late at night
her sight not as good rs once II was.
And there also were some dclicacics
from the sisters hand for the voracious
appetite Of hungry student. The father
swung the heavy cradle through the
wheat, the sweat rolling from his chin be.
dewing every step Of the way, and then
sitting down under the cherry tree u,
noon thinking to himself II am fearfully
tired. hut !, will pay II l can once see that
boy through college. and II / can know
tha, he will be preaching the Gospel aftcl
I am dead" The younger children want
to know why they can't have this and
that as others do, and the mother says
"Bc patient, my children, until your broth
or graduates. and then you shall have
more luxurics, hut We must see that hoy
through"
The years go by, and the son has been
ordained and is preaching the glorious
Gospel, and great revival comes, and
souls by scores and hundreds accept the
Gospel from the lips of that young preach
cr, and the father and mother quite old
now. are visiting their son at the village
parsonage, and ut the close 0f Sabbath
blessing father and mother retire
TO their room, the son lighting the way
and asking them If hc could ,lo anything
io make them more comfortable. saying II
they want anything in the night just To
knock ON the wall. Aud then all alone
hcr and mother talk over the gracious
influences OF the day. and say well, II
was worth all we went through To educate
that boy. II was hard pull, hut nc held
on till the work was done. The world
may not know II, hut, moihcr,wc held the
rope, didn't we" And TIE voice, trcinu.
lous with joyful emotion, responds "ies
Father, we held the rope. feel my work
is done Now, Lord, lciics, thou ,h,
servant depart in peace, for mine eyes
have seen thy salvation" "pslaw"' says
llc iututI, ! HtNtI icit ~ Hhu'H HNs
living in my life as now. want To 80,
what tlia, fellow is going on TO do; l,c In,
begun so well"
BIT oF PERSONAL. HISTORY.
Something occurs Ia me quite personal
was the youngest ola large family oi
children. My parents were neither rich
nor pool; four Of the sous wanted collcgi.
ate education and four obtained it, bul
not without great home struggle. We
never heard the old people say once that
they were denying themselves to effect
this. hut remember now that my parents
always looked tired. ] don't think that
they ever got rested until they lay down
in the Sommeryillc Cemetery. Mother
would sit down in the evening and say
swell, don't know what makes me feel
SO tired" Father would fall Immediately
10 sleep seated by the evening stand, over.
come with the days fatigucs, One of the
four brothers after preaching the Gospel
for about 80 years entered upon his heav-
cnly rest, Another ofthc four is now on
the other side of the earth-a missionary
of the cross. Two Of Us are in this land
IN the holy ministry, and | think all Of us
are willing To acknowledge our obligation
To the old folks at home. About 22 years
ago the one, and alon, "a years ago the
other, put down the burdens OF this life,
hut they still hold the rope.
Omen and women here assembled. you
brag sometimes how you have fought your
way In the world, but think there have
been helpful influences that you have new
cr fully acknowledged! Has there no,
becn some influence in your early or pres.
ent home that the world cannot see :
Does there not reach to you from among
the Canadian hills, Of Western prairie.
or from Southern plantation, or from
English or Scottish or IRISH home cord
Of influence that has kept yon right when
you would have gone stray, and which.
after you had made crooked track. rc.
called you. The rope may he as long as
30 years or 800 miles long or 5000 miles
long, bu, hands that went out of mortal
sigh, long ago still hold the rope lou
wan, very swift horse, aud you need to
rowcl mm with the sharpest spurs, and to
let the rcins lie loose upon the neck, and
,o give shout To u racer u you are going
to ride out Of reach Of your mothers pray
crs. Why, ship crossing the Atlantic
in seven days can't sail away from that
4 sailor finds them on the lookout as ae
takes his place, and finds them ON the
mast ~ he climbs the rallincs To tiscntan.
gle n rope in the tempest, and finds them
swinging on the hammock when he turns
in Why not he frank and acknowledge
1.-THE most ofus would long ago have
been dashed to pieces had no, gracious
and loving hands steadily and lovingly
aud nightly held the rope
But there must come time when We
shall find out who these Damascenes were