The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-03-29

| Luis explains WEab we OIten See-Some
man or woman distinguished for benevo-
lence when the father and mother were
distinguished for penuriousness, or you
see some young man or woman with a
bad father and hard mother, come out
gloriously for Christ and make the
church sob and shout, and sing under
their exhortations. We stand in corners
of the vestry and whisper over the mat.
ter, and say: "How is this, such great
piety in sons and daughters of such
parental worldliness and sin?" will ex-
plain it to you if you will fetch me the
old family Bible containing the full
record. Let some septuagenaran look
with me clear upon the page of births and
marriages, and tell me who that woman
was with the old-fashioned name of
Jemima, or Betsy, or Mehitabel. All,
there she is, the old grandmother or
great grandmother, who had enough re-
| ligion to saturate century.
There she is, the dear old soul, Grand
mother Lois. In our beautiful Green
wood-(we may all sleep there when our
work is done, for when l get up in the
resurrection morning l want my congre-
| cation all about me)-in Greenwood there
is the resting place of George w. Bethune,
| once a minister of Brooklyn Heights, his
name never spoken among INTEL igent
Americans without suggesting two things
-eloquence and evangelism. In the same
| tomb sleeps his grandmother, Isabella
| Graham, who was the chief inspiration
of his ministry. You are not surprised
at the poetry and pathos and pulpit
| power of the grandson when you read of
the faith and devotion Of his wonderful
| ancestress. When you read this letter,
| in which she poured out her widowed
soul in longing for sons salvation, you
will not wonder that succeeding genera
| tons have been blessed.
| NEW YORK May 90 179i.-This day my only
son left me in bitter wringings of heart he is
| again launched on the ocean-God's ocean. The
| Lord saved him from shipwreck, brought him
to my home and allowed me once more to in
| dulge my affections over him He has been
| with me but short time, and i'll have 1 i'm
| proved it; he is gone from my sight and my
| heart bursts with tumultuous grief Lord have
| mercy on the widows son, 'the only son of his
mother"
| ask nothing in all this world for him; re-
| peat my petition. save his soul alive give him
salvation from sin. 1t is not the danger of the
seas that distresses me; it is not the hardships
| he must undergo; it is not the dread of never
seeing him more in this world; it is because
can not discern the new birth nor its fruit but
every symptom of captivity to Satan, the
world and self-will This, this is what distress
| es me; and in connection with this his being
shut out from ordinances at a distance from
Christians; shut up with those who forget God,
profane his name and break his Sabbaths; men
who often live and die like beasts. yet are &C
countable creatures, who must answer for every
moment of time and every word, thought and
action. o. Lord, many wonders hast Thou shown
me: Thy ways of dealing with me and mine have
not been common ones; add this wonder to the
rest Call, convert, regenerate and establish
sailor in the faith. Lord, all things are posi-
bic with thee; glorify Thy Son and extend His
| kingdom by sea and land take the prey from
the strong. roll him over upon Thee. Many
friends try to comfort me; miserable comfort
ers are they ALL Thou art the God of consola-
ton: only confirm to me Thy precious word, on
which Thou causedst me to hope in the day
when Thou saidst to me: leave thy fatherless
children. will preserve them alive Only let
this life be spiritual life, and put blank in
Thy hand as to all temporal things.
wait for Thy salvation. Amen.
With such grandm other, would you
not have a right to expect George W.
Bethune? and all the thousands converted
through his ministry may date the saving
power back to Isabella Graham,
You must see those women of the early
nineteenth century and of the eighteenth
century, the answer of whose PRAYERS is
in your welfare to-day. God bless all the
aged women up and down the land and in
all lands! What happy thing Pom
ponius Atticus to say when making the
funeral address of his mother: Though /
have resided with her sixty seven wears,
was never once reconciled to her, be-
cause there never happened the least dis
cord between us, and consequently there
was no need Of reconcil iation.o Make it
as easy for the old folks as you can. When
they are sick get for them the best doc
tors Give them your arm when the
streets are slippery. Stay with them all
the time you can. Go home and see the
old folks. Find the place for them in
the hymn book. Never be ashamed
il they prefer styles of apparel
little ANTICIPATED. Never saw
any thing that implies they are in the
way. Make the road for the last mile as
smooth as you can. Oh, my! how you
will miss her when she is gone. would
give the house from over my head to see
mother. 1 have so many things |
would like to tell her, things that
have happened in the TWENTY
four years since she went away.
Morning, noon and night let us thank God
for the good influences that have come
down from good mothers all the wav
back. Timothy, don't forget your mother
Eunice, and don't forget your grand.
mother Lois. And hand down to others
this patrimony of blessing. Pass along
the coronsts. Make religion an heirloom
from generation to generation. Mothers
OF America, consecrate yourselves to God
and you will help consecrate all the ages
following! Do not dwell so much on your
hardships that you miss your chance of
welding an influence that shall look
down upon you from the towers of an
endless future. 1 know Martin Lu.
Their was right when he consoIed
his wife over the death of their daughter
by saying: Don't take on so. wife: re-
member that this is a hard world for girls. -
Yes go further and say: 1t is a hard
world for women. Aye, I 90
further and say: Il is a hard world
for men. But for all women and
men who trust their bodies aud souls in
the hand of Christ the shining gates will
soon swing open. Don't you see the sick
iy pailor on the sky? That is the pallor
on the cold cheek of the dying night.
DON'T you see the frightening of the