The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-03-14
TALMAGE TALKS OF SONG.
HE WANTS MOTHERS TO SING FOR
THEIR CHILDREN's GOOD.

he WANTS MOTHERS TO SING FOR
THEIR CHILDREN's GOOD.
The Temptations OF the Street Can be
Overcome in the Nursery-What Song Is
for the Sick and Destitute--A Pathetic
Home Picture.
In his sermon at the Tabernacle last
Sunday DR.. Talmage said:
"It is not SO much what you formally
teach your children as what you sing to
them. A hymn has wings and can fly
everywhither. One hundred and fifty
years after you are dead, and old
Mortality has worn out his chisel in re-
cutting your name on the tombstone,
your great grandchildren viii be singing
the song which this afternoon you sing
to your little ones gathered about your
knee.
ssOh, if mothers only knew the power
of this sacred spell, how much oftener
the little ones would be gathered, and all
our homes would chime with the songs
of JesusA
eve want some counteracting inhu-
ence upon our children. The very mo-
ment your child steps into the street he
steps into the path of temptation. There
are foul-mouthed children who would
like to besoil your little ones. It will
not do to keep your boys and girls In
the house and make them house plants;
they must have fresh air and recreation.
God save your children from the scath-
ing, blasting, damning influence OF the
streets I know of no counteracting in .
fuence but the power OF Christian cul-
ture and example. Hold before your
little ones the pure life Of Jusus; let
that name be the word that shall e1er-
else evil from their hearts. Give to your
instruction all the fascination of music,
morning, noon and night; Lei it be
Jesus, the cradle song.
ssThis is important if your children
grow up; but perhaps they may not.
Their pathway may be short. Jesus may
be wanting that child. Then there viii
be soundless step in the dwelling, and
the youthful pulse will begin to hutter.
and the little hands will be Lifted for
help. You cannot help. And q great
agony will pinch at your heart, and the
cradle will be empty, and the nursery
will be empty, and the world Will be
empty, and your soul will be empty.
No little feet standing on the stairs. No
toy scattered on the carpet. No quick
following from room to room. No
strange and wandering questions. No
upturned face, with laughing blue eyes,
come for kiss, but only grave, and 9
wreath OF white blossoms on the top OF
it, and bitter desolatlon, and saghlng
at nighial with no one to put to bee,
and vet pillow, and a grave, and
wreath of white blossoms on the top OF
it. The heavenly Shepherd Will take
that lamb safely anyhow, whether you
have been faithful or unfaithful; but
would it not have been pleasanter If you
could have heard from those lips the
praises of Christ? I never read any
thing more beautiful than this about a
childs departure. The account said:
She folded her hands, kissed her mother
goodbye, sang her hymn, turned her
face to the wall, said her little prayer,
and then died
ssSongs in the night! Songs N the
night! For the sick, who have no one
to turn the hot pillow, no one to put the
taper on the stand, no one to put ice on
the temple, or pour out the soothing
anodyne, or utter one cheerful word
yet songs in the night! For the poor,
who freeze in the winters cold ana
swelter in the summers heat, and munch
the hard crusts that bleed the sore gums,
and shiver under blankets that cannot
any longer be patched, and tremble be-
cause rent day is come and they may be
set out on the sidewalk.
"Christ is the everlasting song. The
very best singers sometimes get tired;
the strongest throats sometimes get
weary, and many who sang very sweetly
do not sing now; but I hope by the grace
of God we will, after while, go up and
sing the praises of Christ where We Will
never be weary. You know there are
some songs that are especially approprl-
ate for the home circle. They stir the
soul, they start the tears, they turl the
heart in on itself and keep sounding
after the tune has stopped, like some
Cathedral bell which, long after the tap
of the brazen tongue has ceased, keeps
throbbing on the air. Well, 1t WILL be q
home song in heaven, all the sWeeter be-
cause those who sang with US In the
domestic circle on earth shall JOIN that
great harmony"