Dodge City times., 1889-05-23
to tneel; thank God for an early Chr,s-

to kneel; thank God for an early chr,s
tian home.
I bring to mind another passage i,
the history of your life. The day cam,
when you set mp your own household
The days passed along in quiet blessed.
ness. You twain sat at the table morn.
ing and night and talked over you
plans for the future. The most insig.
nificant affair in your life became th,
subject Of mutual consultation and ad.
visement- fou we're SO happy you fell
you never could be any happier. On,
day dark cloud hovered over You,
dwelling and it got drrker and darker
but out Of that cloud the shining mes
senger of God descendeV to incarnats
an immortal spirit. Two little fee,
started on an eternal journey, and you
were to lead them-a gem to flash in
Heavens coronet, and you to polish it
eternal ages of light and darkness
watching the starting out of q newly
created creature.
You rejoiced and yCu trembled ut the
responsibility that in your possession
an immortal treasure was placed. You
prayed and rejoiced. and wept and
wondered; you were earnest in suppli-
cation that you might lead it through
life into the kingdom of God. There
was tremor in your earnestness. There
was a double interest about that home.
There was an additional interest why
you should stay there and be faithful,
and when in few months your house
was filled with the music of the child s
laughter, you w.re struck through with
the fact that you had q stupendOus
mission.
Have you kept that vow? Have you
neglected any of these duties? Is your
home as much to you as it used to be?
Have those anticipations been gratified?
God help you to-day in your solemn
"reminiscences, and let his mercy fall
upon your soul if your kindness has
been i'll requited. God have mercy on
the parent on the wrinkles of whose
face is written the story of child's sin.
God have mercy on the mother who, in
addition to her other pangs, has the
pangs of child's iniquity. Oh, there
are many. many sad sounds in this sad
world, but the saddest sound that is ever
heard is the breaking of a mothers
heart. Are there any here who remem-
Der that in that home they were un-
faithful? Are there those who wandered
off from that early home, and left the
mother to die with a broken heart? Oh,
l stir that Renaissance to- day.
l find another point in your life his
tory. You found one day you were in
the wrong road: you couldn't sleep at
night; there was just one word that
seemed to sob through your banking
house, or through your Office, or through
your shop, or your bedroom. and that
word was Eternity" You said, Il am
not ready for it. o God, have mercy"
The Lord heard. Peace came to your
heart. In the breath of the hill and the
waterfalls dash you heard the voice of
Gods love; the clouds and the trees
hailed you with gladness; you came into
the house of God.
You remember how your handtrembled
as you took up the cup of Communion.
You remember the old minister who con-
secrated it, and you remember the
church officials who carried it through
the aisle; you remember the old people
who at the close of the service took
your hand in theirs in congratulating
sympathy, as much as to say, Welcome
home, you lost prodigal;" and though
those hands are all withered away, that
Communion Sabbath is resurrected this
morning; it is resurrected with all its
prayers, and songs, and tears, and ser
mons, and transfguration. Have you
kept those vows? Have you been a
back-slider? God help you. This day
kueel at the foot of mercy and start
again for Heaven. Start to-day as you
started then. rouse your soul by that
"Reminiscences.
But l must not spend any more of my
time in going over the advantages of
your life. l Just put them all in one
great sheaf, and 1 wrap them up in your
memory with one loud harvest song,
such as the reapers sing. Praise the
Lord, ye blood bought immortals of
earth! Praise the Lord, We crowned
spirits of Heaven!
But some of You have not always had
smooth life. Some of you are now in
the shadow. Others had their troubles
years ago, you are a mere wreck of what
You once were. I must gather up the
sorrows of your past life; but how shall
L do it? You say that is impossible, as
you have had SO many troubles and ad
versities. Then 1 will just take two, the
first trouble and the last trouble. As
when you are walking along the street,
you unconsciously find yourself keeping
step to the music, SO when you started
life your very life was q musical time
beat. The air was full of joy and hilar-
lty; with the bright, clear oar you made
the boat skip; you went on, and life
grew brighter until after a while sud-
denly q voice from Heaven said, Haiti"
and quick rs the sunshine you halted;
you grew pale, you confronted your first
sorrow. You had no idea that the flush
on your childs cheek was an unhealthy
flush. You said it can't be anything
serious. Death in slippered feet walked
round about the cradle. You did not
hear the tread; but after q while the
truth flashed on you. You walked the
floor. Oh, If you could, with your strong,
stout hand, have wrenched that child
from the destroyer. You went to your
room and you said, God, save my child!
God, save my child" The world seemed
going out in darkness. You said, Il
can't bear it; can't bear it." You felt
as If you could not put the long lashes
over the bright eyes, never to see them
again sparkle. Oh, if you could have
taken that little one in your arms and
with it leaped the grave, how gladly you
would have done it! Oh, If you could
let your property 60, your houses go.
your land and your store house go, how
gladly You would have allowed them to
depart if yOu could only have kept that
one treasure!
But one day there arose from the
Heavens chill blast that swept over the
bedroom, and instantly all the light
went out, and there was darkness
thick, murky, impenetrable, shuddering
darkness. But God didn't leave you
there. Mercy spoke. As you took up
The cup, and was about to put it to your
lips, God said, Let it pass" and forth
With, As by the hand of angels, another
,up was put into your hands; it was the
,up Of Gods consolation. And as you
have sometimes lifted the head of
wounded soldier, and poured wine into
his lips, SO God put his left arm under
Tour head, and with his right hand he
poured into your lips the wine of his
comfort and his consolation, and you
looked at the empty cradle and looked |
It your broken heart, and YOU looked at |