The Penn's Grove record., 1889-05-25

lou ITlR the SWALLOWS from Lne
rafters Of the barn. and take just one
egg, and silence your conscience by
saying they won't miss it. You take a
drink again out Of the very bucket
that the old well fetched up. You 60
for the cows at night, and find them
wagging their heads through the bars.
Outlines in the dusty and busy
streets you wish you we're home
again on that cool grass, OIL in
the rag carpeted hall of the
farmhouse, through which there
was the breath Of new mown
hay or the blossom OF buckwheat.
You may have in your windows now
beautiful plants and flowers brought
from across the seas, but not one of
them stirs in your soul so much charm
and memory as the old Ivy and the
yellow sunfiOwer that stood sentinel
along the garden.wall, and the forget
me-nots playing hide and-seek mid
the long grass. The father, who used
to come in sunburnt from the fields,
and sit down on the door-sill, and
wipe the sweat from his brow, may
have gone to his everlasting rest.
The mother, WIN used to sit
at the door, a little bent over,
cap and spectacles on, her face mellow
ing with the vicissitudes Of many
years, may have put down her gray
head Oh the pillow in the valley, but
forget that home you never will. Have
you thanked God for itp Have you
rehearsed all these blessed ieminis-
cencesp Oh, thank God for a Christian
father; thank God for a Christian
mother; thank God for an early Chris.
tian altar at which you were taught to
kneel; thank God for an early Christian
home.
THE YOUNG COUPLE AT HOME.
l bring to mind another passage in
the history of your life. The day came
when you set up your own household.
The days passed along In quiet blessed
ness. You twain sat at the table morn
ing and night and talked over your
plans for the future. The most In.
significant affair In your life became
the subject of mutual consultation and
ADJUSTMENT. You were so happy you
felt you never could be any happier.
One day a dark cloud lowered over
your dwelling, and 1t got darker and
darker, but out of that cloud the shin.
ing messenger OF God descended to in-
carnate an immortal spirit. Two little
feet started on an eternal journey, and
you were to lead them-a gem to flash
in heavens coronet, and you to polish
1t; eternal ages Of light and darkness
watching the starting out OF a newly
created creature.
You rejoiced and you trembled at the
responsibility that in your possession
AN IMMORTAL TREASURE
was placed. You prayed and rejolced,
and wept and wondered; and prayed
and ~rejoiced, and wept and wondered;
you were earnest in supple atom that
you might lead 1t through life into the
kingdom of God. There wa a 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 a few months your house was
filed with the music Of the child's
laughter, you were 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 ber
Have those a~nticlpations been gratlled?
God help you to-day in your solemn
"Reminiscences. and let His mercy fall
upon your soul If your kindness has
been ill-requited. God have mercy on
the parent on the wrinkles of whose
face Is written the story Of a child's
sin! God have mercy on the mother
who, In addition to her other pangs,
has the pangs of a child's iniQuityl Oh,
there are many, many 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 remember that in that home they
were unfaithful9 Are there those who
wandered Of from that early home and
left the mother TO die with a broken
hearth Oh, | STIR that "reminiscences
to-day.
l find another point in your life
history. 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 clearinghouse. or
through your office. or through your
shop, or your bedroom, and that word
was s'Eternltyl" You said, II am not
ready for it, U 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
.a,r uxn.I f,apah1ad On Won fOOk nm the
cup Of the Communion. You remem-
Der the old minister who consecrated
It., and you remember the church Ofti-
Gals who carried 1t through the aisle;
you remember the old people who at
the close of the service took your hand
in theirs in co~ngratulating sympathy,
as much as to say. WELCOME home,
you lost prodigal;" and though those
hands are all wlthered away. that Com
munion Sabbath is resurrected this
morning; it is resurrected with all Its
prayers and songs and tears and SER
mons and TRANSPORTATION. Have you
kept those vowsp Have you been a
backsliderp God help you! This day
kneel at the foot of mercy and start
again for heaven. Start to-day as you
started then. | rouse your soul by that
Renaissance.
But I must not spend any more OF
my time in going over the advantages
of your life. / Just put them all in one
great sheaf, and l wrap them up In
your memory with one loud harvest
song, such as the reapers sing. Praise
the Lord. ye blood-bought immortals
of earthi Praise the Lord, ye crowned
spirits Of heaven!
But some Of you have not always had
q 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 do itr
You say that it ls impossible, a. you
have had so many troubles and adyer-
stiles. Then l will just take two. the
first trouble and the last trouble. AS