The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-06

Oh, those were good daysl II you had
your foot hurt your mother always had a
soothing salve to heal it. II you were
wronged In the street your father was
always ready TO protect you. The year
was one round OF frolic and mirth. Your
greatest trouble was like an April shower,
more sunshine than shower. The heart
had not been ransacked by troubles, nor
had sickness broken il, and no lamb had
a warmer sheepfold than the homo in
which your childhood nestled.
, Perhaps you were brought up in the
country. You stand now today in mem
DRY under the old tree. You dubbed it
for fruit that was not quite ripe, because
you couldn't wait any longer. You hear
the brook rumbling along over the peb-
bles. You step again into the furrow
where your father in his shirt sleeves
shouted to the lazy oxen. You Brighten
the swallows from the raiters in the barn,
and take just one egg, and silence your
conscience by saying they won't miss 1t.
You take drink again out OF the very
bucket that the old well fetched up. You
90 for the cows At night and find them
waccing their heads through the bars
Outlines in the dusty and busy streets you
wish YOU were home again ON that cool
grass, or in the ragcarpeted hall of the
farmhouse, through which there was the
breath OF new-mown hay or the blossom
OF buckwheat
You NAV have in your windows now
beautiful plants and flowers brought from
across the seas, but not one OF them strs
in your soul 80 much charm and memory
as the old ivy and the yellow sunflower
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
10 his everlasting rest. The mother, who
used TO sit at the door little bent over,
cap and speclacles on, her face mellowing
with the vicissitudes OF many years, may
have put down her gray head on the pill
low in the valley, but forget that home
Won never will. Have you thanked God
Tor il? Have you reliearsed all these
blessed reimbursement Oh, thank God
for a Christian father; thank God for u
Christian mother; thank God for an carly
Christian altar at which you were taught
10 kneel; thank God for an carly Christian
home.
| 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 blessedness.
lou twain sat at the table morning and
,s'ght and talked over your plans for the
future. The most insignificant affair IN
your lie became the subject Of mutual
consultation and AdyiscmenL You were
~ happy you ielt you never could be any
happier. ono day dark cloud lowered
over your dwelling and Il got darker aud
darker, but out OF that cloud the shining
messenger OF God descended 10 incarnuic
an immortal spirit Two little iect
started ON an eternal journey, and you
were to lead them-a gem TO flash In
heavens coronot, aud YOU TO polish ~
eternal ages Of light and darkness watch
ing the starting out o. n newly created
creature.
You rcjoiced and you trcmblcd at the
responsibility that Ia your possession an
immortal treasure was placed. You prayed
and rcjoiced, and wcpt and wondered,
and prayed and rejoiccd, and wcpt
and wondered, YOU were earnest in sup.
plication that you might lead u through
life into the kingdom ol God. There was
n tremor in your carncstnCss. There WIS
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 WIS hllod with the
music OF the chid's laughter, you were
struck through with the fact that you had
Tremendous mission.
Have YOU kept that VOW Have you
neglected any of these dniios2 Il your
home ns much To YOU M IL used 10 boz
Have those aniicipatiOns been gntlicdY
God hclp YOU today In your solemn rcmi-
...I LIT - foil
soul II your kindness has been III rcquicd.
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, las the pangi OF child's iniquiiy.
Oh, there are many, many sld sounds IN this
sad world, but thu saddcst sound that IL
ever heard Is the breaking Of mothers
heart. Aru there any here who remember
that In that homo they were uniathiull
Are there any who wandered oil from thai
early home, and left the mother 10 die will
broken hearth Oh, stir that reminis-
ccncc today.
find another point m your liio history
You found one day YOU wor1 ia the wronG
road; you couldn't sleep NJ night; thcr,
was lust onr word that seemed 10 throt
through your banking house, or through
your Office, or through your shop, or YOU
bedroom, and that word was Eternity. y
You said, 81 am not ready Tor H. q God
have mercy The Lord heard. Poac,
came TO your heart In tho breath OF III,
hill and the waterfalls dash you hoard III,
voice Of Gods love. the cloulA.ala- =,
tr'cs hailed you with glndnoss; YOU cam,
into the house of God.
You remember how your hand lrcm
BLEED rs you took up the cup Of tho com
munion. You remember the old ministc
who consccmlcd ID. and you remember th,
church officials who carried % through th'
aisle. you remember the old people who
NJ the close OF thc service. took your ham
in theirs IN Cungraiulating sympathy, q
much aH 10 say, welcome home, you lOs
pIodiEl,' aud though those hands are al
W,lhcrcd away. that Communion Sabbatl
y fcsurcclcd this morning, Il IL rcsurrccl
Cd with ull H. prayers. and songs, an
tears, and sermons, aud TRANSPORTATION
Have you kept those yowsi Have 20
been backsdcr7 God help YOU. ia
day knuUl at the foot Of mercy and stai
started then. rouse your soul by thl
"Reminiscences.
But must not spend any more OF m
time IN going over the advantages Of yoJ
life. just put them all IN one great she
and wrap thom up In your memory wit
loud harvest song, such as the rcapc
sing. Praise the Lord, We blood bongl
immorials Of oarih Praise the Lord,
crowned spirits Of hea,cnl
But some Of YOU have not always had