Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-11-12
THE WEEK OF PRAYER.
snbject for Last Evening
Mothers Influence

Some one has said. who rocks the
cradle rules the world. The power of
the mother, as shown in the life and
character Of her children. is very great.
A very tender and beautiful account is
given of visit Henry Grady made TO
his mother only short time before his
death. This visit, in which the gentle
ness, and piety and love Of his mother
were shown, made him feel $50 happy
and so peaceful. and sofull offender love
and tender memories. that he cried hap
py, grateful tears until he went to sleep
How many after mothers lips are silent
in death, have acknowledged her power
in moulding their character. Washing
ton spoke Of s.have influences directed by
bis mother, as the source OF his success
in life John Ashworth, good and use
full man of England heard his mother as
she prayed for John. Said he Her
words went to my young heart and are
ringing in my ears to this hour The
memories of mothers love and tender
ness come 10 the man well on in years,
and have a strange influence over him.
II is touching story that is told of Sena-
tor Hill of Georgia. who every morning
when he was at home went into the par
lor to look at the portrait of his mother
who had trained him so tenderly and also
of an aged clergyman, who when dying
could be soothed and quieted in his pain
by the sweet songs that were sung by his
mother when he was a little child How
many have felt like Charles Lamb, when
he said: HWhat.would / give to call my
dear mother back to earth for single
day. to ask her pardon. upon my knees,
for all those acts by which ! grieved her
gentle spirit Many who have wander
ed the wide world over, and gone far
away from God and from right, have re
turned to the old home mere wreck of
their former selves, and cried out, as the
son whom Irving describes: "Oh my
dear motherl don't you know your SON?
your poor boy, George?"
A midshipamn. James Jarvis, who fell
in battle was highly commended by Con-
gress for his courage. Just before the
engagement he was found writing to his
mother. Il was thinking sir. he said,
that may be- may be. I'd never see my
mother again. and I'd better write her a
letter-and then-when a fellow begins
thinking about his mother-"Thaty young
man we have no doubt had another who
lovad hir, xxarxy 4ardarlv and @ha lae&
thought he had before the battle was his
mother. Said another: Whenever
am in doubt what course to pursue, / al
ways think what mother would advise.
and am in doubt no longer" 1t can be
said of many. as 1t was said of Carlyle,
that the early impressions received from
his christian mother could be traced
through all his writings, and through his
whole life and character.
Many who have obeyed the counsels of
pious mother and grown in goodness
and usefulness, can say with DR.. Pay
SON. Thanks be to God that you are
loved blessed by many who never saw
you, on account of your children" When
the mothers counsel has been apprecia-
ted and followed, how much the man
or boy does to reveal the influences under
which he has been trained. He shows
what sort Of home he had and what
care was taken in his moral and religious
development. Says DR.. Sharp: Col
lege learning is good, but not all the
learning of all the universities in Europe
can compensate for the loss of that which
the youth, reared in religious home,
has learned in childhood at his mothers
knee.