Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-07-25


noise as 1t moved; bat there was music
in the sound. 1t was just high enough
to allow us children TO put our heads
into her lap. That was the bank where
we deposited all our hurts and worries.
All! what chair that was. 1t was dif'
ferent from the fathers chair; 1t was
entirely different. You ask me how l
can not tell, but we all felt IL was dif-
ferent. Perhaps there was about this
chair more gentleness, more tender
ness, more grief when we had done
wrong. When we were hayward iath-
or scOlded. but mother cried. II was II
very wakeiul chair. In the sick days
OF children other chairs could not keep
awake; that chair always kept awake
kept easily awake. That chair knew
all the old lullabies and all those worn
less songs which mothers sing TO their
sick children-6ongs in which all pity
and compassion and sypathetic iniiu'
ences are combined.
That old chair has stopDed rocking
for many years. 1t may be set up In
the loft or the garrett, but 1t holds q
queenly power yet. When at midnight
YOU went into that grog shop TO get the
Intoxicating draugbt, did you not hear
voice that said: ''My son. why 60 in
there?" And louder than the bolster
ous encore Of the place OF sinful amuse.
ment, voice saying, MY son, what
do you do here?" And when you
went into the house OF abandonment, a
voice saying, what would your moth
err do If she knew YOU were here?" And
you were provoked with yourself, and
you charge yourself with superstition
and ianaticisms and your head got hot
with your own thoughts, and you went
home ard you went TO bed, and no soon
err had you touched the bed than a
voice said "What, a prayerlcss pill
low?" Man! what is tine matter: This:
You are your mothers rockingchair
With reference to your mother, the
words OF my text were fulfilled: Thou
shall be missed, because thy scat will
be empty"
20 on little further and come to
the invalid's chair. What. How long
have you been sick? 20. have been
sick ten, twenty, thirty years. Is it
possible? What a story OF endurance.
There are many in the families OF my
congregation; these invalids' chairs.
The occupants of them think they are
doing no good in the world: but that in
valid's chair is the mighty pulpit from
which they have been preaching, all
these years, trust in God. The first
time preached here at Lakeside, o.,
amid the throngs present, there was
nothing that SO much impressed me as
the spectacle OF just one face-the face
OF an invalid who was wheeled in on her
chair. ! said to her afterwards: mad
am, how long have you been prostra'
ted?' for she was lying fiat in the chair.
"Om she replied, Il have been this
way fifteen years" l said: DO you
suffer verj much?" 20. yes" she
said, Il suffer very much; I suffer all
the time: part OF the time l was blind.
| always suffer-" WELL" said, ''can
you keep your courage up?" 20, yes"
she said, II am happy, very happy in.
deed" Her face showed it. She looked
the happiest OF anyone on the ground,
o! what q means OF grace to the world,
these invalid chairs. On that field Of
human suffering the grace OF God gets
its victory.
But when one OF these invalids' chairs
become vacant, how suggestive 1t is!
No more bolstering up Of the weary
head. No more changing from side to
side to get an easy position. No more
use Of the bandage, and the cataplasm,
and prescription. That invalid's chair
may be folded up, or taken apart, or
set away, but it will never lose its
queenly power; it will always preach OF
trust in God and cheerful submission.
Suffering all ended now. With respect
to that invalid the words OF my text
have been fulfilled: Thou shalt be
missed, because thy seat will be empty"
l pass on and find one more vacant
chair. 1t is a high chair. 1t is the
child's chair. II that chair be occupied.
l think 1t is the most potent chair in all
the household. All the chairs wait ON
1t; all the chairs are turned toward 1t.
1t means more than David's chair at
Saul's banquet. At any rate, it makes
more racket. That is strange house
that can be dull with q child in it.
How that child breaks up the hard
worldliness OF the place, and keeps you
young to TO, 10 and 80 years Of age! II
you have no child of your own adopt
one. it will open heaven to your soul.
1t will pay its way. Its Growing in the
morning will give the day cheerful
starting, ana its elee at night will give
the DAY q cheerful close. You do not
like children? Then you had better
stay out OF heaven, for there are so
many there they would fairly make you
crazy! Only about five hundred millions
of them! The old crusty Phsrisees told
the mothers to keep their children
away from Christ "You bother Him."
they said; you trouble the Master"
Trouble Him! He has filed heaven
with that kind OF trouble.
A pioneer in California says that for
the first year or two after his residence
in Sierra Nevada county, there was not
single child in all the reach Of 100
miles. But the Fourth OF July came,
and the miners were gathered together,
and they were celebrating the fourth
\ III.