The Red Cloud chief., 1893-08-18

1ou may have in your windows nOv
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 yell
low sunilowcr that stood sentinel along
the garden walk. and the forgct-me-
nots playing hid~c-and-scek mid the
long grass. The father who used to
come I'm sun-hurnt 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, who
used to sit at the doc II little bent
over. cap and spectacles on, her face
mellOwing with the viciSsitudcs OF
many years, may have put down her
gray head ON the pillow in the valley,
but forget that home you never will.
Have you thanked God for IL? Have
you rchearscd all these blessed reminis-
ccnccs? Oh, thank tod for u Christian
father; thank God for a Christian moth
or; thank God for an early Christian
altar at which you were taught to
kneel: thank God for an early 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 blessed
ness. You twain sat at the table morn
ing and night and talked ovcr your
plans for the future. The most insig-
nificant affair in your life became the
subject of mutual consultation and adj
visement. You were 81 happy you felt
you never could bc any happier. One
day a dark cloud lowered over your
dwelling, and it got darker and
darker; but out of that cloud the
shining messenger of God desccnds to
incarnatc an immortal spirit. Two
little feet started on an eternal jour
ney. and you were To lead them; "A gem
to flash in Heavens coronct, and you
to polish it; eternal ages of light and
darkness watching the starting out of
a newly created being.
You rcjoiccd and You trembled at the
responsibility that in your possession
an immortal treasure was placed. You
prayed and rejoiced, and wcpt 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 earnestncsS. There
was a double interest about that home.
There vas 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 have had Il stipend
Gus mission.
Have You kept that vow? Have you
neglected any of these duties? Is your
home AS much to you as il used to bc?
Have those anticipations been granted?
tod help you to-day in your solemn
"Reminiscences, and let His mercy fall
upon your sou 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 a child's
sin. God have mercy on the mother
who, in addition To her other pangs.
has the pang of a child's iniquity. oh.
there are many, many sad sounds in
this sad world, but the saddcst sound
that is ever heard is the breaking of a
mothers heart. Are there any here
who remember that in hat home they
were u~nfaithful? Are there those who
wandered off from that early home,
and left the mother To die with "a broken
heart? Oh, ] stir that reminiscence to-
day.
find another point in your life his
tory. You found n day you were in
the wrong road: you could not sleep at
night; there was just one word that
seemed Ia sob through your banking
house, or through your office, or your
shop or your bed % and that word
was eternity" You said: Il am not
ready for it. q God. have mercy" The
Lord heard. Peace came To your heart.
You remember how your hand trrmbled
as You took the cup of the holy com
munion. IOu remember the old min
lister who consecratcd it. and YOU re-
member the church officials who car
ricd it through the aisle: you remember
the old people who at the close of the
service took your hand ia theirs in con
graduating sympathy, as much as to
say, "Welcomc home % lost prod
igal;" and though those hands have all
withered away that communion Sab
bath is resurrected to-day: il is rcsur-
rected with all its prayers, and songs,
and tears, and sermons, and trantigura-
ton. Have you kept those vows? Have
you been IA ba~ckslider? God help you.
But some of You have not always had
Il smooth life. Some of you are now in
the shadow. Others had their troubles
years ago, you are q mere wreck of
what you once Were; | must gather up
the SORROWS of your past life, but how
shall / do it? You say that is impossi-
BILE, as you have had 80 many troubles
and advcrsitics. Then / will take Just
two, the first trouble and the last
trouble. As when You are walking
along the street and there has been
music in the distance, you unconscious
ly lind yourselves keeping step 10 the
music, so when you started life your
very life was Il musical time-beat. The
air was full of joy and hilarity; with
the bright, clear oar you made the boat
skip; you went on, and life grew bright
full. until. after awhile, suddenly "A
voice from Heaven said Halt" and you
halted; you grew pale, you confronted
your first sorrow. You had no idea
that the flush on your child's cheek
was an unhealthy flush. You said it
cannot he anything serious. Death I'm