The record-union., 1893-07-03

new edition of the Fourth Command
ment-' Remember the Sabbath Day to
keep 1t holy, excepting so many hours as
are necessary to recover from the hard
work or dissipation of the past week"
Ihe meal, if not cooked on Saturday, was
at least plain. They had not yet learned
that other version: six days shalt thou
hired servants, who shall labor hardest
on this day, SO that the meals shall be the
biggest OF all the week" Then comes
family worship, the reading of the Word,
a hymn and prayer, and such prayer as
laid hold OF the Throne.
Later on we went to church-all
Went. Heavy rain or snow, or burning
sun, we all went to church. The Sab
Dath lndlsDosltlon-the great malady of
our times-was not considered then. We
were taught TO be as loyal to God as to
sAop or Idrm or store. The services
were somewhat long and dull for chill
dren; but by going and staying to wor-
snip, our childish fingers were at least
made to feel the touch of divine things.
And then the example of parents was
stamped upon us. The Sunday-school
lacked the beautiful helps which
we now have; but this much was true,
the lessons from the life of Jesus took
hold, and what modern teacher can do
more than that? The day was spent
quietly, pleasantly, happily, and the
heaIthful lessons left a sweet and abiding
influence for good.
After supper came singing and child
plays, then Bible reading and prayer. 1t
was to us, and will ever continue to be,
the Ideal sabbath, in which the parents
leave an Inheritance to their children's
children; worth more to them than all
the rich stores of this worlds wisdom or
wealth. Dear old church! Dear old Sab
Eur hp,rg /
TO be children again, lust for day, and
to spend Sabbath with parents, and
brothers and sisters in the old house at
home; to kueel once more at the family
altar, to sing once more those old house
hold hymns, and to hear the admonltions
from fathers lips, and feel mothers hand
on the curly head ~
You say this was gloomy. Far from it.
The chlld-nature was not compressed;
there was no forced religion about it; no
one telt himself to be in shackles. There
was plenty of the sunlight OF Joy and
artless laughter, and along with these
were the flowers of spiritual joys, which
even the little hands could pluck. The
great good was the training up in f'the
nurture and admOnition of the LOrd'
lmplanting deep down in child-natures
sold principles of righteousness which
would last long after the parents lips
were sealed in death, and which would
Withstand all assaults of the worlds
temptations. y good foundation was
laid on the rock of Gods truth, so that its
eternal walls might be built with holy
thoughts and heavenly aspirations. All! in
that home was love, where one might hear
sweet hymns, mighty prayers, and could
easily photograph the Heaven of eter-
nifty from the indelible impressions which
the peace and hallowed Joys' of his Sab
bath home have made on the memory.
Some modern Christians have differ
ent Sabbath. All sleep late. as sacred
time may as well be wasted as not.
There is not any family altar; business
and pleasure have long since showed that
to one side. 1t is hard work to get to
church. Going depends so much on tho
weather-au are so liable to take cold or
to take heat on the Sabbath! Servants,
Of course, must stay at home to get big
dinner. The day has opened without
family worship, and it continues without
any spiritual atmosphere. There is no
thought of the religious training of the
Children. They read all books that strike
their fancy, and the day closes like any
other day, without any divine truth gath
cred, without any shekinah glory on
the links of human love, without any
conscious nearness to God or preparation
for eternity"
How do children grow up in such a
home? How do flowers grow when
the gardener neglects them? The boy be-
comes more and more worldly; he SCOTS
at prayer, and his companions are like
him; parents grow anxious over his late
hours, and he boasts of being skeptical
about some of the Bible truths.
The girl finds pleasure in worldly dis
sipation because the home has become
too tame and distasteful for her, while
dress and fashion crowd out Of her mind
everything spiritual. When the parents
heads grow silvered with age and they
then become anxious about the charac-
ters OF their children and try to bring
them back from the destinations OF a
worldly life, they are pronounced fogies,
"silurians." And so parents fall asleep
disappointed, broken-hearted, and the
children pass to the head of goddess
homes which have been built by parental
neglect. Here are two forms of bequest
by which parents leave inheritance to
their children. "God Bless Our Home''
would be an inconsistent motto for one
but quite beautiful on the walls of the
other.
Parents, keep holy the Sabbath day.
fill its hours with prayer and song, and
words perfumed with Christ. Make it
the brightest, happiest day of all the
week, to which your children shall look
back with gratitude to God when you
shall have fallen aSleep