The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-08-08


in supplication that you might lead 1t
through life into the kingdom OF Goa.
There was Il tremOr Ill your earhesihess.
There was Il double interest about that
home. There was an additional ln'el-
est why you should stay there and be
faithful, and when in Il few months your
house was filled with the music of the
child's laughter, you were struck through
with the fact that you had stupendous
mission.
Have you kept that vow? Have you
neglected any of these duties! Is Your
home much to YOU as it used to be:
Have those anticipations been Sratiled!
God help you today in your solemn
"Reminiscences, and let his mercy fall upon
your soul if your Kindness has been Ill
reQuited. God have mercy on the parent,
on the wrinkles of whose face is written
the story of Il child's sin. God have mercy
on the mother who, in addition to her
other pangS. has the pang of child's
iniquity. Oh, there are many. many sad
sounds in this sad world, but the sadest
sound that is heard is the breaking
of il mothers heart. Are there any here
who remember that in that home they were
unfathful? Are there those vino wandered
OFT from that early home. and left the
mother to die with broken heart? Oh,
stir that "reminiscences today.
ind another point i'll your life history.
You found one day you were in the wrong
road you could not sleep at night; there
was just one word that seemed to sob
thrugh your banking house. or through
your 0ihce or your shop, or your bedroom,
and that word was 'etcrnity.' You said,
Lam not ready for it. q God. have
mercy The Lord heard. Peace came to
your heart. You remember how your hand
Ucmhicd as You took the cup of the holy
communion. You remember the Old min
lister who consecrated it. and You remember
the church officials who carried it through
the aisle: YOU remember the old people who
at the close of the service took your hand
IN theirs in CONCENTRATING sympathy. as
much as to say, "Welcome home. you lost
prodigal' and though those hands have
all withcred away, that communion Sab
bath is resurrected today: it is resur-
rected with all its prayers. and songs,
and tears. and sermons. and trans
tiguration. Have you kept those vows?
Have You been backslider? God help
you! This day kneel at the foot of
mercy and start again for heaven.
Start today as YOU started then. ! rouse
your soul by that "reminiscences.
But must not spend any more of my
time in going over the advantages of your
life. ! just put them all in one great
sheaf. and ] bind them up in your memory
with one loud harvest song such as reap
ers sing. Praise the Lord, We BLOODHOUND
mortals on earth. Praise the Lord ye
crowned spirits of heaven.
But some of you have not always had
years ago, You are Il 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 impossible as
you have had so many troubles and adj
versities. Then | will just take 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 unconSciously find yourself keep
ing step to the music, so when you start
ed life your very life was Il musical time
beat The air was full of joy and hilari-
ty; with the bright clear oar You made
the boat skip; you Went on. and life grew
brighter, until. after awhile, suddenly a
voice from the heaven said. Halt" and
you halted; you grew pale; you confronted
your flrst sorrow. You had no idea that the
flush Oh your child's cheek was an unhealthy
flush. You said it cannot be anything sari-
Gus. Death in sllpppred feet walked round
hear the tread; but after awhile
the truth flashed on you.
You walked the floor. Oh, if you could.
with your stout, strong hand, have wrench
ed the child from the destroyer. You went
to your ROOM and you said: God. save my
child. God. save my child,' The world
seemed going out i'll darkness. You said
Il cannot bear it. l cannot bear it," You
felt as if you could not put the lash4s
over the bright eyes, never to see them
that little one III your arms, and with it
leaped into tn" grave, how gladly you
would have done it. Oh, if you could let
your property go, your houses co. your
land and your StorehOuse go, how gladly
you would have allowed them to depart if
you could only have kept that one treas
ure
But one day there arose from the heav
ems Il chill blast that swept over the bed
room, and instantly all the light went out,
and there was Garkness-thck, murky.
mpenetrable, shuddering darkness. But
God did not leave you there. Mercy spoke.
AS you We're about to put that cup to your
lips, God said: Let ii pass, and forthwith
as by the hand of angels, another cup was
put into your hands: it was the cup of
Gods consolation. And as You have some
times lifted the head OF wounded soldier,
and poured wine into his lips, so God puts
his left arm under your head, and with his
right hand he pourS into your lips the
wine of his comfort and his cOnSola ton,
and you looked at the empty cradle, and
looked at your broken heart. and you look
ed at the Lords chastisement, and you
said: Even So Father, for 50 it seemeth
good in Thy sight
All, il is your first trouble. How did You
get over it? God comforted You. You have
been a better man ever since. You have
been a better woman ever since. In the
jar of the closing gate of the s@puchre you
heard the changing of the opening gate
of heaven, and you felt an irresistible
drawing heaypnward. You have been pnr2r
and holier of heart ever since that night
W zen the little one for the last time put ITS
arms around your neck and said: Good
night, papa good night, mamma Meet me
i'll heaven.
But | must come on down to your later
SORROW WHIT was it? Perhaps it was
Sickness The chlds tread on the stair
or the tick of the watch on the stand dis
turb you. Through the long weary days
YOU counted the figures in thu carpet or the
flowers in the wallpaper. Oh, the WEAKNESS
and exhaustion. Oh. the burning pangs
Would God it We're morning. would Hoa
it were night were your frequent cry but
you are better. perhaps even well. Lave
YOU thanked God that today you can come
ont in the fresh air; that you are III tins
place to hear Gods name. and to sing
Gods praise. and to impore Gods help,
and to ask Gods forgiveness! Bless the
Lord. who healeth Ill our Diseases, ana
red.emeth our lives from destruction.
Perhaps your last sorrow was Il hni'h-
cial embarrassment | congratulate some
of YOU on your lucrative profession or o"-
cupation. on ornate apparel, on com
mndious Misunderstanding yon put
your hand to seems to turn to gold But
There are others of you who are Ike the
snilpI where two seas