Democratic messenger., 1893-08-12
"FIRESIDE MUSING. !"
DR.. Talmage Conjures Up a Rem
iniscent Past.
Vagaries of Life Histories.

the door shut against the world engaged 10
contemplation. And it would be well for us
to take the same posture often. closing the
door against the world while we sit down in
sweet solitude to contemplate
In small island of the coast once passed
Sabbath in delightful solitude, for | had
resolved that would have one day OF entire
quiet before entered upon autumnal work
thought TO have spent the day in laying out
plans for Christian work, but instead of that
1t became day of tender "reminiscences. I
reviewed my pastorate. l shook hands with
an old departed friend. whom | shall greet
again when the curtains of life are lifted
The days of my boyhood came back. and |
was 10 years OF age, ana was g. and | was
8. There was but one house on the island,
and yet from Sabbath daybreak. when the
bird chant woke me. until the evening melted
into the bay, from shore to shore there were
10000 memories, and the groves were a-hum
with voices that had long ago ceased.
Youth is apt too much to spend all its time
In looking forward. Old age is apt too much
TO spend all its time in looking backward.
People in midlifc and on the apex look both
ways. 1t would be well for us. 1 think, how
ever. TO spend more time in reminiscence.
BY the constitution of our nature we spend
most of the time looking forward And the
vast majority of people live not so much in
the present as in the future. find that you
mean to make n reputation. You mean to
you expect TO achieve absorb great deal
of your time. But see no harm in this II
IL does not make you dscontended with the
present or disqualify you fer existing duties.
II is useful thing sometimes to look back
and TO see the dangers we have escaped, and
to see the sorrows We have suffered, and the
trials and wanderings OF our earthly pill
grimage, and to sum up our enjoyments.
mean to-day, so far as God may help me, to
stir up your memory of the past, so that in
the review YOU may be encouraged and hum
bled and urged to pray.
There is q chapel in Florence with fresco
by Guido II was covered up with two
inches OF stucco until our American and
European artists went there and after long
toll removed the covering and retraced the
fresco. And am aware that the memory of
the past. with many of you. Is all covered up
with 10 900 obliterations. and propose this
morning, so far as the Lord may help me, to
take away the covering, that the old picture
may shine out again.
Iwant to bind in one sheaf all your past
advantages. and want 10 bind in another
sheaf all your past adversities. II is prec-
ious harvest. and must be cautious how
swing the scythe.
Among the greatest advantages of your
past life was an early home and its surround
ings. The bad men OF the day, for the most
part. dip their heated passions out of the
boiling spring of an unhappy home. We
are not surprised that Byron's heart was q
concentration of sin when We hear that his
mother was abandoned and that she made
sport of his infirmity and often called him
''the lame brat" He who has vicious parents
has to fight every inch of his way II he
would maintain his integrity and at last
reach the home of the good in heaven.
Perhaps your early home was in the city.
II may have been in the days when Canal
street. New York. was far up town. That old
house in the city may have been demolished
or changed into stores, and 1t seemed like
sacriieSe 10 you. for there was more meaning
in that plain house, III that small house. than
there is in n granite mansion or turreted
cathedral. Looking back this morning. you
see il as though il were yesteriay-the sit
ting room. where the loved ones sat by the
plain lamplight. the mother at the evening
stand. the brothers and sisters. perhaps long
ago gathered into the skies. then plotting
mischief on the fioor or under the table your
father with firm voice commanding silence,
that lasted half 4 minute.
Oh. those were gooI days, II you had
your foot hurt. your mother always had n
soothing salve to heal it. Ii you were
wronged in the street. your father was always
ready TO protect you. The year was one
round OF frolic aud mirth. Your greatest
trouble was an April shower, more sunshine
than shower. The heart had not been ran
sacked by troubles. nor had sickness broken
It. AMI no lamb had n warmer sheepiold
than the home in which your childhood
nestled.
Perhaps you were brought up in the coun-
try. You stand now to-day in memory under
the old tree. You clubbed it for fruit that
was not quite ripe because you could not
wait anv longer. You hear the brook rumb-
ling along over the pebbles. You step again
into the iurrow whore your father in his
shirt sleeves shouted to the lazy oxen. You
frighten the swallows from the rafters of the
barn and take Just one egg and silence your
conscience by saying they will not miss 1t.
You take "A drink again out OF the very bucket
that the old well fetched up. You 90 for the
cows at night and find them wagging their
heads through the bars. Outlines in the
dusty and busy streets you wish You were
home again ON that cool grass or In the hall
of the farmhouse. through which there was
the breath OF new mown hay or the blossom
OF buckwheat.
You may have in your windows now beauti-
full 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 yellow suniiower that stood
sentinel along the garden walk and the for
getmenots playing hide and seek mid the
long grass. The father, who used to come
in sunburned from the fields and sit down on
the doorsill and wipe the sweat from his
brow. may have gone to his everlasting rest.
The mother who used to sit ut the door
little bent over, cap and spectacles on, her
face mellowing with the vicissitudes 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 It? Have you
rehearsed all these blessed reminiscencesf
Oh thank God for n Christian father. Thank
God for n Christian mother. Thank God for
an early Christian altar Mt which You were
- THANH God for an early
Christian home.
bring to mind another passage In the his
tory of your life. The day came when you
set M YOUR own houshold. The dIsys passed
along in quiet blcssedness. Your tp ain sat at
the table morning and night and tLked over
your plans for the future. The most siSnifi-
cant affair in your life became the aubject OF
mutual consultation and advisem mt. You
were so happy you felt you never :ouid be
any happier.
One day dark cloud hovered over your
dwelling. and it got darker and darker But
out OF that cloud the shining messenger OF
God descended to incarnate an immortal
spirit. Two little feet started on an eternal
journey, and you were to lead them. gem
to fash in heavens coronet, and you to
polish il. Eternal ages OF light and dark
ness watching the starting our oil newly
created being.
You rejoiced and you trembled at the re-
spo0stuilitN tudt III your pOSStoSioH hu id-
mortal treasure was placed. You prayed and
rejoced and wept and wondered. and prayed
and rejoiced. and wept and wondered. You
were earnest in supplication that you might
lead IL through life into the kingdom of God.
There was tremor in your earnestness.
There was double interest about that home.
There was 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 had u
stupendous mission.
Have you kept that vow? Have you ne
elected any OF these duties? Is your home as
much 10 you as it used TO be? Have those
anticipations been gratifled? God help you
to-day in your solemn reminiscence and let
His mercy fall upon your soul if your kind
ness has been i'll requitedl God have mercy
on the parent on the wrinkles of whose face
is written the story of n child's sin God
have mercy on the mother who in addition 10
her own pangs mas the pang OF a chiid's in
iquity! Oh. there are many. many sad
sounds in this sad world. but the 81 idest
sound that is ever heard is tho breakin- Of a