The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-03-25


but as to having it dominant in the
household from the list of January,
o'clock a. M, to the 31st of December, 10
o'clock p. M, they do not want it. They
would rather die and have their families
perish with them than to cry out in the
bold words of the soldier in my text,
GAS for me and my house, we will serve
the Lord"
There was, in my ancestral line, an
incident so strangely impressive that it
seems more like romance than reality.
1t has sometimes been so inaccurately
put forth that I now give you the true
incident. My grandfather and grand
mother, living at Somerville, N. j., went
to Baskingridge to witness revival I'M
der the ministry Of the Rev. DIR. Finley.
They came home so impressed with what
they had seen that they resolved on the
salvation of their children.
The young people of the house were to
go off for an evening party, and my
grandmother said:
"Now, when you are all ready for the
party, come to my room, for Ihave some
thing very important to tell you" All
ready for departure, they came to her
room, and she said to them, 'tNow, I
want you to remember, while you are
away this evening, that am all the time
in this room praying for your salvation,
and I shall not cease praying until you
get back" The young people went to
the party, but amid the loudest hilarities
of the night they could not forget that
their mother was praying for them. The
evening passed, and the night passed.
The next day my grandparents heard
an cutlery in an adjoining room, and they
went in and found their daughter inn
ploring the salvation Of the gospel. The
daughter told them that her brothers
were at the barn and at the wagon house
under powerful conviction of sin. They
went to the barn. They found my Uncle
Jehiah, who afterward became minis
ter Of the gospel, crying to God for
mercy. They went to the wagon house.
They found their SOP David, who after
ward became my father, i1nploring Gods
pardon and mercy. Before great while
the whole family were saved, and David
went and told the story to young, wom-
an to whom he was afianced, who as q
result Of the story became a Christian,
and from her own ips-my mothers
have received the incident.
CONVERSION OF TEE TALMAGE FAMILY.
The story of that converted household
ran through all the neighborhood from
family to family until the whole region
was whelmed with religious awakening,
and at the next communion in the village
church at Somerville over 200 souls stood
up TO profess the faith of the gospel
My mother, carrying the memory of this
scene from early womanhood into fur
ther life, in after years was resolved up
on the salvation Of her children, and for
many years every week she met three
other Christian mothers to pray for the
salvation of their families. think that
all the members of those families were
saved-myself, the youngest and last.
There were 10 OF us children. l trace
the whole line of mercy back to that
hour when my Christian grandmoth-
er sat in her room imploring the bless.
ing of God upon her children. Nine
Of her descendants became preachers of
the gospel Many of her descendants
are in heaven, many of them still in the
Christian conflict. Did it pay for her to
spend the whole evening in prayer for
her household? Ask her before the throne
Of God, surrounded by her children. In
the presence of the Christian church to-
day make this record of ancestral
piety. Oh, there is a beauty, and a ten
derness, and a sublimity in family re-
ligion!
There are but four or five pictures in
the old family Bible that inherited, but
Dore never illustrated a Bible as that book
is illustrated to my eyes. Through it I can
see into marriages and burials, joys and
sorrows, meetings and partings, Thanks
giving days and Christian festivals, era
dies and deathbeds. Old, old book, speak
out and tell of the sorrows cornforted
and Of the dying hours irradiated. Old,
old book, the hands that held thee are
ashes, the eyes that perused thee are
closed. What pillow thou wouldst make
for dying head. salute all the mem
cries Of the past when press it to my
heart and when press it to my lips, ia.
BIBLE ASSOCIATIONS.
Oh, that family Bible! The New Tes-
lament in small type is not worthy Of
being called by that name. Have
whole Bible in large type, with the fam
lily record Of marriages and births and
deaths. What if the curious should turn
over the leaves to see how old you are?
You are younger now than you will ever
be again. The curious will find out
from those with whom you have played
In your childhood how old you are.
Have family Bible. It will go down
from generation to generation, full Of
holy memories. A hundred years after
you are dead it will be benediction to
those who come after you. Other books,
worn out or fallen apart, will be flung
to the garrett or the cellar, but this will
be inviolate, and it will be your protest
for centuries against iniquity and in be-
half Of righteousness. a.
Oh, when we see what family religion
did for our fathers household, do we not
want it to come into the dining room to