Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-07-28


The merchant came home from the store
There had been great disaster there He
opened the front doo- AMI said IL the nlfst
Of his family circle: Il AN ruined. Ev-
erything is gone. I an all ruined HIS
wife said. ~ am left" and the little child
threw up its hands and said. Papa. am
here" The aged grandmother seated IN the
room said. Then you have all the promises
OF God beside, JOhA" And ne burst into
tears and said God forgive me that have
been 50 ungrateful- I find l have great
many things Left God forgive me-
Again remark that many Of our business
men are tempted to neglec: their nome dutles-
How often it is that the store and the nome
seem to clash. but there ought not TO be any
collision. II is often the case that the father
is the mere treasurer of the family, sort OF
agent to see that they have dry goods ana
groceries. The work OF family government
he does not touch Once or twice IN a year
he calls the children up on a Sabbath after
noon when he has a half hour he does NOT
exactly know what to do with. and In thar
half hour he disciplines the children ana
chides them and corrects their 1auits ana
gives them great deal Of good ADVICE. ana
then wonders all the rest OF the year thar rs
children do not do better when they nave the
wonderful advantage OF that senl-aHa1@t
castigatiOn.
The family table which ought TO be the
place TOR pleasant discussion and cheerful-
ness. often becomes the place OF perhous e1-
pedition. If there be any blessing ASKED al
all. it is cut off a. both ends, and with the
hand on the carving knife. He counts On
his fingers, making estimates in the inter
stices of the repast. The Work done, the NAT
goes to the head, and he starts down the
street and before the family has risen from
the table he has bundled up another bundle
OF goods and says to the customer. "Any-
thing more can do for YOU to-day. sir?'
A man has moro responsibilities than those
which are discharged by putting competent
instructors over his children and giving
them drawing master and music teacher.
The physical culture of the child will not be
attended to unless the father LOOKS to il. He
must sometimes lose his dignity. He must
unlimber his joints. He must sometimes
lead them out to their sports and games.
The parent who cannot forget the severe du-
ties OF life sometimes to fly the kite, and
trundle the hoop, and chase the ball. and
jump the rope with his children ought never
to have been tempted out OF a crusty and IN
redeemable sOlitariness.
If you want to keep your children away
from places OF sin, you can only DO it by
making your home attractive. You may
preach sermons and advocate reforms and
denOunce wickedness, and yet your children
will be captivated by the glitterin,y saloon O!
sin unless you can make your home
brighter pace than any other place earth
to them. Oh gather all charms into your
house, II you can afford it bring books and
pictures and cheerful entertainments to the
household. But, above all, teach those chill
dren, not by half an hour twice year on the
Sabbath day, but day after day, and every
day teach them that religion is great glad
ness that throws chains of gold about the
neck; that it takes no spring from the foot,
no blltheness from the heart, no sparkle from
the eye, no ring from the laughter. but that
''her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all
her paths are peace"
[ sympathize with the work being done in
many OF our cities by which beautiful rooms
are set apart by our Young Mems Christian
Associations, and I pray God to prosper them
in ali things. But, tell you. there is some
thing back of that and before that. We need
more happy, consecrated, cheerful Christian
homes in America
Have you ever ciphered out in the rule of
loss and gain the sum, What shall It profit
a man if he gain the whole world aud lose
his soul?' However fine your apparel, the
winds of death will flutter it like rags
HOmespun and threadbare coat have some
times been the shadow of coming robes
made white in the blood OF the Lamb. The
pearl of great price is worth more than any
gem you can bring from the ocean, than Aus
trahan or Brazilian mines strung in car
canet. Seek after God, find HIS righteous
ness, and all shall be we'll here all shall be
we'll hereafter.
But must have a word with those who
during the present commercial caIamities
have lost heavily. or perhaps lost all their
estate. If man lose his property at 80 or 40
years of age, it is only sharp discipline gen
orally by which later he comes to larger sue
cess. It is all folly for a man to sit down in
mldlife discouraged. The marshals of
Napoleon came to their commander and
said, 1--WE have lost the battle and we
are being cut to pieces" Napoleon took
his watch from his pocket and said: st
is only O'Clock in the afternoon. You have
lost that battle, but you have time enough
to win another. Charge upon the foe.''
Though the meridian of life has passed
with you and you have been routed in many
a conflict give not up in encouragement.
There are victories yet for you to gain. But
sometimes monetary disaster comes to a
man when there is something in his age or
something in his health or something in his
surroundings which make him know well
that he will never get up again.
In 1857 it was estimated that for many
years previous 10 that time annually there
had been 80, 900 failures in the United States.
Many of those persons never recovered from
the misfortune. But let me give a word of
comfort in passing The sheriff may sell you
out of many things. but there some
things of which he cannot sell you out. He
cannot sell out your health. He cannot sell
out your family. He cannot sell out your
Bible. He cannot sell out your God. He
cannot sell out your heaven. You have more
than you have lost.
Sons and daughters of God. children OF an
eternal and all loving Father. mourn not
when your property goes. The world is
and Immortality is yours. and thrones of i'm
perial grandeu: are yours, and rivers of
gladness are yours. and shining mansions
are yours. and God is yours. The eternal
God has sworn it, and every time you doubt
it you charge the King of heaven and earth
with perjury. Instead Of complaining how
hard you have it, go home, take up your
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