Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-08-07
breath of new mown hay or the blossom

beautiful 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
sunfower that stood sentinel along the
garden vv;.l- and the for5otmenots play
| ing hide and seek mid the long grass.
The father. who used to come III sun
burned from the fields and sit down on
the doorsill and wipe the sweao from
his brow, may have gone to his everlast-
| ing rest. The mother, who used to sit at
the door a lite bent over, cap and spec
tacles on, her face mellowing with the
yicissitudes 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 remln1s-
! cences? Oh. thank God for Christian
/ father. Thank God for Il Christian
mother. Thank God for an early Chris
tan altar at which you were taught to
/ kI!ecl. Thank God for an early Chris
tan home.
[ bring to mind another passage in the
history of your life The day came when
YOU set up your own household. The
DAYS passed along in quiet blessedness.
You twain sat at the table morning and
night and talked over your plans for the
| future. The most insignificant affair IN
YOUR life became the subject Of mutual
consultation and advisement. You were
so happy you felt you never could be any
happier.
OUT OF THE CLOUD.
One day a dark cloud lowered over
! your dwelling, and it got darker and
/ darker. But out of that cloud the shin
/ ing messenger OF God descended to in
! carnate an immortal spirit. Two little
! feet started on an eternal journey, and
you were to lead them. A gem to flash
| in heavens coronet. and you to polish 1t.
] Eternal ages of light and darkness watch
/ inc the starting out of q newly created
! being.
You reioiced and you trembled at the
responsibility that in your possession an
immortal treasure was placed. You
prayed and rejoiced, and wept and Won
dered. and prayed and rejoiced, and
went and wondered. You were earnest
in supplication that you might lead it
through life into the kingdom OF God.
! There was q tremor in your earnestness.
/ There was double interest about that
home. There was an additional interest
why you should stay there and be faith
! full, and when in a 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 as much to you as 1t used to be!
Have those anticipations been gratited?
/ God help you today in your solemn REM
iuiscence and let his mercy fall upon
YOUR soul if your kindness has been III
requited! God have mercy on the par
ent on the wrinkles OF whose face is writ
ten the story of q child's sin! God have
mercy on the mother who in addition to
her other D. IS has the pang of a child's
/ iniQuity! Ga, there are many, many SAD
sounds in this sad world, but the saddeSt
sound that is ever heard is the breaking
Of q mothers heart! Are there any here
who remember that in that home they
were 1nfaithful? Are there those who
wandered off from that early home and
loft the mother to die with a broken
bocrt? Oh. | stir that "Reminiscences to-
day!
/ find another point in your life his
tory. You found one day you were IN
the wrong road; you could not sleep at
r:.ht. There was just one word that
seemed to sob through your banking
house. on through your Office, or your
sh0r. e. yOur bedroom, and that word
was ..cternity' You said: L am not
/ rz;,.iv for it. @ God, have mercy!' The
Lord heard. Peace came to your heart.
you remember how your hand trembled
as yCu took the cup of the holy com
mU2ion You remember the old minis
ter who consecrated it, and you remem
Der the church officials who carried II
through the aisle. You remember the
old Doople who at the close Of the service
took YOUR hand in theirs in congratulate
ING sympathy, as much as to say, ''W ell
come home, you lost prodigal," anC
though those hands have all withereC
away that communion Sabbath is reSur
rected today. 1t is resurrected with al
its PRAYERS and songs and tears and ser
mons and TRANSPORTATION. Have yoJ
kept those vows? Have you been a back
slider? God help you! This day knee
, ut the foot Of mercy and start again fo
, heaven. Start today as you started then
Irouse your soul by that Renaissance.
,, But I must not spend any more OF N.
, time in going over the advantages o
your life | just put them all IN on
.. great sheaf, and I bind them up III you
memory with one loud harvest song
such as reapers sing. Praise the Lord
We blood bought mortals on earth! Prais
the Lord, ye crowned spirits of heaven!
! TRIBUIATIoNs.
, But some of you have not always ha'
a smooth life. Some Of you are now L
nA1.o.r. thoi1. IRON bic