Democratic messenger., 1894-09-29

him. Overwhclms him. And they go
home, husband and wife. in silence, un-
til they get to their room. when he cries
out. 'Oh, pray for me-" And they
kneel down. They cannot speak. The
words will not come. But God does not
want any words. Ho looks down and
answers sob and groan and outgushing
tenderness. That night they do not
sleep any for talking of all the years
wasted and of that Saviour who ceased
not to call. Before morning they have
laid their plans for a new life Morn
ing comes. Father and mother descend
from the bedroom. The children do not
know what Is the matter. They never
saw father with Bible in his hand be-
fore. he say. Come. children; want
You all tn s:t ;lnwn while we read and
pray The children look at each other
ana are almost disposed to laugh. hut
they see their parents are in deep ear
nest. 1t Is II short chapter that the father
reads. He is good reader at other
times. but now lie does nr; get on much.
He sees so n.uch To liig,r on. His voice
tremblcs. Everything is SO strangely new
to him. Th:y kneel-that il, the father
and moihe dc, but the children come
down one by one. They do not know that
they must. IL is some time before they all
get down. The sentences are broken.
The phrases are q little ungrammatical.
The prayer begins abruptly and ends
abruptly; but. rs far as / can understand
what they mean. it is about this: 20
Saviour, help usl We do not know how
to pray. Teach US We cannot live any
longer in the way we have been living.
We start today for heaven. Help us TO
take these children along with us. For
give us for all the past. Strengthen us
for all the future. and when the journey
is over take US where Jesus is and
where the little babe is that we lost
Amen" 1t ended very abruptly. but
the angels came out and leaned so far
over to listen they would have fallen of
the battlement but for stroke of their
wings and cried: 'Hark. hark! Behold.
he prays.'
The Christian Home.
That night there is rap at the bed
room door "Who is there?" cries the
father. 1t is the oldest child. What is
the matter? Arc you sick:" mo; ]
want to he saved" Only little while.
and all the children are brought into
the kingdom of God. And there is great
joy in the house. Years pass OIL. The
telegraph goes click. click. What is the
news flying over the country: Come
home. Father is dying!" The children
all gather Some come in the last train.
Some. too late for the train. take car
riagc across the country. They stand
around the dying bed of the father. The
oldest son upholds the mother and says:
Don't cry. mother. ] will take care Of
you" The parting blessing is given.
No long admonition. for he has, through
years, been saying to his children all no
had to say to them. 1t is plain good
by!' and the remark, 81 know you will
all be kind to your mother" and all is
over.
Lif.'s duty done. ns sinks the clay,
Light from its load, the spirit flies,
While heaven and earth combine to say
How bl.>Ss'd the righteous when he dies
A whole family saved forever! II the
deluge come, they are all i'll the ark
father, mother. sons. daughters. To-
gether ON earth. together in heaven.
What makes il so? Explain it. Zaccheus
one day took Jesus home with him.
That is all. Salvation came to that
house.
What sound is il hear tonight? 1t is
Jesus knocking at the door of your
house.
Behold n stranger ut the doorl
He gently knocks-has knocked before.
II you looked ont of your window and
saw me going up your front steps, You
would not wait. but go yourself TO open
the door. Will you keep Jesus standing
ON the outside, his locks wet with the
dews Of the night: This day is salvation
come to thy house The great want Of
your house is not new carpet or cost
lier pictures or richer furniture 1t is
Jesus.
Work For the Children.
Up to 10 years men work for them
selves, after that for their children.
Now, what do you propose to leave
them. Nothing but dollars: Alas, what
an inheritance! 1t is more likely to be
a curse than blessing. Your own conf
mon sense and observation tell you that
money. without the divine blessing. is n
curse You must soon leave your chill
drcn. Your shoulders are not SO strong
Us they were, and you know that they
~.-sn h..~. A., frnsp M
dens Your eycsight is not so clear as
once. They will soon have To pick out
their own way. Your arm is not so
mighty as once They will soon have to
fight their own battles.
Oh, let it not be told Oh Judgment
day that YOU let your family start with
out the only safeguard-the religion OF
Christ. Give yourself no rest until your
children are the SONS and daughters OF
the Lord Almighty. Your son does just
rs YOU do. He tries to walk like you
and to talk like you. The daughter ini-
tates the mother Alas. if father and
mother miss heaven, the children will!
oh, let Jesus come into your house. Do
not bolt the hall door. or the parlor
door, or the kitchen door. or the bed
room door against him. Above all, do
not bolt your heart.
Build your altar tonight. Take the
family Bible lying ON tho parlor table.
Call together as many of your family
as may he awake. Read chapter, and
then, if you can think of nothing else
besides the Lords Prayer, say that.
That will do. Heaven will have begun
in your house. You can put your head
ON your pillow. feeling that, whether
you wake up in this world or the next.
all is we'll. In that great. ponderous
book of the Judgment. where are record
ed all the important events of the earth.
You will read at last the statement that
this was the day when salvation came
into your house. oh, Zaccheus. come
down, come down. Jesus is passing by !!
Women are undoubtedly the large
majority If the readers Of America. In
mo- other country Is reading SO wide