The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1894-10-03

change in any house when Christ comes into
it How many beautiful homes are repre-
sented among you? There are pictures on
the wall, there Is music In the drawing-room,
and luxuries in the wardrobe, and full sup.
ply in the pantry. Even if you were half
asleep, there is one word with which could
wake you and thrill you through anG
through, and that word Is "home !" There
are also houses of suffering represented In
which there are neither pictures nor WARD"
robe nor adornment-only one room, and
plain cot, or bunk in corner Yet It IS the
place where your loved ones dwell, ana
your whole nature tlngles with satisfaction
when you think of it and call it home.
Though the world may scott at US end pur-
sue us. and all the day we be tossed about,
at eventide we sail into the harbor OF nome.
Though there be no rest for us in the busy
world. and we go trudging about, bearing
burdens that we'll nigh crush US, there ls a
refuge, and It hath an easy chair In Whlcn
we may sit. and lounge where we may lie,
and a serenity Of peace in which we may re-
pose. and that refuge is home. The English
soldiers, sitting on the walls around Sevas-
topol, one night heard company OF mu-
sicians playing "Home, Sweet Home" and
IT is said that the whole army broke out into
sobs and waiting, go great was their home"
Sickness God pity the poor, miserable
wretch who has no home!
Now. suppose Christ should come INTO
your house First the wife and the mother
would feel His presence. Religion almost
always begins there. It Is easier for women
10 become Christians than for US men. They
do not fight 40 against God. If woman
tempted man originally away from holiness,
now she tpmpts him back. She may not
make any fuss about if, but somehow every
body in the house knows that there is
change In the wife and mother. She chides
the children more gently. Her face some
times lights up with an unearthlY glow.
She goes into some unoccupied room for
little while, and the husband goes not after
her. nor asks why she was there. He knows
without asking that she has been praying.
The husband notices that her face is brighter
than on the day when, years ago, they stood
at the marriage altar, and he knows that
Jesus has been putting upon her brow
wreath sweeter~th than the orange blossoms.
She puts the children to bed, not satisfied
with the formal prayer thatthey once offered,
but she fingers now and tells them OF Jesus
who blessed little children and Of the good
place where they all hope to be at last. And
then she kisses them good night with some
thing that the child feels TO be a heavenly
benediction- something that shall hold onto
the boy after he has become man forty or
fifty years of age, for there is something in
good, loving. Christian mothers kiss that
fifty wears cannot wipe off the cheek.
Now the husband is distressed and an
noyed and almost vexed. If she would only
speak to him he would "blow her up" He
does not like to say anything about it, but
he knows that she has hope that he has
not and peace that he has not. He knows
that, dying as he now is, he cannot go to the
same place. He cannot stand 1t any longer.
Some Sunday night. as they sit in the church
side by side, the foods Of his soul break
forth. He wants to pray. but does not know
how. He hides his face lest some OF his
worldly friends see him, but Gods spirit
arouses him, melts him, overwhelms him.
And they 90 home, husband and wife, in
silence, until they get to their room, when
he cries out, ''Oh, pray for mel" And they
kneel down. They cannot speak. The
word will not come. But God does not want
any words. He 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 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 bis hand before. He
says, "Come children I want you all to sit
down while we read and pray" The chill
dren look at each other and are almost dis
posed to laugh, but they see their parents
are in deep earnest. It is short chapter
that the father reads. He is good reader
at other tines, but now he does not get on
much. He sees so much to linger on. His
voice trembles. Everything is SO strangely
new to him. They kneel-that is, the father
and mother do, but the children come down
one by one They do not know that they
must. 1t is some time before they all get
down. The sentences are broken. The
phrases are a little ungrammatical.
The prayer begins abruptly and ends alb
ruptly but, as far as can understand what
they mean, it is about this: 80 Saviour,
help u.s. We do not know how to pray
Teach us. We cannot live any longer in the
way we have been living. We start to-day
for heaven. Help US to take these children
along with us. Forgive 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 r' 1t ended very abruptly, but the
angels came out and leaned so far over to
listen they would have fallen off the battle
ment but for a stroke of their wings and
cried clark, bark Behold, he pravs p
That night there is rap at the bedroom
door. ''Who is there?' cries the father. 1t
is the Oldest child. "What is the matter?
Are you sck?" "No; want to be 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
on. The telegraph goes click, click! What
is the news flying over the country? "Come
home. Father is dyingm The children all
gather. Some come in the last train. Some,
too late for the train, take a carriage 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 bless
ing is given. No long admonition, for he
has, through years, been saying to his chill
dren all he had to say to them. 1t is plain
''good-by |" and the remark, Il know you
will all be kind to your mother" and all is
over.
LIES duty done, as sinks the clay,
Light from its load, the spirit flies,