The mirror., 1895-01-17

and perhaps destroys whole village,
when disease hOverS over a large city
and death marks for it's own the poor
and lowly, leaving friends wretched,
desolate, and poverty stricken, what
prompts the hearts of men to come
quickly to the rescue of the unfortu-
mates, to render assistance at once and
without stint, to give from their abund-
ance to the needy sufferers? The world
calls it charity, aye. but is not that
charity the offspring of the love for
our fellows which has descended to us
from God himself? For did not He so
love mankind, that He gave His only
son as sacrifice, that we might all be
saved! And is not He our Fatherp
The earthly love which is the nearest
approach to that of the divine Father.
is the love of the mother for her child,
be that child ever so unworthy, still the
mothers love knows no bounds, no
limits. The son who in his infancy
has been the constant care, and the
scOurce Of all his mothers Solicitude,
may prove curse instead of a blessing
to her old age; he may become The vileSt
of the vile; her prayers and entreaties
may avail naught in turning him from
evil courses; yet through it all she gives
to him that wondrous, unselfsh love
known only to a mother. 1t may be
that his behavior brings her to an
untimely grave, it may be possible that
his hand may be raised in anger to her
for whose protection he should willing
ly shed his hearts blood, yet she goes
on loving him to the end. The mothers
heart may break, but it cOnnOt cease
to love. And so, she goes on loving,
until death; until death, did | say
Aye! and after she has passed to the
bright realm beyond, she lays her pc
tition at the feet of Him who cannot
say to her nay, and she is granted per-
mission to still watch over and try to
allure her darling from the broad path
which leads to everlasting doom. Who
can say that she will not in the end
succeed. Who can say that her in
cessant prayers to God in behalf Of her
dearest earthly treasure shall not have
effect, and that He will not in his own
good time and in the wisdom of His
way grant that mothers prayer, and
finally reunite them in that land where
| 10 q n
The story of the returnlng prodiga
is beautiful one showing as it does
the love of father for his son. This
son, who had wasted his substance in
) riotOuS living, at last remembers that
he has still a home and a father anC
determines to go there and implore
; forgiveness. He returns an Outcast
and in rags foOtsore and weary, ex
hausted by hunger and weary miles of
travel he is ready to fall fainting by
from long way off his father sees anC
recognizes him, and forgetting all else
but his great love for this waywarG
boy, he runs and falling on his neck
embraces him and kisses him and II
the ecstacy of his JOY and love, orders
[ that the finest raiment shall be brought
3 and placed upon him, and the fatte(
calf should be killed and his friends
and neighbOrs be hidden to asumptuous
feast in honor of him who was lost bu
is now found. who was dead but il
l again alive. Unless we are ourselves
. fathers, we cannot picture that mant
Joy at the return of the loved boy.
The true philanthropist is not he wht
I gives from his abundance to alleviat,
;, the distress and suffering of others
a give he never so freely, but rather, he
who without hope of recompense, bu
l imbued with love for mankind which
t fills his heart to Overfiowing, seeks Ou1
: the Out-cast, the poor in spirit, anC
+ those suffering from sin. Who visit
the convict in his lonely cell and strives
to bring a ray of sunshine into hi
n blighted life, who has cheerful smil'
Q and kind and pleasant words of chez
i for those who are perishing for th
:, need of them. He is the true philan
. thropist and, and to such do our heart
y go out and welcome his presence CONF
= when he may. A kind word has oftel
+ a wonderful effect on fallen mai
: causing him to pause in his career AM
~ resolve to mend his ways. All! VIII
8 can fathom the wonderful depth, tn
" ennobling power of love that makes it s
8 and the time will surely come when tn
vast brotherhood of mankind shall b
bound together by chain whose ever.
@ link shall be an emblem of endurin
d love. God speed the day. T.