The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-08-14

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meditoting, as though she were think
ing Of some good, warm place, where
il never gets cold and where the bread
does not fail and staggering steps
never come. You remember her now.
as she sat, in cap and spectacles. read
ing her Bible Sunday afternoons.
What good advice she used to give
you! How black and terrible the hole
in the ground looked to you when,
with two ropes, they let her down to
rest in the graveyard. All. l think
from your looks that l am on the
right track. Awake, O sleeper and
call upon thy mothers God.
But perhaps both your father and
mother were depraved. Perhaps your
cradle was rocked by sin and shame,
and it is a wonder that from such
starting you have come to respectable
itv. Tnen don't call upon the God of
either Of your parents, I beg of you.
God kindled those bright eyes and
rounded those healthy limbs and set
beating within their breast AN immor-
tality. Perhaps in the belief that
somehow it would be for the best you
have taught them to say an evening
prayer, and when they kneel beside
you, and fold their little hands, and
look up, their faces all innocence and
love, you know that there is a God
somewhere about in the room.
think am on the right tract, at
last. Awake, O sleeper, and call upon
the God Of thy children, May he set
these little ones to pulling at thy
heart until they charm thee to the
same God to whom tonight they will
say their little prayers. But alas. alas !.
some Of these men and women are
unmoved by the fact that their father
had a Coz, that their mother had
God, and their children have God,
but they have no God All pious ex-
ample to them for nothing. All the
divine goodness for nothing. All
warning for nothing. They are sound
asleep in the side of the ship, though
the sea and sky are in mad wrestle
Many years ago a man, leaving his
family in Massachusetts,, sailed from
Boston to China to trade there. On
the coast of China, in the midst Of a
night of storm, he made shipwreck.
The adventurer was washed up on the
beach senseless- all his money gone.
He had to beg in the streets of Can
ton to keep from starving. For two
years there was no communication be-
tween himself and family. They sup
posed him dead. He knew not out
that his family were dead. He had
gone out as a captain. He was too
proud to come back as a private sailor
But after awhile he choked down his
proudness and sailed for Boston. Ar
irving there he took an evening train
for the centre of the state, where he
had left his family. Taking the stage
from the depot and riding score OF
miles, he got home. He says that,
going up in front of the cottage in the
bright moonlight, the place looked tc
him like heaven. He raped on the
window, and the affrighted servant
let him in. He went to the room
where his wife and child were sleep
ing. He did not dare to wake them
for fear of the shock. Bending over
to kiss his childs cheek, tear fell
upon the wife's face and she wakened,
and he said, Mary and she knew
his voice, and there was an indescrib-
able scene of welcome and JOY and
thanksgiving to God.
Today I know that many of you are
sea tossed and driven by sin in worse
storm than that which came down on
the coast of China, and yet I pray
God that you may, like the sailor, live
to get home. In the house Of many
mansions your friends are waiting to
meet you. They are wondering why
you do not come Escaped from the
shipwrecks Of earth may you at last
60 in, 1t will be a bright night-a
very bright night as you put your
thumb on the latch of that door.
Once in, you will find the old family
faces sweeter than when you last saw
them, and there it will be found that
he who was your fathers God and
your mothers God and your child
ren's God is your own most blessed
Redeemer, to whom be glory and do
minion throughout all ages, world
without end. Amen.