Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-07-20


lenient, F" or / ''have been too severe in
the discipline of my children. If / had
the little ones around me again, how
different would dor You viii never
have them around again. The work is
done; the bent to the character is given ;
the eternity is decided l say this to
young parents, those who are 20 and so
or 30 years of age-have the fami y altar
tonight. How do you suppose that fa-
Their felt as he leaned over the couch of
his dying child, and the expi ing son
said to him: Fathe,, you have been
very good to me. You have given me a
fine education, and You have placed me
in fine social position, you have done
everything for me i'll II worldly sense
but, father, you never told me how TO
die. Now am dying, and am afraid. y
Unkindness to the Departed.
In this category of i1evoc;.ble mis-
takes place also the unkindncsses done
the departed. When was boy, my
mother used to say to me soneti mes,
sDe Witt, you will be sorry for that
when am gone " And l remember just
how she looked, sitting there with cap
and spectacles and the old Bible in her
lap, and she never said II truer thing
than that, for l have often been sorry
since. While we have our friends with
us we say linguarded things that wound
the feelings of those to whom we ought
to give nothing but kindness Perhaps
the parent, without iEquiring into the
matter, boxes the child's ears. Tie little
one, who has fallen in the street, comes
in covered with dust, and as tho as Ii the
first disaster were not enough She whips
1t. After awhile the child is ia tel. or
the parent is taken, or the companion is
taken, and those who are left say -'Oa,
if we could only get back those urrkind
words, those unkind deeds! If we could
only recall themr' But you cannot get
them back. You mi ht bow down over
the grave of that loved ono and cry aud
cry and cry. The white lips would make
10 answer. The STAR; shall be plucketI
out of their sockets, but these influences
shall not be torn away. The world shall
die, but there are some wrol lgs immor
tai The moral Of which is, t3ako care Of
your friends while yo have them. Spare
tho scoldins. Be eeonom cal of the
satire. Shut up in dark cave from
which they shall never swarm forth all
the words that h We {, sting in them
You will wish yo'l mad some day-very
soon you will, pe.ilaps tomorrow. Oh,
yes. While with tina hand you I'D
| minister parental discipline also admin
lister it very gently, lest some day there
be little slab i'll the cemetery and on
it chiseled, "Our vTIllie,' or "Our
Charlie, and though you bow down
prone i'll the grave anG seek IL place of
repentance and seek it carefully with
tears, You cannot find it.
There is another sin that / place in
the class of irrevocable mistakes, and
that IL lost opportunities of getting
good. l never come to a Saturday night
but / can sec during that week that /
have missed opportunities OF getting
good. never come to my birthday but
l can see that l have wasted many
chances of getting better. 1 never go
home on Sabbath from the discussion of
a religious theme without feeling that
might have done it i'll I. more success
full way. How is it with you? If you
take certain number OF bushels OF
Whe'l1 anu scatter thent over IL certain
number OF acres OF lal ii, you expect a
harvest in proportion 10 the amount Of
seed scattered. end L ask you now,
have the shcaves OF nrral and spiritual
harvest corredponded with tho advan-
tages givenf How has 1t been with you?
Aeu may mako reso ntlons for the fu-
ture, but past oppo tunltles are gone.
III the long process ION OF future years
an those past moments VIII march, but
the archangel's TIT mret that wakes the
dead VIII not wake up for you one OF
those privileges Eiau has sold his birth
right, and there Is not wealth enough
IN the treasure houses OF heaven to buy
1T back AGAIN What does that mean! 1t
means that If you are going TO get any
advantage out OF this Sabbath day you
VIII have to get 1T before the hand
wheels around on the clock to IL to-
night. 1t means that every moment OF
our me mas two wings, and that it does
not ny IKE hawk III circles, but III
stralgnt nhe from eternity to eternity.
1t means that, though other chariots may
break down or drag heavily, this one
never drops the brake and never ceases
10 run IL means That While at other
feasts the cup may be passed to MS and
we may REJECT II, and yet after awhile
take H. inc cuppearers to this feast
never give Us but ono chance at the
chailce' and rejecting that we shall
IND no place Tor repentance, though
we seek IL carefully with tears.
Lost Opportunities.
Ihere Is enc more class of sins that
put III TINS category OF lrrevocable sins
ana tnat Is lost opportunities of useful
ness Your business partner is a proud
man. In ordinary circumstances say to
hlm' Beleve III Christ, and he will
say, on lnlnd your business and III
niihu mine But there has been afillc-
.ioh III the househoia- his heart Is ten
DER; he is looking around for sympathy