The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-07-18

part OF life 10 lnd out the mistatcl Tho prr-
ent says, II have been too lcnient.' or IF
| have been too severe In tho discipline of my
children. II had tho little onrs around mo
again. how different would do You will
never have them around again. The work is
done; tho bentto the cha-arter is given. ttN
eternity is decided. / s1vthis 90 you1r r,--
ents. those VINO arc twruty-nve ari th'ttv
or thirty-lvc yslrs Ot a-r-iave In, fn-1'ly
altar Tonight. How do You suppose t''is
fnther felt rs he leaned Over thu couch of his
dying child AMI the expiring son said 10
him: Father you have been very good 10
me. You have given mo fine education.
and you have placed me in n finn social po-
sition; YOU have done everything for me in
worldly sense; but. father. You never told
me how to die. Now an dying, and an
afraid"
In this category Of irrovocnblc mistakes I
place also the unkindnrsscs done the d.
parted. When was nov. my mother usrl
TO say to me sometime. "Dn Witt. YOU will
be sorry for that when | an gone" And [
remember just how she looked sitting thero
with cap and spcctarles and the oil y be IN
her lap, aud she never said n trucr thingthan
that. for | have often been sorry since.
While we have our friends with us we say
unguarded things that wound the feelings %
those to whom we ought 90 give nothing bu.
Kindness. Perhaps the parent without ir-
quiring into the matter boxes the chill-
ears. The little one. who has fallen In the
street. comes In covered with dust. and "a
though the first disaster were not enough shc
whips IL. After whilc tho child Is taken.
or the parent Il takon, or the companion is
taken. and those who are left say. ooh.
u we could only get back those unkind
words. those unkini dccls. II We could
only recall them!" But YOU cannot got
them back. You might bow down over
the grave OF that loved one and cry anil
cry and cry. The white lips would make no
answer. The star, shall hr pluckci ont oi
their sockets, but these influences shall not
he torn away. The world shall die. hut
there are some wrongs Immortal. Th1
moral Of which l.. take caTN of your friends
while you have them. Spare the sroliing.
BE economical oi the satire. Shut up in a
dark cave from which they shall never swarm
forth all the words that hnv, n sting In them.
You will wish you hul sJmn day--yHry soo1
YOU will, prrhtp4 tomorrow Oh. yes.
While with a firm hand You administer par
entail discipline also administer II very
gently, lest some day there be- a little slab
in the cemetery AMI on 1t chisclci. "OIr
Willie" or "Our Charlie and though you
bow down prone In the grave aud scck u
place Of repentance and sock II carefully
with tears, You cannot Ind II.
There l. another sin that | place in tn
class Of irrevoclhlc mistakes. AMI that T.
lost opportunities OF getting GOO =. ncvpr
cometo n Saturday nicht but | can see dur
ing that week that hay' missed ppportun-
tiles ot getting gool. | never CONF 10 nv
birthday but | can sc' that have wasted
many chances % getting better. Iuovc' %
home on Sabbath from the discussion of q
religious theme without feeling that might
have done IL in a moro sue h-Sful way. How
is II with yOui II yOu tnke certain number
OF bushels OF wheat aud scatter them ovtra
certain numberof acres Of land, you expect
a harvest In proportion 10 the amount oI
se,d scattered. Aud ask you now, Hays
the sheaves Of moral AMI spiritual harvest
corresponded with the advantages giycn}
How has 1t been with you2 You may make
resolutions for the future. but past opportun-
titles are gone. In the long procession OF future
years all those past moments will march, but
the archangeIs trumpet that wakes the dead
will not wake up for You one OF those prjvi-
leges. Esau has sold his brthright, and thera
is not wealth enough in the treasure houses
of heaven to buy 1t back again. What does
that mean2 II means that II you are going to
get any advantage ont of this sabbath day
you will have to get II before the hand wheels
around On the clock TO IL Tonight II means
that every moment OF our life has two wings,
and that II does not fly like a hawk In cir.
cles, but in straight line from eternity 10
eternity. II means that, though other
chariots may break down or drag heavily,
this one never drops the brake and never
ceases 10 run. II means that while AT other
feasts the cup may be passed to ~ and we
may reject ii, and yet after awhile take 1t.
the cupbearers TO this feast never give rs but
one chance at the chalice. and rejecting that
we shall "iind no place for repentance,
though we seek II carefully with tears.'
There Is one more class Of sins that | put
in this category Of irrevocable sins AMI that
IL lost opportunities OF usefulness. Your
business partner is proud man. In orii-
nary circumstances say to him, believe in
Christ" aul he will say, "YOu mind your
business and I'll mind mine" But there has
been aflllction in the household. His heart
Is tender lie is looking around for sym-
pathy and solGce. Now Is your time. Speak,
speak, or forever hold your peace There Is
a time in farm life when You plant the corn
and when yousOw the seed. Let that - by,
and the farmer will wiring his hands while
other husban linen ara gathering In tho
sheayes. You are in II religious meeting,
and there Is AN opportunity for You TO speak
n word for Christ. You say, II must d. IL
Your check tiusheS with embarrassment.
You rise half way, but yOu cover before men
whose breath Is in their nostrils, aud you
sag back, and tho opportunity is gone,
and all eternity will feel the effect
Of your silence. Try to get back
that opportunity You cannot find it.
You might MS we'll try to find the fleece that
Gideon watched, or tRke In your hand the
dow that came down on the locks Of the
Bethlehem shepherds, or to find the plume OF
the first robin that went across paradise. II
is gOne--it is gone forever. When an oppor-
tunity for personal repentance or Of doing
good passes away, you may hunt for 1t; you
cannot lind it, You may fish for it; it will
not take the hook. You may dig for it, you
cannot bring it up. Remember that there
are wrongs and sins that can never be cor
rected that our privileges fly not H. circles,
but in a straight line; that the lightnings
haveno as swift feet as our privileges when
they are gone, and let an opportunity OF sal
vation go by rs au inch-the Onc-hundreth
part OF an inch, the thousan lth part Of an
inch, the millionth part Of an inch-and no
man can overtake il. Fire winged seraphim
cannot come up with ii, The eternal Goa
Himself cannot catch II.
| stand before tnose who have n 81 lrlous
brthright. Esau's was not so rlch rs yours.
Sell II once, and you sell 1t forever. re-
member the story OF the lad on the Arctic
some years ago-;he lad Stewart Holland.
vessel crashed into the Arctic in III, Tins
OF fog, and 1t was found that the ship
must go down. Some Of tho passengers
got or in the liieboats, some got OF on