The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-07-31

castle put the strongest guard at toe
weakest gate With these smooth
stones from the brook, hope to strike
you, not where David struck Goliath,
in the head; but where Nathan struck
David, in the heart. Whose son art
thou, thou young man,
There is something in all winter hol-
idays to bring up the old folks. l think
many of our thoughts at such times
are set to the tune of 'Auld Lang
! Syne." The old folks were so busy at
such times in making us happy, and
perhaps on less resource made their
sons and daughters happier than you
on larger resources are able to make
your sons and daughters. The snow
lay two feet above their graves, but
they shook off the white blankets and
mingled in the holiday festivities the
same wrinkles, the same stoop of shout
der under the weight of age, the same
old style of dress or coat, the same
smile. the same tone of voice. | hope
you remember them before they went
away. If not, hope there are those
who have recited to you what they
were, and that there may be in your
! house some article of dress or furni-
ture with which you associate their
memories. | want to arouse the most
sacred memories of your heart while l
make the imprisoned interrogatOry in
regard to your pedigree: Whose son
art thou, thou young manT'
First, l accost all those who are de-
scended of a Christian ancestry. | do
not ask if your parents were perfect
There are no perfect people now, and
do not suppose there were any per-
feet people then. Perhaps there was
sometimes too much blood in t"eir eye
when they chastised you. But from
what know of you, you got no more
than you deserved, and perhaps little
more chastisement would have been
salutary. But you are willing to &C.
knowledge, l think, that they wanted
to do right. From what You over
heard in conversations, and from what
you saw at the family altar and at
neighborhood obsequies, you know
that they had invited God into
their heart and their life. There
was something that sustained those
old people supernaturally. You have
no doubt about their destiny. You ex-
peet If you ever get to Heaven to meet
them as you expect to meet the Lord
Jesus Christ That early association
has been a charm for you. There was
time when You got right up from
house of iniquity and walked out into
the fresh air because you thought your
mother was looking at you. You have
never been very happy in sin because
of sweet, old face that would present
itself. Tremulous voices from the past
accOsted you until they were seeming
ly audible, and you looked around to
see who spoke. There was an estate
not mentioned in the last will and
testament, a vast estate of pray
err and holy example and Chris
tan entreaty and glorious memory.
The survivors of the family gath
cred to hear the will read, and this was
to be kept and that was to be sold. and
it was share and share alike" But
there was an unwritten will that read
something like this: ''In the name of
God, amen. l, being of sound mind.
bequeath to my children all my prayers
| for their salvation; | bequeath to them
all the results of lifetime's toll: be-
queath to them the Christian religion.
which has been so much comfort to me.
and hope may be solace for them; |
| bequeath to them a hope of reunion
when the partings of life are over
Share and share alike MAY they in
herit eternal riches l belueath to
them the wish that they may avoid my
errors and copy anything that may
have been worthy. In the name of
God who made me, and the Christ who
redeemed me. and the Holy Ghost who
sacrifices me. make this my last will
and testament. Witness all you hosts
of Heaven. Witness time. witness
eternity. Signed, sealed and delivered
in this our dying hour. Father and
Mother" You did not get that will
proved at the surrogate's Office, but |
take it out to-day and read it to you
l take it out of the alcoves of you
heart. l shake the dust off it. ask if
you will accept that inheritance. or
will you break the will?
Oh, We of Christian ancestry You
have a responsibility vast beyond all
measurement. God will not let you off
with just being as good as ordinary
people when you had such extraordi-
nary advantage. Ought not a flower
planted in dollhouse be more thrifty
than flower planted outside in the
storm? Ought not factory turned by
the HousatOnic do more work than
factory turned by thin and shallow
stream? Ought not you of great early
opportunity be better than those who
had a cradle unblessed? A father sets |
his son uD in business. He keeps an
account of all the expenditures. Sc |
much for store fixtures. so much for |
rent, so much for this, so much for |
that. and all the items aggre-
gated. and the father expects the |
son to give an account. Your |
Heavenly Father charges against |
you all the advantage of a pious an
cestry-so many prayers, so much |
Christian example, so many kind en-
treaties-all these gracious influences. |
one tremendous aggregate. and he asks |