Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-08-05

other hand, some of the best men and
women OF this day are those who have
come OF an ancestry of which II would
not be courteous TO speak in their pres
ence. The practical and useful object
OF this sermon is to show you that il
you have come of Christian ancestry
then you are solemply bound to pre-
serve and develop the glorious Inherit
ance; or, if you have come OF de-
PRAYED ancestry, then il is your duty
to brace yourself against the evil
tendency by all prayer and Christian
determination, and you are TO find out
the family frailties, and in arming the
castle put the strongest guard ut the
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. think
many of our thoughts at such times are
set to the tune of Aud Lang Svne."
The old folks were SO busy mt 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 Law two
feet above their graves, but they shook
OH the white blankets and mingled in
the holiday festivities-the same wrin-
kles, the same stoop of shoulder under
the weight of age, the same old STYLE
of dress or coat, the same smile. the
same tones of voice. hope you remem-
Der them before they went away Ifnot,
/ hope there are those who have re-
cited TO you what they were. and that
there may be in your house some article
of dress or furniture with which Won
associate their memories / want to
arouse the most sacred memories of
your heart while | make the impas-
stoned interrogatory in regard to your
pedigree: Whose son asst thou, thou
young man?"
First, accost all those who are de-
scendants of n Christian ancestry. /
do not ask If your parents were perfect.
There are no perfect people now. and |
do not suppose there were any perfect
people then. Perhaps there was
sometimes too much blood in their
eye when they chastised you. But
from what | know of you. you got no
more than you deserved, and perhaps a
little more chastiSement would have
been salutary. But you are willing to
acknowledge, think, that they want
ed to do right. From what YOU over
heard in conversations, and from what
You saw at the family altar and at
neighborhood obsequies, Won know
hpy In
heart and life. There was something
that sustained those old people super
naturally. You have no doubt about
their destiny. You expect if you ever
get 10 Heaven to meet them Just as
you expect to meet the Lord Jesus
Christ. That early association has been
charm for you. There was "A 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 a
sweet old face that would present it
self. Tremulouis voices from the past
would accost you until they were seem
ingly audible, and you looked around
too see who spoke. There was an es-
tate not mentioned in the last will
and testament, vast estate of PRAYER
and holy example and Christian
entreaty and glorious memory. The
survivors of the family gathered 20
hear the will read, and this was 10
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
bequeath to my children all nv PRAYERS
for their salvation; | bequeath to them
all the results of liftime of toll; | be-
queath to them the Christian religion.
which has been so much comfort TO me
and hope may Toe solace for them: |
bequeath TO them hope Of reunion
when the partings OF life are over.
share and share alike, may they inherit
eternal riches. j bequcath to them the
wish that they may avoid nv 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 sanctifed me.
make this my last will and testament
Witness all YOU hosts of Heaven Wit
ness time, witness eternity. Signed.
sealed and delivered in this our dying
hour. Father and Mother" You did
not get that will proved at the surro-
gates Office but / take IL out today
and read IL TO YOU. take il out Of the
alcovcs 81 your heart. / shake the
dust off il. ask II you will accept
that inheritance or will you break the
will2
Oh, ye Il Christian ancestry! You
have "a spou-ibuity vast beyond all
measurement. God will not let YOU off
with just being as good as ordinary
people when you had such cxtraordin-
airy advantage Ought not flower
planted in a hothousc be more thrifty
than flower planted outside i'm the
storm? ought not a factory turned by
the Housatonic do more work than "A
factory turned by thin and shallow
mountain stream? Ought not YOU OF
great early opportunity be better than
those who had cradle unbie,scd? a
father sets his son up in business lie
keeps an account 81 all the cxpendi.
lures. So much for store fixtures. 50
mucn for rent, so much FOR tins. So
much for that. and all the item, ao,yre.
| gated. and the father expects the son
- give an account Your Heavenly
Father CHARGES against you all the ad
vantage Of piyus ancestry -so MANY
| prayers so much Christian example. ~
many kind cntrcatie,-ill tha-. Urn