The Republican journal., 1896-03-12
Providing for His Own.

but III any provide not Tor his own, and
especially his own household he hath denied
the faith. and is worse than an unbeliever"
l Tim 5S.
These are most emphatic and expressive
words, words which impress an important
truth and emphasize an impressive duty.
The obligation enjoined is to provide for
our own, to care for the interests of those
who are dependent upon our care. This
is duty which taught by nature, is inten-
sified by revelation, and the professedly
Christian man who neglects or overlooks
it, denies the faith and is, the writer
AYERS, ''worse than an unbelever. Let
us read the words a second time 50
as to get the import of them more deeply
impressed upon our hearts and memories.
but if any provide not for his own and
specially his own household he hath de-
MED the faith. and is worse than an unbe-
lever"
The author of the words was Paul, and
it is of professedly Christian people that
he writes, individuals who had taken up
on themselves the obligation of Christian
discipleship. In the chapter from which
/ the words of the text are selected the
writer was enjoining it as duty of the
church to care for the poor widows who
We're dependent upon its care. Widows
who We're widows indeed were to be
cared for by the church, but he enions it
/ as IA Christian duty of vital Importance
that Christian people should provide for
the necessities of those who We're natural
ly dependent upon their care. Blood re-
lationship must take precedence of Chris
tian brotherhood. 'lf any widow hath
children or grandchildren, let them learn
first to show piety towards their own fam
lily, and to requite their parents, for this
is acceptable in the sight of God" Di-
crossing for a moment from the thought
of the fourth verse, the apostle in the
language of the text recurs to it again,
not only enjoining it as a Christian duty
to provide for those who by the ties of
blood relationship are dependent upon
their care, but he emphasizes indifference
to it as a sin of the deepest and darkest
character. To neglect this duty is to
''deny the faith and he who is guilty of
the sin is ''worse than an unbelever'
Our Gown are those to whom we are
specially related by blood relationship, or
who have special claims upon us on ac-
count of sacrifices made for us or service
rendered. The people of our own town
or locality, may also be said to be our
own, for they too have special claims upon
u.s. To provide for our own is to minister
to their necessities, to supply tn eir wants
and needs to the extent of our ability
| The duty means more or less according to
the circumstances and conditions in which
both they and we are placed. The de-
mandS of child before it is able to walk
are as imperative as any demands can well
be, but its needs are more easily met dur
ing the period of its infancy than they
VIII be fifteen or twenty years later when
its faculties become ripe for the privileges
and responsibilities of a liberal education.
Something to eat and drink and wear.
ring, a rattle and doll supply the baby S
needs, but child growing up into ma
turity, with physical and mental powers
strong and active, needs books, teachers,
religious privileges, social advantages and
the charm and quiet of Christian home
Providing for boys is not always the same
thing as providing for girls. Persons adj
vanced in years do not need the same
things as those growing up into life To
provide for the needs of ones own family
Involves obligations such as are nowhere
else to be confronted. Ytt all husbands
and wives, parents and children, and all
others who for any just cause can claim
dependence upon us, are all human beings
All have bodies which need food, clothing
anu SItlUtl. All nave IDlUuS, some
stronger some weaker, and all have souls
which are destined to experience the
power Of an endless life,' and he who
spect to the physical, intellectual, social
and spiritual nature of those who are de-
pendent upon his care.
The needs of the body must be provided
for. Food raiment and home must be
provided for those who are dependent
upon us. On board the train three weeks
ago were two young boys, aged respective
ly about seven and nine years. They were
dirty little fellows and poorly clad, whom
their father was sending home to their
mother-boys for whom the father seems
to have felt no care and assumed no re-
sponsibility. Boys in such case as that
would have been as we'll or better off
never to have known their father, whose
interest in their care, and concern for
their welfare was so slender. Every child
up to the time when it is old enough and
big enough and suffic emily mature to aid
in its own support, has moral as well as
legal claim upon its parents for entire
support. A claim for nourishing food,
suitable clothing and 6. home as refuge
from the street. And what is true in re-
spect to children dependent upon our sup
port is to large extent true of parents
and other relatives who, in the declining
period of life, having done the best they
could for us during the period of our de-
pendence upon them, have at length come
to be dependent upon us. "Honor thy
father and mother is the first command
ment with PROMISE and l hope that
none of the boys or girls present in the
service this morning will ever grow up to
speak of their fathers or mothers as the
''old man. or the ''old woman A very
interesting and beautiful incident took
place recently which was observed by
several persons on board the train. A
lady and gentlemen were travelling in
company. The lady was somewhat close
ly yelled, SO that there was nothing ex-
ternal to indicate any disparity in the
ages of the two, who appeared to be SO
thoroughly en- rapport with each other
that they were readily taken for newly
welded couple, OF lovers. Presently
word addressed by the young man to the
lady disclosed the fact that it was a young
man and his mother who had been the OBJ
jects, of SO much interest. To provide the
necessities of life for those who are de-
pendent upon us is a natural as we'll as a
moral duty, yet how many persons there
are who wholly neglect the duty. recall
one such instance of a most trying and
painful character. l knew the parties
oil o. a.