The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-08-05

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bound to preserve and develop the
glorious inheritance, or, if you have
come OF a depraved ancestry, then it
is your duty to brace yourself against
the evil tendency by all prayer and
Christian determination. And you
are to find out the famll ly frailties, and
in arming the castle put the strongest
guard at the weakest gate. With these
smooth stones from the brook l hope
TO strike you, not where David struck
Goliath, in the head, but where Ma
than struck David, in the heart.
Whose son art thou, thou young
man."
There is something in all winter
holidays to bring up the old folks.
think many OF our thoughts at such
times are set 10 tune of "Auld Lang
Syne" The old folks were SO busy al
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 ofl the white blankets and
mingled in the holiday festivities-the
same Wrinkles, the same stoop Of
shoulder under the weight OF age, the
same old style OF dress or coat, the
same smile, the same tone of voice l
hope you remember them before they
went away. If not. l 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 furniture with which you associate
their memories. | want to arouse the
most sacred memories of your heart
while I make the impassioned inter
rogatory in regard to your pedigree,
Who's: son art thou, thou young
MANI
First, accost those who are descend
ed OF a Christian ancestry. do not
ask il your parents were perfect. There
are no perfect people now, and I do
not suppose there were any perfect
people then Perhaps there was some
times 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 little
more chastisenent would have been
salutary. But you are willing to ac-
knowledge, [ think, that they wanted
to doright. From what you overheard
in conversations, and from what you
saw at the family altar and at neigh
borhood obsequies, you know that
they had invited God into their heart
aud their life. There was something
that sustained those old people super
naturally. You have no doubt about
their destiny. You expect if you ever
get to heaven to meet them as you ex-
pect to meet the Lord Jesus
Christ. That early ASSOCIATE on
has been charm for you.
There was time when you got
right up from a mouse 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. Tremul-
Gus voices from the past accosted you
until they were seemingly audible,
aud you looked around to see who
spoke. There was an estate not men
toned in the last will and testament,
a vast estate Of prayer and holy ex
ample and Christian entreaty and glori-
Gus memory. The survivors of the
family gathered 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 unwri!ten will
that read something like this: In
the name OF God, amen. /, being Of
sound mind. beq1eath to my children
all my prayers tor their salvation. [
bequeath to them all the results Of .
lifetime's toll. l bAqueath to them the
Christian religion, wnich has been SO
much comfort to me, and l hope m aY
be solace for them. l bequeath to them
hope of reunion when the partings
of life are over. Share alike may
they Inherit eternal riches. bequeath
to them the wish that they may avoid
my errors and copy anything that may
have been worthy. 10 the nam Of
God, who made lne, and the Christ,
who redeemed me, and the Holy Ghost,
who sauctiies me, make this my last
will and statement. Witness all you
hosts of heaven. Witness time; wit
ness eternity. Signed, sealed and de-
liVered in this our dying hour.
Father anu Mother" You did not
get that will proved ct the surrogate's
office, but [ take it out today and l
read it to you. take it out OF the
alcoves Of your heart shake the
dust OF it, ask if you will accept
that inherltlnc7, or will you break
the will?
Oh, ye Of Christian ancestry. You
have responsibility vast beyond all
measurement. God will not let you
oil with jast being as good as ordinary
people when you had such cxtraordin-
ary advantage. Ought not a dower
planted in hothouse be more thrifty
than flower planted outside in the
storm? Ought not q factory turned
by the Housationic do more work
than a factory turned by a thin and
shallow mountain stream! Ought
not you of great. early opportunity be
better than those who had cradle un-
blessed? A father sets his son up IN
business. He keeps an account Of all
the expenditures-so much for store
fixtures, so much for rent, SO much for
this, so much for that. and all the
items aggregated-and the father ex-
nentS the son to pi We an account. Your
heavenly Father charges against you
all the advantage of a pious ancestry
so many prayers, so much Christian
example, so many kind entreaties-
all these gracious influences, one tre.
mendous aggregate, and he asks you
for an account of it. Ought not you
to be better than those who had no
such advantage? Better have been a
founding picked up off the city COM
mons than, with such magnificent in
heritance OF conservation, to turn out