Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-07-31

out TO the periphery" You know as
well as know that you can make the
centripetal force overcome the centrif-
ugal, and you can make the centrifugal
overcome the centripetal, as when there
is mighty tide Of good in family
that may be overcome by determine
tion to evil; as in the case Of Aaron
Burr the libertine, who had for father
President Burr, the consecrated; as in
the case of Pierrepont Edwards, the
scourge Of New York society so years
ago, who had a Christian ancestry,
while, on the other hand, some Of the
best men and women Of this day are
those who have come Of an ancestry OF
which it would not be courteous TO
speak i'll their presence. The practical
and useful object of this sermon is to
show you that if you have come Of
Christian ancestry then you are sol
emnly 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 Chris
tian determination, and you are to find
out the family 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 Nathan struck David,
in the heart. Whose son art thou, thou
young MANI"
There is something in all winter holi-
days to bring up the old folks l think
many Of our thoughts at such times are
set to the tune Of Aud 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 OF
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
tones of voice. l hope you remember
them before they went away. II not,
hone there are those who have recited
to you what they were, and that there
NAV be in your house some article Of
dress or furniture with which you asso-
ciate their memories. l want TO arouse
the most sacred memories Of your heart
while make the impassioned interrog-
atory in regard to your pedigree,
"Whose son art thou, thou young manF'
A Christian Ancestry.
First I 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 perfect
people then. Perhaps there was some
times too much blood in their eye when
they chastised you. But. from what l
know Of you, you got no more than you
deserved, and perhaps a little more
chastisement would have teen salHtary.
But YOU are willing to acknowledge, l
think. that they wanted TO do right
From what you overheard in conversa-
tions and from what you saw at the
family altar and at neighborhood obse-
ouies 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
expect if you ever get to heaven TO
meet them as you expect to meet the
Lord Jesus Christ
That early association has been
charm for you. There was time when
YOU got right up from house OF IN
jauity 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. Tremu-
Ions voices from the past accosted you
until they were seemingly audible, and
Won looked around to see who spoke.
There was an estate not mentioned III
the last will and testament, a vast es-
tate of prayer and holy example ana
Christian entreaty and glorious mem
ory. The survivors Of tie family gath
cred to hear the will read, and this was
to be kept and that was TO be sold' ana
il was "share and share alike. Bu
there was an unwrittcn will that reaC
something like this: I'm TIC name oi
God. amen. |, being CT sound mind be
oueath to my children all ny prayers
for their salvation; | bcquc..th to then
all the results of lifetime s toll; b
ouearh TO them the Christian religion
which has been so much comfort TO me,
and hope may be solaCe for them
beoueath to them hope CT reunion
when the partings of life are over.
share and share alike, may they IN
herit eternal riches lNequeath to them
the wish that they may avoid my errors
and CODY anything that may have Deel
worthy. In the name Of God who made
me and the Christ who redeemed me,
and the Holy Ghost who sanctifies me,
I 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 die
not get that will proved at the surro.
gates Office, but take it out today anc
/ read it to you. l take it out of the
alcoves Of your heart l shake the dus'
off it. ask if you will accept that IN
heritance, or will you break the WIFI
o We of Christian ancestry, you
have a esLonsibility vast beyond al
measurement. God will not let you on
with Just being as good as Ordinary peo
pie when you had such extraordinary
: advantage. Ought not flower planted
in hothouse be more thrifty than
flower planted outside in the storm
> Ought not a factory turned by IN
, Housatonic do more work than factor,
turned by a thin and shallow mountain
: streamf Ought not you Of great earl.
I opportunity-be better than those wn
> had cradle unblessedG A father SET
/ his son up in business. He keeps an &C
I count of all the expenditures, so muc
, for store fixtures. so much for rent
, much for this, so much for that, and al
: the items aggregated, and the lathe
l exnects the son 70 give an account