The Princeton union., 1897-02-18

. . . r
proves. They admire Paul making Fe-
lix tremble and they only wish that
they had some such grand occasion III
which to preach righteousness, temper
ance. and judgment to come. All they
want is an opportunity to exhibit their
Christian heroism. Now the apostle
comes to us and he practically says: Il
will show you place where you can
exhibit all that is grand and beautiful
and glorious in Christian character,
and that is the domestic circle"
II one is not faithful In an insignif- |
cant sphere he will not be faithful in a
resounding sphere. If Peter will not
help the cripple at the gate Of the Tenn
pie, he will never be able to preach |
three thousand souls into the kingdom
at the Pentecost. If Paul will not take
pains to instruct in the way of saliva
ton the sheriff of the Philippian dun
ble. He who is not faithful in a skir-
1nish would not be faithful in an Ar
mageddon. The fact is, we are all
placed in just the position in which we
can most grandly serve God, and we
ought not to be chiefly thoughtful
about some sphere of usefulness which
we may after awhile gain, but the all
absorbing question with you and with
me ought to be: Lord, what wilt thou
have me (now and here) to do?"
There is one word in my text
around which the most of our thoughts
will to-day revolve. The word is
HOME. Ask ten different men the
meaning of that word and they will
give you ten different definitions. To
one it means love at the hearth, it
means plenty at the table, industry at
the workstand, intelligence at the
books, devotion at the altar. To him
it means greeting at the door and a
smile at the chair. Peace lowering like
wings. Joy clapDing it's hands with
laughter. Life tranquil lake. Pill
lowed on the ripples sleep the shadows.
Ask another man what home is, and
he will tell you it is want, looking out
of cherries fire~grate and kneading
hunger in an empty bread-tray. The
damp air shivering with curses. No
Bible on the shelf. Children, robbers
their lullaby. Every face picture of
ruin. Want in the background and sin
staring from the front No Sabbath
wave rolling over that doorsill Vesti-
S,ule of the pit. Shadow of internal
walls. Furnace for forging everlasting
chains. Faggots for an unending fun
eral pile. Awful word! It is spelled
with curses, it weeps with ruin, ii
chokes with woe, it sweats with the
death-agony of despair.
The word Home in the one case
means everything bright. The wore
Home" in the other case means every
thing terrific.
[ shall speak to you of home as
test of character, home as a refuge
home as a political safeguard, home
as school, and home as a type O.
heaven.
And in the first place I remark tha
home is a powerful test of characte,
The disposition in public may be il
gay costume, while in private it is il
dishabille. AS play-actors may appea
in one way on the stage and may ap
pear in another way behind the scenes
so private character may be very diff
ferent from public character. Privat
character is often public characte
turned wrong side out. A man ma,
receive you into his parlor as though
he were distillation of smiles, an,
yet his heart may be swamp of net
ties. There are business men who al
day long are mild and courteous an,
genial and good-natured in CONNER
cial life, keeping back their irritabilit,
and their petulance and their discon
tent; but at nightfall the dam breaks
i and scolding pours forth in floods an
freshets.
Reputation is only the shadow O
character, and a very small hous
sometimes will cast very long shad
ow. The lips may seem to drop myrr
and cassia, and the disposition to be a
bright and warm as a sheaf of sun
beams, and yet they may onl
be magnificent show windo,
to a wretched stock of goods
There is many a man who i
affable in public life and amid CONNER
cial spheres, who, in cowardly way
takes his anger and his petulance HON
and drops them in the domestic circle
The reason men do not display thei
bad temper in public is because the
do not want to be knocked down. Their
are men who hide their petulance an
their irritabflity just for the same rea
son thai they do not let their notes g
to protest; It does not pay. Or for tn
same reason that they do not want
man in their stock company to sell hi
stock at less than the right price, lest j
depreciate the value. AS at sunset tn
wind rises, so after sunshiny da
there may be tempestuous nigh
There are people who in public act th
phllanthropist. who at home act tn
Nero, with respect to their slippers an
their gown.
Audubon, the great ornithologis
with gun and pencil, went through th
forests Of America to bring down an
to sketch the beautiful birds, and afte
4 years Of toll and exposure complete