The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-20
WHEELING DAY INTEIIIGENCER MONDAY DEoEMBER 20 897

years before manhood were years Of
anticipation, and in most cases OF little
to make them worth the retrospect,
With but one or two exceptions do
the ancient writer's and poets, even in
a passing manner, refer 10 their earlier
years, Is this the case with modern
writer's and poets? All, 30. Every book
OF poems, every paper, every magazine.
even the daily press has much to say
about child life, and Canon Farrar
says in this respect; THE lovely lines
OF Henry Vaughan might be taken as
a type of thousands more:
Happy those early days, when I
Shlned In my angel infancy
Before understood the place
Appointed Tor my second race
or taught my soul to fancy aught
But a white celestial thought,
Before I taught my tongue to wound
My conscience with sinful sound,
Or had the black art to dispense
A several sin to every sense,
But felt through all this fieshy dress
Bright shoes OF everlastingness,"
Well may the question be asked:
"How Is II that the Greeks and Roman
poets neglect the morning OF life, which
should have been so filled whit natural
blessedness. yet seems to have been a
blank" What is 1t that makes the
morning of life SO joyous now? Is It
not the home HE, and the sweet lessons
of tenderness and love learned at the
mothers knee, trllles they may seem to
some, yet tribes to be rendered noble
and beautiful In the maturer years of
life, even when the childish antclpa-
lions are as far of as ever. Yet tho
very home life Is the anticipation Of
something better. purer holier. and
what man or woman, looking back to
the home nest and the loving mother,
but is stirred with deep emotion as he
remembers the patience. love and
watchfuiness bestowed and well might
the poet Tennyson write:
Happy he
With such mother! Faith In woman
kind
Beats with his blood. and trust In all
things high
Comes easy 10 him, and though he trip
and fall,
He shall not bind his soul with clay"
For there has been planted in his in
most soul a deep anticipation OF the
best side OF life, especially the spiritual,
and the Idea OF motherhood is carried
into life to be bane ora blessing to
the future, for the home life has more
to do with the spiritual life than can
be told In words. The old proverb
that the boy is father Of the man" Is
In every way true, The lessons Of home
take firm hold upon the heart and life
of the child, which time cannot efface,
The lesson OF the Christmas tide can be
made effective, its anticipations ap-
piled TO higher and holier things than
the mere exchange OF gifts.
True, 1t Is an old story, but ever new:
last year some were too young to an
ticipate the Joy. This year they but
family grasp the meaning; next year 1t
will he reality, and life will begin in
earnest, the looking into the future, the
preparations for llfe's battle. the antic-
ipation OF what shall be. and those who
are looking back are doing so with
kindliest wishes that time and the
world may deal gently with the little
ones, hut as we contemplate all this
there still remains the lesson OF the
text. "The Lord whom ye seek shall
suddenly come TO his temple even the
messenger Of the covenant whom ye
delight in. Behold. he shall come,
saith the Lord OF hosts"
This Is prophecy fulfilled, and vet
unfulhlled. In general sense II has
been: in specific sense It Is being full
filed every day, As the Savior OF the
world. Christ came In the likeness of
man. As the personal Savior he Is COM
Ing in the spirit, day by day into his
temples, and Is To come 10 many tenn
pie this day, Suddenly, not that there
are to, be sudden conversions, but the
years of preparation aud anticipation
will be realized. The lessons OF home
and church will be perfected in that
moment by the messenger OF the cove
naRt Of grace, bringing the glad tldings
to the heart bowed down" good cheer
and hope will MI the temple of the mes
senger. Delightful, indeed, Is the place
where His honor dwelleth." The way
has been prepared In the innocencT of
childhood, gradually the truth makes
It's way. and suddenly, In a time least
expected. perhaps when the gloom and
darkness of life trails heaviest, The
Lord whom We seek shall suddenly
come to his temple, even the messenger
OF the covenant whom We delight in, ="
and what JOY he brings to the heart.
how he brightens the heart, making
the temple a delight 20 family and
friends, bringing great and precious
gifts Of grace and peace. which are but
a foretaste of that which is to come.
May the jov OF the Lord be your
strength and delight. May the antlcl-
patton OF this season be fully realized.
May the Lord dwell in your hearts
richly by faith and when the unexpect-
cd comes to pass when the messenger
OF the covenant comes to you to sum
mons YOU Into the presence OF Him who
is the giver OF every good and perfect
gift the realization Of all your anticl-
pations will be found perfect In the
| temple not made with hands eternal
In the Heavens. where Jesus re'gns
King and Lord.