The record-union., 1897-11-22

happiest, for it is the Christian home.
Human wisdom has never invented
any substitute in this world for home
religion. Where this is pure and un-
questioned. its power no man can tell.
What children learn in the home from
those dearer to them than any other
person but God, they can never forget
If it be good, it is blessed; il it be
wrong, it is calamity that thrills on
into eternity. The responsibility OF
parents is the mightiest that human be-
ingS can carry
But God has not imposed this without
Offering great assistance. He has CIV
en- to all parents His Son, His Bible,
His church. These are all He could
possibly give, and with them there can
be no sort of excuse for prayerless, 1r-
religious homes.
Whoever wants to and Will go to God
for help can set up an altar in the
house. The father can make himself
ministering priest in the home If he
wants to, and this is the holy min
istry into which God has called
every father. No higher office can
he hold this side the throne of
heaven. He can show a godly example
just as easily as an ungodly one, # he
wants to. He can fill the home with
religious instead of an irreligious at
mosphere, if he wants to. He can go
to the house of God and worship Him,
as God has commanded, if he wants to.
At the judgment day God will not hear
any excuse for the irreligious home, for
there can be no justification Of it.
For God wants to live through His
Son and His Spirit in every home, but
He will not force the door of the house
any more than He will force the door
of the heart Each one must repent
and bid Him welcome.
Parents! parents! Do you, can you
realize the greatest hindrance to the
progress Of good in this world is ir-
religious homes? Can it be that you
will take on you the responsibility of
rearing your offspring without God2
We rejoice in many beautiful Chris
tian homes in this city, but how many
are prayerless, whose parents and chill
dren know nothing of Christ and His
salvation; who seldom go to God's s
house, and some of them never? Think
of a dying child, or a child at the judg-
ment, approaching a parent because
that ldlitI VI ulOtlltI ucNSI lduS
him about sin and salvation! This has
happened often. Indifferent, thought
less parents, you should be aroused as
to these things Once you thought OF
God, had a godly father and mother,
but you have forsaken the God of that
early home. Would that the Holy Spirit
would kindle quickening on your
fading memory,
And this is simply the outburst of
heart yearning over the number of
careless fathers and mothers of ire
ligiouS homes in our fair city. Gladly
would We plead with you and plead for
you. More gladly still would Jesus
come into your homes with saving
help and power if you would let Him.
The church, too, offers hearty well
come. 1t joins the Master in saying:
"Whosoever will, let him come" And
to the praying people, and to all the
homes outside Gods mercy in Christ,
because they will not have this Man
to rule them, We commend this earn
est petition to the throne: "Oh, Thou
merciful God, Who hast given Thy Son
to die for us and for our children,
and the blessed Spirit to abide in the
truth, to convince of sin, come into all
our homes for larger quickening of
grace. Come with convicting power
unto those who have not given Thee
any welcome up to this time; and work
in the hearts of parents and children
a profound sense of the awfulness of
sin and guilt; show them its runous
consequences; show them the loving
waiting, almighty Savior; give them
reDentaDcq and faith toward Hin, apd
help them to know how Thou dost long
to forgive and include them in the
happy family of Thy redeemed, and
make their hearts happy, their homes
safe, their lives useful, and at last bid
parents and children a hearty welcome
to the sinless and ver-to- be- dis
turbed home in heaven. We beg it for
Jesus sake. Ameni"