The semi-weekly messenger., 1898-10-21

naming eNdngElS. WOTlu moving re-
formers, seraphic Summerields. weep
ing Paysons. numbering Whitefelds,
emancipating Washingtons.
NATURE NEVER SKIPS.
Good or bad influence may skip one
generation or two generations. but il
will be sure to land in the third or
fourth generation, just as the Ten
Commandments, speaking Of the vis-
tation of God on families, says moth
ing about the second generation, but
entirely skips the second and speaks
of the third and fourth generation
visiting the iniquities of the fathers
upon the third and fourth generation
Of them that hate me-" Parental in
fuence, right and wrong, may jump
over generation, but il will come
down further on as sure as you sit
there and L stand here. Timothy's
ministry was projected by his grand
mother, Lois. There are men and
women here the sons and daughters
Of the Christian church. who are such
as result Of the conservation of great
great grandmothers. Why, who do
you think the Lord is? You talk as
though his memory was weak. He
can as easily remember a prayer offer
ed five centuries ago as prayer offer
ed five minutes ago. This explains
what we often See-Some man or wom-
an distinguished for benevolence when
the father and mother were distin-
guished for penuriousness, or you see
some young man or woman with bad
father and a hard mother come out
glOriOusly for Christ and make the
church sob and shout and sing under
their exhOrtatiOns. We stand in corn
erS of the veStry and whisper over the
| matter and say, How is this, such
great piety in sons and daughters of
such parental WOrldinesS and SIM |
Will explain it TO you if you will fetch
me the old family Bible containing the
full record. Let some septugenarian
look with me clear upon the page of
births and marriages ard tell me who
that woman was with the old fashion
ed name of Jemima or Betsy or Me-
hitabel. All, there she is, the old
grandmother or great-grandmOther
who had enough religion to saturate a
century.
WHY SOME MEN WIN.
There she is, the dear old soul,
Grandmother Lois. In beautiful Green
wood cemetery there is the resting
place Of George w. Bethune once a
minister of Brooklyn Heights, his name
never spoken among intelligent Ameri-
cans without suggesting two things
eIoquence and evangelism. In tha
same tomb sleeps his grandmother Is
'abella Graham, who was the chief in
! spiration of his ministry. You are not
surprised at the poetry and pathos and
pulpit power Of the grandson when you
read of the faith and devotion of his
wonderful anceStreSS. When you read
| this letter, in which she poured out
| her widowed soul in longings for a sons
| salvation, you will not wonder that
| succeeding generations have been
| blessed:
New York, May 90 1871.
This day my only son left me in
| bitter Wringings of heart. He is again
| launched on the Ocean-Gods ocean,
| The Lord saved him from shipwreck,
| brought him to my home and allowed
me once more to indulge my affections
| over him. He has been with me but
| short time, and i'll have improved it !;
| he is gone from my sight and my heart
bursts with tumultous grief. Lord
| have mercy on the widows son, the
only son of his mother
| Il ask nothing in all this world for
MIN; L repeat my petition, Save his
| soul alive, give him salvation from
| sin. 1t is not the danger of the seas
| that dlstresseS me; it is not the hard
| ships he must undergo; it is not the
! dread OF never seeing him any more in
/ this world; it is because I cannot dis
Germ the fiulfillment Of the promise in
him. l cannot discern the new birth
] nor its fruit, but every symptom of
| captivity to Satan. the world and self
will. This, this is what distresses me,
| and in connection with this his being
| shut out from ordinances at Z distance
| from Christians; shut out with these
| who forget God, prOfane his name and
| break his Sabbath; men who often live
| and die like beasts,ye are accountable
| creatures, who must answer for every
| moment of time and every word.
OH ~
| wonders hast Thou shown ne Thy
| ways of dealing with me and mine
| have not been common ones. Add this
| wonder to the rest. Cali, convert, re-
| generate and establish a sailor IN the
| faith. Lord, all things are possible
| with Thee. Glorify Thy Son and ex-
| tend His kingdom by sea and land;
take from the strong. I roll him over
upon Thee. Many friends try to COM
| fort me; miserable cOmforters are they
i all. Thou art the God of consolation
| Only confirm to me Thy precious word,
| on which Thou causedst me to hope in
the day when they saidst to me. Leave
| thy fatherless children: I will preserve
| them alive Only let this life be a
| spiritual life, and I put a blank in thy
| hand as to all temporal things.
| Il wait for Thy salvation. Amen"
| OLD FASHIONED WOMEN.
/ w III Sutl d SldIluI1lOIIST WOuIO you
| not have a right to expect a George
| w. Bethune? And all the thousands
| converted through his ministry may
| date the saving power back to Isabella
| Gl leham.
God fill the earth and the heavens
| with such grandmothers. We must
some day go up and thank these dear
! old souls. Surely God will let Us go
| up and tell them of the results of this
| influence. Among our first questions
| in heaven will be. Where is grand
| mother?" They will point her ou-. for
| We would hardly know her even if we
| had seen her on earth, so bent over
| with years once and there so stra light
! so dim of eye through the binding of
| earthly tears and now her eye as
| clear as heaven, so full of aches ana
| pains once and now so agile with ce-
| lestial health. the wrinkles blooming
| into carnatiOn roses and her step like
| the roe on the mountains. Yes. l must
see her. my grandmother on my faith
err side. Mary Mccoy. descendant OF