The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-11-17
NO. 3S.

pours in, and the Ohio pours in.
and the Arkansas p,,urs in, and the
Red and White and the Yazoo rivers
pour in, and all the states and terri
tories between the Allegheny and
Rocky mountains make contribution.
Now, in order to test q mothers influ-
ence, we need to come in off the ocean
1f eternity and sail up toward the one
cradle, and we will find 10000 tribu-
tarles OF influence pouring in and
pouring down. But it is after all one
great river of power rolling on and
rolling forever. Who can fathom ito
Who can bridge it? Who can stop il?
Had not mothers better be intensity.
ing their prayers? Had they not bet
ter be elevat32g their example? Had
they not better be arousing them
selves with the consideration that by
their faithfulness or neglect theY are
starting an influence which will be
stupendous after the last mountain of
earth is fiat, and the last sea is dried
up, and the last of ashes of con-
snmcd world shall have been blown
away, and all the telescopes of other
worlds directed to the track around
which our world once swung shall dis
cover not so much as cincler of the
burned down and swept off planet. In
Ceylon there is a granite column SO
square feet in size, which is thought
by the natives to decide the worlds
continuance. An angel with robe
spun from zephyrs is once a century
to descend and sweep the hem of that
robe across the granite, and when by
that attrition the column is worn
away they say time will end. But by
that process that granite column
would be worn out of existence before
mothers influence will begin to give
way.
Good or bad influence may skip one
generation or two generations, but it
will be sure to land in the third or
fourth generation, just as the Ten
Commandments, speaking of the visi-
tation of God on families, says moth
ing about the second generation, but
entirely skips the second, and speaks
of the third and fourth generations:
''Visiting the iniquities of the fathers
upon the third and fourth generation
of them that hate me-" Parental in
fluence, right and wrong, may Jump
over a generation, but it 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
hn Il,
of the Christian church, who are such
as the result of the conservation of
great-great- Why, who
do you think the Lord is? You talk as
though His memory was weak. He
can as easily remember a prayer Of
fered five centuries ago as prayer Of
fered five minutes ago.
There she is, the dear old soul,
Grandmother Lois. In beautiful Green
wood cemetery there is the resting
place of George w. Bethune. once
minister of Brooklyn Heights, his
name never spoken among intelligent
Americans without suggesting two
things-eloquence and evangelism. In
the same tomb sleeps his grandmoti-
er, Isabella Graham, who was the
chief inspiration of his ministry. You
are not surprised at the poetry and
pathos and pulpit power of the grand
son 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 sens salvation, you will
not wonder succeeding generations
have been blessed:
New York, May 90, 1791.-This day
my only son left me in bitter wiring
ings 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 tumultuous grief.
Lord, have mercy on the widows son,
1.-The only son of his mother"
| wait for thy salvation. Amen.
With such a grandmother, would
you not have a right to expect a
George W. Bethune? And all the thou
sands converted through his ministry
may date the saving power back to
Isabella Graham.
Mothers, consecrate yourselves to
God and you will help consecrate all
the ages following! Do not dwell SO
much on your harslships that you miss
your chance of welding an influence
that shall look down upon you from
the towers of an endless future.
know Martin Luther was right
when he consoled his wife over the
death of their daughter by saying:
Don't take on so, wife; remember
that this is hard world for girls"
Yes, go further aud say: 1t is d hard
| world for women. -Ay, | 20 further
! and say: 1t is Il hard world for men.
| But for all women and men who trust
| their bodies and souls in the hand of
| Christ the shining gates will soon
swing open. Don't you see the sickly
pallor on the sky? That is the pallor
on the cold cheek of the dying night.
l 4