Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-06-10

them together arm in arm 10 the same
altar. Something very important has
happened Their son is today uniting
with the church. lie is standing in the
aisle taking the vows Of Christian.
liz had been somewhat maynard aud
gave father and mother a good deal of
anxiety. hut their prayers have been an
swersd ia his conversion. and as he
stands in the aisle aud the minister OF re-
ligion says. do you consecratc yourself
To- the God who made and redeemed you,
and 10 YOU promise 10 serve him all your
days." and with manly voice he an
swcrs, Il do. there is an April shower
in the pew where father and mother sit
and rainhow of joy which arches both
their souls that makes all differences Of
creed mtinitesimal. And the daughter,
who had been very worldly aud gay and
thuu.:htlesS. puts her life on the altar Of
conservation. and as the sunlight of that
Sabbath streams through the church
window and falls upon her brow and
cheek she looks like their other daugh-
ter. whose face was illuminated with
the brightness Of another world on the
day when the Lord took her into his
heavenly keeping years ago.
4 Hint From Astronomy.
| should not wonder if. after all. these
parents pass the evening of their life in
the same church. all differences Of church
preference overcome 10y the JOY Of being
ia the house Of God where their children
were prepared for usefulness and hcav-
en-. But can give you recipe for ruin
ing your children. Angrily contend in
the household that your church is right
and the church of your companion is
wrong. Bring snccr and Caricnturc 10
emphasize your opinions. and your chill
drcn will make up their minds that reli
gion H. a sham. and they will have none
Of il. In the northeast storm of domes
tic controversy the rose of Sharon and
the lily of the valley will not grow. Fight
about apostolic succession. fight about
election and free agency. fight about hap
tiSm. fight about the biShopric. fight
about gown and surplice. aud the reli-
gious prospects of your children will be-
left dead on the field. You will be ms I'M
fortunate as Charles. duke of burgundy,
who in battle lost a diamond the value of
a kingdom. for in your fight you will lose
the jewel OF salvation for your entire
household This is nothing against the
advocacy of your own religious theories.
Use all forcible argument, bring all tell
ing illustration. array all demonstrative
facts. but let there be no acerbity, no
singing rctnrt. no mean insinuation. no
superciliousneSs. as though all others
were wrong and you infallihly right.
Take hint from astronomy. The
ptoleImaic system made the earth the cen
ter Of the solar system. and everything
was thought 10 turn round the earth.
But the Cop-rnican system came and
4 Il. Il. ~N.e..
the planets revolved. The bigot makes
his little belief the center Of everything.
but the large souled Christian makes the
sun Of righteousness the center and all
denominations without any clashing and
each in its own sphere revolving around
il. Over the tomb Of Dean Stanley in
Westminster abbey is the passage Of
Scripture. Thy commandments are ex-
cecding broad Let no man crowd us
ON to path like the bridge Al Sirat.
which the Mohammedan thinks leads
from this world over the abyss of hell
into paradise. the breadth of the bridge
less than the web of a starved spider or
the edge Of sword or razor. off the
edges of which many fall No. While
the way is not wide enough 10 take with
Us any of our sins. il is wide enough for
all Christian believers Ia pass without
peril into everlasting safety. But do not
any Of you depend upon what you call
"a sound creed for salvation. \ man
may own all the statutes of the state of
New York aud yet not be- n lawyer. and
man may own all the best medical
treatise and not be n physician. and n
man may own all the best works ON
painting and architecture and not be-
either painter or architect. and man
may own all the sound creeds in the
world and yet not be a Christian. Not
what you have in your head and ON your
tongue. hut in your heart and in your
life will decide everything.