The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-06-15
BENTON LOUISIANA. THURSDAY, JUNE IS, 1899

1879.
Perhaps you were brought up in the
You stand now to-day In MEM
ory under the old tree. You dubbed it
for fruit that was not quite ripe, be-
cause you couldn't wait any longer. You
hear the brook rumbling along over
the pebbles. You step again into the
furrow where your father in his shirt
sleeves shouted to the lazy oxen. You
frighten the swallows from the raft
ers of the barn and take just one egg
and silence your conscience by saying
they will not miss it. You take drink
again out of the very bucket that the
old well fetched up. You go for the
cows at night and find them pushing
their heads through the bars. Ofttimes
in the dusty and busy streets you wish
you were home again on the cool grass
or the rag carpeted hall of the farm
house, through which there came the
breath of new mown hay or the blos-
som of buckwheat.
You may have in your windows now
beautiful plants and flowers brought
from across the seas, but not one Of
them stirs in your soul so much charm
and memory as the old ivy and the yell
low sunfiower that stood sentinel along
the garden walk and the forget-me-nots
playing hide and seek mid the long
grass. The father who used to come
in sunburned from the field and sit
down on the doorsill and wipe the
sweat from his brow may have gone to
his everlasting rest. The mother who
used to sit at the door little bent over,
cap and spectacles on, her face mellow
ing with thevicissitudes of many years,
may have put down her gray head on
the pillow in the valley. but forget that
home you never will. Have you thanked
God for it? Have you rehearsed all
these blessed "reminiscences? Oh, thank
God for Christian father! Thank God
for Christian mother! Thank God for
an early Christian altar at which you
were taught to kneel! Thank God for
an early Christian home!
| bring to mind another passage in
the history of your life. The day came
when you set up your own household.
The days passed along in quiet bless-
edness. You twain sat at the table
morning and night and talked over
your plans for the future. The most
insignificanttaf affairs in your life became
the subject Of mutual consultation and
advisement. You were SO happy you
felt you never could be- any happier,
One day dark cloud hoyered over your
dwelling, and it got darker and darker
but out of that cloud the shining mes
senger of God descended to incarnate
an immortal spirit. Two little feet
started on an, eternal journey, and you
were to lead them, gem to fash in
Heavens coronet, and you to polish it
Eternal ages Of light and darkness
watching the starting out of newly
created creature. You rejoiced and yor
trembled at the responsibility that in
your possession an immortal treasur,
was placed. You prayed and reioiced
and wept and wondered. You were ear
nest in your supplication that yo,
might lead IL through life into tn,
kingdom of God. There was a tremol
in your earnestness. There was {
double interest about that home. Their,
was an additional interest why yo,
should stay there and be faithful, ant
when in a few: months your house wa.
filled with the music of your child
laughter you were struck through will
the fact that you had stupendous mis-
sion.
Have you kept that vow? Have 70,
neglected any of these duties? Is YOU
home as much to you as it used to be
Have those anticipations been graf
flied? God help you in your solemn
reminiscence, and let His mercy fal
upon your soul, if your kindness hal
been i'll requited. God have mercy ol
the parent on the wrinkles of who's
face is written the story of a child
sin. God have mercy on the mothe
who. in addition to her other pangs
has the pang Of . child's iniquity. Oh
there are many, many sad sounds in thi
sad world, but the saddest sound tina
is ever heard Is the breaking of moth
er's heart!
find another point in your life his
tory. You found one day you wer
in the wrong road; you could not slee
at night; there was just one word tina
seemed to sab through your banlxin
house or through your Office or you
shop or your bedroom, and that wor
was eternity" You said: I'm nc
ready for it. oh, God have mercy!" Th
Lord heard. Peace came to your hear
| In the breath of the hill and in th
waterfalls dash you heard the voic
of Gods love; the clouds and the tree
hailed you with gladness; you cam
| into the house Of God. You remembe
how your hand trembled as you took u
the cup Of the communion. You remen
ber the old minister who consecrated j
and you remember the church ofiicia
who carried it through the aisle; yo
remember the old people who at Il
close Of the service took your hand
theirs in congratulating sympathy, !,
much as to say: welcome home, yc