The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-04-06
spRINGTIME OF LIFE.
/ sermon on the Scenes Of Youth
by Dr.. Talmage.
s. u...s True Character VIII Come
o.t Beside the Fireside-Home
should he the Brightest
Place ON Earth.

S.,,r..hinrton. Copyright, 1S99)
Many tender recollections are stirred
NJ DR.. Talmage's discourse, and scenes
Of boyhood and girlhood days will be
lived over again; text, Timothy, V. 4:
"I.t them learn first to show piety at
home
During the summer months the tend
.ncv is TO the fields, to visitation, to for
.;cn travel and the watering places,
and the ocean steamers are thronged,
mt in the winter it is rather to gather
Il domestic circles, and during these
months we spend many of the hours
within doors. and the apostle comes
10 us and says that we ought to exer-
else Christian behavior amid ALI such
circumstances. LET them Learns first
10 show piety at home"
There are great many people long
Ing for some grand sphere in which
TO serve God. They admire Luther at
the diet of Worms and only wish they
had some such great opportunity in
which to display their Christian Prov
sss. They admire Paul making Felix
tremble, and they only wish that they
had some such grand occasion in which
to preach righteousness. temperance
and Judgment to come. All they want
rs an opportunity to exhibit their
Christian heroism. Now, the apostle
practically says: Il will show you a
place where you can exhibit all that
ID grand and beautiful and glorious
II Christian character, and that is the
domestic circle. Let them learn first
10 show piety at home" If one is not
faithful in an insignificant sphere, he
will not be faithful in a resounding
sphere. If Peter wifi not help the
cripple at the gate of the temple. he
will never be able to preach 1900 into
the kingdom at the Pentecost. If Paul
will not take pains to instruct in the
way Of salvation the jailer of the Phil
ippian dungeon, he will never make
Felix tremble. He who is not faithful
IN skirmish would not be faithful in
On Armageddon. The fact is, we are
Ill placed in just the position in which
We can most grandly serve God. and
NE ought not to be chiefly thoughtful
about some sphere of usefulness which
We may after awhile gain, but the all
absorbing question with you and with
me ought to be: Lord, what wilt thou
lnye me now and here to do?''
There is one word in st. Paul's adj
juration around which the most of our
thoughts will revolve. That word is
shome.' Ask ten different men the
meaning of that word, and they will
give you ten different definitions. To
one It means love at the hearth, plen.
y at the table. industry at the work
stand. intelligence at the books. devo.
lion at the altar. In that household
discord never sounds its warwhoop and
deception never tricks with its false
face. To him it means greeting al
the door and smile at the chair, peace
lowering like wings, JOY clapping its
hands with laughter. Life is tran
gull lake. Pillowed on the ripples sleeI
The shadows. Ask another man wha'
home is. and he will tell you it is wan
looking out of cherries fire CRATE
kneading hunger in an empty bread
tray. The damp air shivering will
eurses. No Bible on the shelf. Chill
dren robbers and murderers in embryo
0bscene songs their lullaby. Ever,
lace a picture of ruin. Want in the
background and sin staring from thu
iront. No Sabbath wave rolling ovel
that doorsill. Nestibule of the pit
shadow of Internal wallis Furnace 1o1
forging everlasting chains. Fagots fol
% unending funeral pile. Awful word
n IS spelled with curses, it weeps Will
ruin, 1t chokes with woe, it swears will
NE death agony of despair. The wore
nome in the one case means every
talng bright. The word home" in til,
olner case means everything terrific.
! Shall speak now of home as tes
! y character, hcme as refuge. HON,
e political safeguard, home as
school and home as type of Heaven
AND N the first place home is pow
sfIui test of character. The disposi
1on IN public may be in gay costume
While in private it is dishabille. As pla,
se'ors may appear in one way on tn
nage and may appear in another wa,
oenlnd the scenes. so private charac
Nr may be different from public char
scter. Private character is often pub
y cnaracter turned wrong side out. /!
an may receive you into his parlor a
4 snough he were distillation of smiles
sna yet his heart may be swamp o
lsttles. There are business men VIII
s'ltiay long are mild and courteous an
renal and good natured in CONNER
eiat lie. damming back their Irritable
V and their petulance and their dis
son'ent. but at nightfall the dar
sleaks and scoldipg pours forth i
hoods and freshets.
keputation is only the shadow G
snsfacter, and very small house som.
I rmes will cast a very large shadow
.ae lips may seem to drop with myrr
aa eassla and the disposition to be q
and warm as sheath of SUI
ms, and yet they may only be
y asg aiacent show window for wretcl
IS Week Of goods. There is many