Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-03-03
TALMAGE ON HOME.
THE PLACE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.
Tender RecoIIectfons stirred by tho
Recall of Scenes of Boyhood and
GirIhood-show Piety First nt the
Fireside.

l1OU.il lhllt Aosef ~ hiHN'AS -
ciationl
WASHINGTON, Feb 26.-Many tender
recollections are stirred by DIR. Tai
mage's discourse and scenes Of boyhood
and girlhood days will be lived over
again: text, | Timothy v. 4. "Let them
learn first to show piety at home.
During the summer months the tend
ency is to the fields. to visitation. to
foreign travel and the watering places,
and the ocean steamers are thronged,
but in the winter it is rather to gather
in domestic circles and during these
months we spend many Of the hours
within doors, and the apostle comes to
rs and says that we ought to exercise
Christian behavior amid all such cir
cumstances. "Let them learn first to
show piety at home
There are a 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 that
they had some such great opportunity
in which to display their Christian
proves. They admire Paul making
Felix tremble and they only wish that
they had some such grand occasion in
which to preach righteousness. temper
ance and Judgment to come. All they
want is an opportunity to exhibit their
Christian heroism. Now. the apostle
practically says al will show You a
place where you can exhibit all that Is
grand and beautiful and glorious in
Christian character and that is the do
nestle circle Let them learn first TO
show piety at home. " II one is not
faithful in an Insignificant sphere, be
will not be faithful in a resounding
sphere If Peter will not help the Grip
ple at the gate Of the temple. he will
never be able to preach 5000 into the
kingdom at the Pentecost If Paul will
not take pains to instruct in the way OF
salvation the jailer Of the Philippian
dungeon. be will never make Felix
tremble. He who is not faithful in a
skirnish would not be faithful in an
Armageddon. The fact is. we are all
placed in just the position in which we
can most grandly serve God, and we
ought not to be chiefly thoughtful about
some sphere Of usefulness which we
NAV after awhile gain. but the all abb
sorbing question with you and with me
ought TO be. Lord. what wilt thou
have me now and here 10 do"
There is one word in St Paul's ad-
iuraticn around which the most OF our
thoughts will revolve That word Is
"home Ask ten different men the
meaning Of that word and they will
Give YOU ten different definitions To
one ii means love at the hearth. plenty
AZ the table. industry at the work stand.
intelligence at the books, devotion al
the altar In that household discord
never sounds its warwhoop. and de-
ception never tricks with its false face
To him it means a greeting at the doo'
and a smile at the chair, peace hover
ing like wings JOY clapping its hands
with laughter. Life is tranquil lake
Pillowed on the ripples sleep the shad
ows. Ask another man what home Il
and he will tell you 1t is want looking
ont Of a cherries fire CRATE, kneadlnt
hunger in an empty bread tray. Th'
damp air shivering with curses NJ
Bible on the shelf Children robbers anC
mnrderers in embryo. Obscene song
their lullaby Every face a picture o
ruin Want in the background ana 81
staring from the front No Sabbath
wave rolling over that doorsill Vesti
bule Of the pit Shadow of inferna
walls Furnace for forging everlasting
chains Fagots for an unending funera
nile. Awful word 1t is spelled witt
curses. il weeps with ruin. it choke
with woe. it sweats with the dealt
AGONY of despair The word home
in the one case means everything bright
The word "home' in the other cas-
means everything terrific.
As n Test of Character.
I shall speak now Of home as ties
Of character. home az refuge. nom
as political safeguard. home as
school and home as type OF heaven
And in the first place. home is a power
ful test Of character The disposition
in public may be in gay costume. Will
in private it is dishabille AS play aS
tors may appear in one way on the stag
and may appear in another way benin
the scenes. so private character may Q
very different from public character
Private character is often public chal
acter turned wrong side out A ma
NAV receive you into his parlor
though he was distillation OF smiles
and yet his heart may be swamp
nettles There are business men WI
all day long are mild and courteous
and Genial and good natured in con
mercial life. damming back their irriti
bilitv and their petulance and the
discontent. but at nightfall the dal
breaks. and scolding pours forth
I floods and fresnets
, Reputation is only the shadow
character. and very small house som
fines will cast very long shadow. III
lns may seem to drop with myrrh an
cassia and the disposition to be
hright and warm as sheath OF sui
l beams. and yer they may only be
magnificenk show window for wretcl
cd stock Of goods There Is many
man who is affable in public life al
o amid commercial spheres who in GOV
prdly way takes his anger and his pei
, lance home and drops them in the q
nestle circle The reason men 90 y
disnlay their bad temper In public
because they do not want to be knock
down There are men who hide tAe
petulance and their irritabiliy JUST I
d the same reason that they do NOT
= their notes go TO protest-it does
nav-or for the same reason that IN
do not want man In their stock col
pany to sell his stock belov PSF less
depreciats the yalus
As at sunset sometimes the WI
d rises so after Q sunshisy day there N
d he tempessuous Hight There are n
$ ple who in public act the philanthropy
u who at home act the Nero with resp'
~ =, II. ou1 fkoir VoyH Aud