Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-05-08

their heads through the bars. Outlines
in the dusty and busy streets you wish
you were home again on that cool grass,
or in the rag carpeted hall of the farm
house, through which there came the
breath of new mown hay or the blossom
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 sunfower that stood sentinel along
the garden walk and the forgetmenots
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 everlast-
ing rest. The mother who used to sit
at the door a little bent over, cap and
spectacles on, her face mellowing with
the vicissitudes 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 a Christian father! Thank God
for Christian motherl Thank God for
an early Christian altar at which you
were taught to kneell Thank God for
an early Christian homel
A Great Mission.
I 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 blessed
ness. You twain sat at the table morn
ing and night and talked over your
plans for the future. The most insignii-
cant affair in your life became the sub
ject of mutual consultation and adver-
tisement. You were SO happy you felt
you never could be any happier. One
day dark cloud lowered 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 flash 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 you
trembled at the responsibility that in
your possession an immortal treasure
was placed. You prayed and rejoiced
and wept and wondered; you were
earnest in supplication that you might
lead it through life into the kingdom
of God. There was tremor in your
earnestness. There was double inter-
est about that home. There was an adj
ditional interest why you should stay
there and be faithful, and when in a
few months your house was filled with
the music of the child's laughter you
were struck through with the fact that
you had stupendous mission.
Have you kept that vow2 Have you
neglected any of these duties? Is your
home as much to you as it used to be2
Have those anticipations been gratifed2
God help you in your solemn reminis-
cence, and let his mercy fall upon
your soul if your kindness has been i'll
requitedl God have mercy on the parent
on the wrinkles of whose face is writ
ten the story of child s sin God have
mercy on the mother who, in addition
to her other pangs, has the pang Of a
child's iniquityl Oh, there are many,
many sad sounds in this sad world, but
the saddest sound that is ever heard is
the breaking of a mothers heart
Sweet Memories.
I find another point in your life his
tory. You found one day you were in
the wrong road. You could not sleep at
night. There was just one word that
seemed to sob through your banking
house, or through your Office, or your
shop, or your bedroom, and that word
was eternity" You said: ''I'm not
ready for it. Oh, God, have mercyl"
The Lord heard. Peace came to your
heart. In the breath of the hill and in
the WATERFALL S dash you heard the voice
of Gods love. The clouds and the trees
hailed you with gladness. You came
into the house of God. You remembe
how your hand trembled as you took up
the cup of the communion. You re-
member the old minister who conse
Grated it, and you remember the church
officials who carried it through the aisle.
You remember the old people who at
the close Of the service took your hand
in theirs in congratulating sympathy,
as much as to say, "W elcome home,
you lost prodiga1l" And, though those
hands be all withered away, that COM
munion Sabbath is resurrected today.
It is resurrected with all its prayers
and songs and tears and sermons and
TRANSPORTATION. Have you kept those
VOWS? Have you been a backslider?
God help you. This day kneel at the
foot of mercy and start again for heav-
en-. Start now as you started then. I
rouse your soul by that Renaissance.
But must not spend any more of
my time in going over the advantages
of your life just put them in one
great sheaf, and call them up in your
memory with one loud harvest song,