The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-19

home you never will. Have you thank
ed God for it? Have you rehearsed all
| these blessed "reminiscences? Oh. thank
God for Christian father! Thank God
for a Christian mother, Thank God for
an early Christian altar at which you
were taught to kneel. Thank God for
an early Christian home,
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 day passed along in quiet blessed
ness. You twain sat at the table norm
ing and night and talked over YOU
, plans for the future The most insignif-
can't affair in your life became the sub
Ject OF mutual consultation and adver-
t1sement. You were so happy you felt
you never could be any happier. One
day a dark cloud hovered over you
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, a gem to fash in
heavens %eoronet, n you to polish il;
eternal ages of light and darkness
watching the starting out of a newly
created creature. You rejoiced and you
trembled at tine responsibility that IN
your possession an immortal treasure
was placed. You prayed and rejoiced
and wept and wondered; you were
earnest in s~upplication hat you might
lead it through life into the kingdom
of God. There was a tremor in your
earnestness. There was q double inter
est about that home. There was an ad-
ditional interest why o 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
worp GtrJ1ck fhrnIIOh with the fart that
o had a stupendous mission.
Have you kept that VOW? Have you
neglected any of these duties? Is FOUR
home as much to you as it used to be?
Have those anticipations been gratifi-
ed? God help o in your solemn
reminiscence, and let his mercy fall
upon your soul if your kindness has
been i'll requited! God have mercy on
the parent IN the wrinkles of whose
face is written the story of a child's
sin! God ave mercy on the mother
who, in addition to her other pangs, has
the pang of a child's iniquity! Oh,
these are many many sad sounds in
this sad world, out the saddest sound
that is ever heard is the breaking of a
mothers heart.
SWEET MEMORIES.
1 find another point in your life his
tory. You found one day you were in
TIE WRONG TOdu. lou COulO not steep DIT
night. There was just one word that
seemed to sob through your banking
house, or through your office, or your
shop, Dr. yOur bedroom, and that word
was eternity" You said: I'm not
ready for it. Oh, God, have mercy"
The Lord heard. Peace came to your
heart. In the breath of the hill and in
the waterfalls 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 remember
how your hand trembled as you took
up the cup of the communion. You re-
member the old minister who cOnSe-
GRATED it, n you remember the church
officials who carried it through the
aisle. You remember the Did people
who at the close of the service too
your hand in theirs in congratulating
sympathy, as much as to say, "Wel-
come home, you lost prodigal!' And,
though those hands be all withered
away, that communion Sabbath is
resurrected today. It is resurrected
With all its rayers and songs and tears
and sermons and TRANSPORTATION. Have
you kept those vows? Have you been
a backslider? Coo help you. This day
kneel at the foot of mercy and start
again for heaven Start now as you
| started then. I rouse your soul by that
Renaissance.
But I must not spend any more of
my time in going over the advantages
} of your life. I just put them in one
great sheaf, and I call them up in your
memory with one loud harvest song,
such as the reapers sing. Praise the
Lord, we blood bought immortals on
earth! Praise the Lord, we crowned
spirits of heaven!
But some of you have not always had
a smooth life. Some of you are now in
the shadow. Others had their troubles
years ago; you are a mere wreck OF
what o once were. I must gather uI
the sorrows of your past life, but how
shall 1 DR. j.? You say that is impossi
BILE, as lave had so many troubles
and adveluIsities. Then l will just take
two-the first trouble and the last trou-
BILE. AS when you are walking along
the street, and there has been music in
the distance, you unconsciously fine
yourselves keeping step to the music, sc
when you started life your very life
was a musical time beat. The air waS
full of joy and hilarity; with the bright
clear oar you made the boa skip. YOU
went on, and life grew brighter, until
after awhile, suddenly a voice from
l heaven said, Haiti" and quick as thu
sunshine you halted, you grew pa1e,y
: confronted your first sorrow. You haG
no idea that the lush on your child's
? cheek was an unhealthy flush. Yol
: said it canno be anything serious
NNON ~ cAAS AooAb>
: about the cradle. You did not hear tht
: tread, but after awhile the truth flash.
ed ON you. You walked the floor. Oh
if you could, with your strong, stour
hand, ave wrenched that child from
l the destroyer! You went to your room
; and you said: God save my child
/ God ave my child!" The world seem.
ed going out in darkness. You said. 6.
can't bear it, 1 can't year it," You fel
as if o could not put the long lashe.
! over the bright eyes, never to see then
, again sparkle. If you could have taker
that little one in your arms, and will
9 it leaped h grave how gladly yol
= would ave done 1T! If you could lie
your property go, your houses go, you
land n you s~torehouse go, how glad
ly you would have allowed them to de
: part if you could only nave kept tina
-. me treasured
GODS CONSOLIDATION.
But one day there came up a chill
2 blast that swept through the bedroom
o and Instantly all the lights went out
S and there was darkness-thick, murky