Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-02-25
SPRINGTIME OF LIFE.
A Sermon on the Seenes of Youth
by DR.. Talrnage.
q Mans True Character VIII Come
oat Beside the Ftresidc-Bome
should Ne the brightest
Place ON Earth.


Many tender recoilections are stirred
by DR.. Talmage's discourse. and scenes
OF boyhood and girlhood days will be
lived over again; text. Timothy Y. 4:
LET them learn first 10 show piety at
home"
During the summer months the tend .
ency is TO the fie Ids. 70 visitation. 20 for .
eign travel and the watering places.
and the ocean steamers are throaged>
but in the winter IL is rather 20 gather
in domestic circles. and during Chese
months we spend many Of the hours
within door. and the apostle comes
20 US and says that we ought 20 eXer-
else Christian behavior amid ali such
circumstances. Let them learn first
20 show pieiy 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 they
had some such great opportunity in
which TO display their Christian Prov
ess. They admire Paul making Felix
trernble. and they only wish that they
had some such grand occasion in which
20 preach righteousness. temperance
and judgment 20 come. All they want
Is an opportunity 70 exhibit their
Christian heroism. Now. the apostle
practically SAYS: Il will show YOU
place where YOU can exhibit ali that
Is grand and beautiful and glorious
In Christian character. and that is the
domestic circle. act them learn first
10 show piety at home" II one is not
faithful in an ins gnificant sphere ne
will not be faithful in n resounding
sphere. II Peter will not help the
cripple at the gate OF the temple, he
will never be able 10 preach 5000 into
the kingdom al the Pentecost. II Paul
will not take pains 20 instruct in the
way Of salvation the jailer OF the Phil
ippian dungeon. he will never make
Felix trembie. He who is not faithful
in a skirmish would not be faithful in
an Armageddon. The fact is. we are
All placed in just the position in which
we can most grancly serve God. and
we ought not 70 be chiefly thoughtful
about some sphere Of usefulness which
we may after awhile gain. bat the all
absorbing queation with you and with
me ought 20 be: Lord what wilt thou
have me now and here 20 do?''
There Is one word in ST. Peurs ad-
juration around which the most OF our
thoughts will revoive. That word IL
home" Ask ten different men the
meaning OF that word. and they viii
give YOU ten different definitions. To
one IL means love at the hearth. plen-
" at the table, industry al the work
stand. intelligence at the books. devO-
tioR at the altar. In that household
discord never sounds its warwhoop and
deception never tricks with its false
face. To him IL means greeting at
the door and a smile at the chair. peace
lowering like wings, Joy elapping its
hands with laughter. Life is tran
ouil lake Piliowed on the ripples sleep
the shadows. Ask another man what
home is. and he will tell you il is want
looking out Of cherries fire CRATE,
kneading hunger in an empty bread
tray. The damp air shivering with
curses No Bible on the shelf. Chill
dren robbers and murderers in embryo
Obscene songs their lullaby. Every
face a picture OF ruin. Want in the
background and sin staring from the
front. No Sabbath wave rolling over
shat doorsill. Vestibule Of the pit
forging everlasting chains. Fagots FOL
en unending funeral pile. Awful word
II is spelled with curses, II weeps with
ruin. il chokes with woe. II swears with
che death agony of despair. The wore
home" in the one case means every
thing bright. The word "home" in III,
other case mears everything terrific.
shall speak now of home as ties
OF character, home as refuge. hom
as a political safeguard, home as
school and home as a type Of Heaven
And in the first place home is pow
rrful test of character. The disposi
ton In public may be in gay costume
while in private it is dishabille. As pla.
actors may appear in one way on tn
stage and may appear in another wa.
behind the scenes, so private charac
ter may be different from public char
acter. Private character is often pub
lie character turned wrong side out. !
man may receive you into his parlor a
though he were a distillation Of smiles
and yet bis heart may be a swamp c
nettles There are business men VIII
all day long are mild and courteous an
genial and good natured in CONNER
cial life. damming back their irritabil
ty and their petulanee and their dii
content. but at nightfall the daI
breaks and scoIding pourS forth (!
Goods and freshets.
Roputafiop IL onIy the shadow