Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-04-06
ATTUNED TO CHRIST.
ALL NATURE JOINS IN SINGING HIS
PRAISES.


Rev. DIR. Tnlmngc Says That Every
thing bright Ind beautiful suw-
gcsts Bim-Power Of the Hymn m. "A
Cradle Song.
WASHINGTON, April LIN this dis
course DIR. Talmage shows how Christ
brings harmony and melody into ev-
cry life that he enters; text, Psalm
cxviii, IA. "The Lord is my strength
and song"
The most fascinating theme for a
heart properly attuned is the Saviour.
There is something in the morning
light to suggest him and something in
the evening shadow TO speak his
praise. The flower breathes him. the
stars shine him, the cascade proclaims
him, oil the voices of nature chant
him. Whatever is grand, bright and
beautiful, IL you only listen to il, will
speak his praise. So, when in the sum-
mer time l pluck n flower, | think of
him who is "the Rose Of Sharon and
the Lily of the Valley" When see in
the fields a lamb. | say, Behold the
Lamb OF God that taketh away the sin
of the world" When, in very hot
weather. come under n projecting
Cliff, say:
Rock Of ages. cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in theei
Over the old fashioned pulpits there
was sounding board. The voice Nsf
the minister rose to the sounding board
and then was struck back again upon
the ears of the people. And so the
10000 voices of earth rising up find
the heavens a sounding board which
strikes back TO the ear of all the ma
tions the praises OF Christ. The heav-
ems tell his glory. and the earth shows
his handiwork. The Bible thrills with
one great story OF redemption. Upon
a blasted and faded paradise it poured
the light of glorious restoration. II
looked upon Abraham from the ram
caught in the thicket. 1t spoke in the
-bleating OF the herds driven down to
Jerusalem for sacrifice. 1t put in
Unite pathos into the speech of I'M
couth fishermen. 1t lifted Paul into
the third heaven, and II broke upon the
ear or st. John with the brazen trump
cts and the doxology of the elders and
the rushing wings of the seraphim.
Instead OF waiting until you get sick
and worn out before you sing the
praise Of Christ, while your heart Is
happiest and your step is lightest and
your fortunes smile and your pathway
blossoms and the overarching heavens
drop upon you their benediction. speak
the praises OF Jesus.
The old Greek orators, when they
saw their audiences inattentive and
slumbering. had one word with which
they would rouse them up to the great
est enthusiasm. In the midst of their
orations they would stop and cry out
Marathon and the peoples enthu-
siasm would be unbounded. My hear
ers, though you may have been borne
down with sin and though trouble and
trials and temptation may have come
upon you and you feel today hardly
like looking up. methinks there Is one
grand, royal. imperial word that ought
to rouse your soul TO infinite rejoicing.
and that word is "Jesusr'
The Cradle Song.
Taking the suggestion of the text, l
Shall speak 10 you OF Christ our Song.
remark. In the first place, that Christ
ought TO be the cradle song. What our
mothers sang to us when they put us
to sleep is singing yet. We may have
forgotten the words, but they went in
TO the fiber OF our soul and will for
ever be part OF It, 1t is not SO much
what you formally teach your children
as what you sing TO them. a hymn
has wings and can fly everywhither.
One hundred and fifty years after you
are dead and "Old Mortality" has worn
out his chisel recruiting your name on
the tombstone your great-grandchil-
dren will be singing the song which
last night you sang TO your little ones
gathered about your knee. There is q
place In Switzerland where. IL you dis
tinctly utter your voice, there come
back 10 or 10 distinct echoes, and ev-
cry Christian song sung by n mother
In the ear OF her child shall have TO-
goo echoes coming back from all the
gates OF heaven. oh, IL mothers only
knew the power OF this sacred spell
how much oftener the little ones would
be gathered and all our homes would
chime with the songs OF Jesus!
We want some counteracting infiu-
ence upon our children. The very mo-
ment your child steps into the street
he steps into the path OF temptation.
There are foul mouthed children who
would like 20 besoil your little ones
II viii rot DO TO keep your boys and
girls In the house and make them
house plants. They must have fresh
alr and recreation. God save your
children from the scathing, blasting.
damning induence OF the street! /
know OF no counteracting influence but
the power OF Christian culture and ex-
ample. Hold before your little ones
the pure life OF Jesus. Let that name
be the word that shall exercise evil
from their hearts. Give to your in
struction all the fascination of music
morning. noon and night. Let IL be
Jesus. the cradle song. This is impor-
tant IL your children grow up. but per-
haps they may not. Their pathway
may be short. Jesus may be wanting
that child. Then there will be q sound
less step ia the dwelling. and the
youthful pulse will begin to hutter. /!
and the little hands will be lifted for
help. You cannot help. And n great |
~so-J WIN your HnQ j
the cradle Will be empty. and the |
nursery will he empty. and the world |
VIII be empty. and your soul will be !
empty. No little feet standing on the
stairs. No toys scattered on the car
pet. No quick following from room 10
room. No strange and wondering ques-
tons. No upturned face. with laugh
ing blue eyes. come for a kiss. but on.
" grave aud n wreath OF white bIos-
IONS on the top OF II and bitter DESC
lation and signing at nightfan, with
no one TO put to bed. The heavenly
shepherd will take that lamb safely.
anyhow, whether you have been faith.
lui or unfaithful. But would IL not
have been pleasanter If you could have
heard from those lips the praises Of
Christ! 1 never read anything more
beautiful than this about a >.>ld's de-
parture. The account said, "She fold
ed her hands, kissed her mother good |
by. sang her hymn, turned her face to
the wall. said her little prayer and
then died"
GOOD Tfdings OF Joy.
oh. III Il p0rld pofhat. M T.. -