The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-04-05
REV. OR. TALMAGE.
THE EMINENT DIvINR's SUNDAY
DISCOURSE.

Cradle Song Ia Remarkable.
tcopyrght 1901
WAsnrSdroN, ID. C.-In this discourse DR..
Talmnge shows how G rst brings harmony
md melody into every life that He enterA;
text, Psalm cxvlii., IL. "The Lord is my
strength and song"
The most fascinating theme for n heart
properly attuned IL the Saviour. There H.
something In the morning light to suggest
Him and something in the evening shadow
TO speak His praise. rho Hover breathes
Him. tho stars shine Him, the cascnde
piroclalms Him., all the voices OF nature
chant Him. Whatever Is grand, bright
and beautiful II you only llston to 1t. Will
speak His praise. so, when IN the summer
time pluck IA flower, l think OF Him who
Is "the Rose OF Sharon and tho Lilly OF the
Valley" When see In the Aelds lamb,
l say, "Behold the Lamb OF God that
taketh awny the sin OF the world" When,
in very hot weather / como under pro-
icctlng elf, sny:
Rock Of ages cleft for me.
Let me hide myself in Theel
Over tho old fashioned pulpits there was
u sounding hoard. Tue voice OF the minis.
tor rose to tho sounding bOnrd aud then
was struck back again upon tue ears Of the
people. And SO the 900 voices OF eHrth
rising up iiud the a9uvens u sounding board
which strikes back to the ear Of all the ma
lions the praises OF Christ. Tho heavens
tell his glory, ind the earth shows his
hnndiwork. The Bible thrills with one
great story OF redemption. Upon blnsted
and faded paradise it poured the light OF
glorious restoration. 1t looked upon Abra-
ham IRON the ram canght in the thicket
II spoke IN the blenting of the herds driven
down 20 Jerusalem for sncrlilce. 1t put in.
finite pnth0s into the speech OF uncouth
fishermen. It lf.cd Paul into tho third
heaven, aud it broke upon the ear OF ST.
John with the bTuzen trumpets and the
dOXology Of the elders and tho rushing
wings of tho sernpim.
Instead OF waiting until you got sck and
worn out before You sing the praise OF
Christ. whilo your heart is lIappiest aud
your step ~ lishtest and your fortunes
smile and your pathway blossoms and the
overnrching heavens drop upon you their
benedictlon, spoHk the praises of Jesus.
Tho old GreeS orators, when they saw
their audiences inniteutive and slumber-
ing, had one word with which they would
reuse them up TO the greatest cnthusiasm.
In the midst OF ther orations thoy would
stop aud cry out "Marnthonl" and the
peoples enthusiasm would be unbounded.
My hearers, though you may have been
borne down with sin and though trouble
aud trials and temptation may have come
upon You and you feel to-day hardly like
looking up, methnks there is ono grand
royul, imperial word that ought to rouse
Your soul TO Infinite rejoicing, and that
word is "Jesus!"
Taking the suggestion OF tho text, shall
speak to you of Christ our Song. remark,
in tho first place, that Christ ought to be
the cradle song. What our mothers sang
to us whom they put US to sleep Is singing
yet We may huve forgotten the words,
but thoy went into tho fiber OF our soul and
will forever be part of it. 1t is not so
much what you formally teach your chill
dren MS what you sing to them. hymn
has wings and can fly everywhlther One
hundred and fifty yenrs after you ure dead
aud "Old Mortality" has worn out his
chisel recutting your name on the tomb.
stone your grent grandchildren will be
singing the song which last night you sang
to your little ones gathered about your
knee. There is place in Switzerland
where II you distinctly utter your voice,
there come back ten or iifteon distinct
echoes, and every Christian song sung by II
mother In the ear OF her child shall have
10000 echoes coming back from all the
gates OF heaven. Oh IL mothers only knew
the power OF this sacred spell how much
oftener tho little ones would be gathered
ald all our homes would chime with the
songs OF Jesus!
We want some counteractlng influence
upon our children. The very moment your
child steps into the street he steps into tho
path OF temptation. There are foul
mouthed children who would like to be-
SOIL your little ones. 1t will not do to
keep your boys and girls In the house and
make them house plants. They must have
fresh air and recreation. God save your
children from the scuthing, blasting,
damDlng influence OF the street, / know
OF no counteractlng influence but the
power of Christian culture and example.
Hold before your little ones tho pure life
OF Jesus. Let that name be the word that
shall exercise evil from their hearts. Give
to your instruction all the fascination of
music morning, noon and night. Let 1t be
thA la Ia
tnnt II your children grow up but per-
maps they may not. Their pathway
may be- short. Jesus may be wanting
that child. Then there will be sound
less step In the dwelling, and tho
youthful pulse will begin to ilutter, and the
little hnnds will be lifted for help. You
cannot help. And great agony will pinch
at your heart, and the cradle will be emp
ty, and the nursery will be empty, and tho
world Will be empty, and your soul will be
empty. No little feet standing on the
stairs No toys scattered on the carpet.
No quick following from room to room. No
strange and wondering questions. No up
turned face, with laughing blue oyes, come
for kiss, but only grave and IL wreath
or white blossoms on the top OF 1t md bit.
ter desolation and signing at nightfnll,
with no ono to put to bod. Tho heavenly
Shepherd will take TINT lamb safely any.
how, whether you have been faith 'ul or un.
faithful. But would 1t not have been
pleasanter II you could have heard from
those lips the praises OF Christi l never
road anything more beautiful than this
about child's departure. The account
SAID, "She folded her hands, kissed her
mother good-by, sang her hymn, turned
her face to the wall, snli her little prayer
and then died"
speak to you again OF Jesus "a the
night song job speaks OF Him who giveth
songs In tho night. John Welch, tho old
Scotch minister used to put plaid across
his bed ON cold nights, and some ono asked
him why he put It there. He said; "Oh,
sometimes In the icht want to sing the
praise OF Jesus and to get down ana pray;
then just take that plaid and wrap 1t
around mo to keep mo from tue cold"
Songs In tho night Night OF trouble has
come down upon mauy OF you. CONNER
cinl losses put out one star, rlnnderous
abuse puts out another star. Domestic
bereavement has put out II thousand lights,
and gloom has been added to gloom aud
chill 10 ehil and sting to sting, aud one
midnight has seemed to borrow the fold
from another midnight to wrap itself In
more unbearable darkness, but Christ has
spoken peace to your heart, and you sing.
jesus, lover OF my soul
Lot me to Thy bosom lly,
a s,Il