The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-05-10
CHRIST THE THEME.
He Brings Happiness Into Every
Life That He Enters.
All Nature Sings His Praises, Says
DR.. Talmage-Hymns Heard In
Infancy Have . strong In
Nuence in After Life.
copyright, 1900, by Louis Klopsch.1
WASHINGTON,

Copyright, 1900. by Louis Klopsch.l
Washington,
In this discourse DIR. Talmage shows
how Christ brings harmony and mel
ody into every life that He enters:
text, Psalms, 1854: ''The Lord is my
strength and song"
The most fascinating theme for q
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 cascades pro-
claim Him, all the voices of nature
chant Him. Whatever is grand, bright
and beautiful, if you only listen to it,
will speak His praise. So when in
the summer time 1 pluck flower !
thing of Him who is "the Rose OF
Sharon and the Lily of the Valley"
When I see in the fields lamb, say:
"Behold the Lamb of God that taketh
away the sin of the world" When in
very hot weather come under a pro-
jecting cliff, I say:
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee!
Over the old-fashioned pulpits there
was a sounding board. The voice of
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
nations the praises of Christ. The
heavens tell His glory and the earth
shows His handiwork. The Bible
thrills with one great story OF
redemption. Upon blasted and
faded paradise it poured light of
GLORIOUS restoration. 1t locked upon
Abraham from the ram caught in
the thicket. 1t spoke in the bleating
of the herds driven down to Jerusa-
lem for sacrifice. 1t put infinite pa
thos into the speech of uncouth fish
ermen.
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
way blossoms and the overarching
heavens drop upon you their benedic'
ton, 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
greatest enthusiasm. In the midst Of
their orations they would stop and
cry out: "Marathon!" and the peo
pies enthusiasm would be unbound
ed. My hearers. though you may
have been borne down with sin, ant
though trouble and trials and temp
tation may have come upon you, ant
you feel to-day hardly like looking
up, methinks there is one grand, royal
imperial word that ought to rous'
your soul to infinite rejoicing, ant
that word is Jesus
Taking the suggestion of the text
| I shall speak to you of Christ ou
Song. / remark, in the first place
that Christ ought to be the cradl
song. What our mothers sang to u
when they put us to sleep is singinI
yet. We may have forgotten tn
words; but they went into the fibe
of our soul and will forever be par
of it. It is not so much what yo
formally teach your children as wha
| you sing to them. A hymn has wing
and can fly everywhither. One hur
dred and fifty years after you ar
dead and "Old Mortality" has wor
out his chisel recutting your name o
the tombstone, your great-grandchi
dren will be singing the song whic
last night you sang to your little one
gathered about your knee. There
a place in Switzerland where, if 20
distinctly utter your voice, there com
back ten or Is distinct echoes, an
every Christian song sung by a motl
er in the ear of her child shall ha,
10.o0O echoes coming back from all ii
gates of Heaven. Oh, if mothers onl
knew the power of this sacred spel
how much oftener the little on,
would be gathered, and all our hom'
would chime with the songs OF jesus
Il We want some counteracting infal
ence upon our children. The very M
, ment our child steps into the stree
he steps into the path of Temptation
There are foul mouthed children WI
would like to bespoil your little one
It will not do to keep your boys an
J rirls in the house and make the
house plants. They must have fres
air and recreation. God save your ch
dren from the scathing, blastin
damning influence of the street!
. know of no counteracting influence b
: the power of Christian culture and e
. mple. Hold before your little on
. the pure life of Jesus. Let that mar
be the word that shall exercise e
from their hearts. Give to your
truction all the fascination of mui
morning, noon and night. Let it
Jesus, the cradle song. This is impt
tant, If your children grow up, but pe
haps they may not. Their pathw
lnay b short. Jesus may be waati'