Connecticut western news., 1900-04-05
ATTUNED TO CHRIST.
ALL NATURE JOINS IN SINGING HIS
 PRAISES.

Rev. pr. Talmage Says That Every thing Bright and Beautiful suG- | gesta Him-Power of the Hymn e. a Cradle Song.
 ! WASHINGTON. April 1-In this dis course Dr. Talmage shows how Christ brings harmony and melody into cv- cry life that he enters; text, Psalm cxviii, 14, "The Lord is my strength and song"
 The most fascinating theme for 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, 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 sum mer time I pluck flower, 1 think of him who is .'the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley" When I see in the fields a lamb, I say. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.' When, in very hot weather, I come under a projecting cliff, say: ...........-... Rock of ages, cleft for me,
 Let me hide myself in theel
 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 the na- lions 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 blasted and faded paradise it poured the light of glorious restoration. It looked upon Abraham from the ram caught in the thicket. It spoke in the bleating of the herds driven down to Jerusalem for sacrifice. It put in- finite pathos into the speech of un- couth fishermen. It lifted Paul into the third heaven. and 1t broke upon the ear of 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 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 "Marathonr' and the peoples enthu- siasm would be unbounded. My hear CTS, 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 "Jesus!'
 The Cradle Song.
 Taking the suggestion of the text, shall speak to you of Christ our Song. Iremark, 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. It 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 recutting 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 a place in Switzerland where, if you dis tinctly utter your voice, there come back 10 or 15 distinct echoes, and ev- cry Christian song sung by a mother in the ear of her child shall have 10,- 900 echoes coming back from all the gates of heaven. Oh, if 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 intlu- 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 to besoil 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 scathing, blasting, damning influence of the street! I 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 it be Jesus, the cradle song. This is impor- tant if 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 a sound less step in the dwelling, and the youthful pulse will begin to flutter and the little hands will be lifted fol help. You cannot help. And a great agony will pinch at your heart, and the cradle will be empty, and the nursery will be empty, and the world will be empty, and your soul will bt empty. No little feet standing on tho stairs. No toys scattered on the car pet. No quick following from room tC room. No strange and wondering ques tions. No upturned face, with laugh ing blue eyes, come for kiss, but on ly grave and a wreath of white bios sons on the top of 1t and bitter desc lation and a signing at nightfall, witt no one to put to bed. The heavenl. Shepherd will take that lamb safely