The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-04-11
NATURE PRAISES.
Christ is the Theme OF Natures
JsyfuI Song.
HYMNS HEARD IN INFANCY
Have a Strong influence IN Afse'
Life, Says Or. Tatmase-in-
finite Muslc in tcs Name
Of sesus.

o. SSSSS-
Ia eais Il course Dr.. TAlnage shows
hoR Chriss brings harmony and melody
into every life that he enters; text,
Psalm cxviii, Il, The Lord IS my
strength sad song"
The most fascinating theme for 8
heart properly attuned is the Saviour
There is something 10 the morning hight
to suggest him and something IN sne
evening shadow to speak his praise.
The HoScr breathes him, the stars shine
h.u, ,ue cascade proclslms him, all the
Voices Of nature chant him Whatever
il grand, bright and beautiful if you
listen to it will speak his Praise. So
when in the summer time l pluck a
foger l think Of him who is The Rose
Of Sharon and the lily of the Valley. "
When see in the fields lamb, say,
Behold the Lamb Of God that takelh
away the sin Of the world" ;" When in
very hot weather | came under q pro-
jecting cliff, I say:
Rock Of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee!
Over the old fashioned pulpits there
was sounding board. The voice Of
the misister rose to the sounding board
and then was struck back again upon
the ears Of the people. And so the d.
600 voices of earth rising up Ind the
heavens a sounding board which strikes
back to the ear Of all nstions the
praises of Christ. The heavens tell
his glory, and the earth shows his
handlwork. The Bible thrills with one
great story Of redemption. Ufon 8
blasted spd faded paradise it poured
light of glorious restoration. 1t look
ed upon Aorshsm from the ram caught
in the thicket. 1t spoke in the bIest-
ing Of the herds driven down 10 Je-
rusalem for sacrifice. It put Infinite
Iatbos into the speech of uncouth
fishermen. 1t lifted Paul into the third
heaven, and it broke upon the ear Of
St. John with the brazen trumpets snd
the doxolegy of the elders and the
rushing wings of the seraphim.
The old Greek orators, when they
saw their audiences ipattentive and
slumbering, had one word with which
they would rouse them up to the great
est enthusiasm. In she midst of their
orations they would stop and cry out
''Marathonl aud the peoples enthus-
iasm would be unbcunded. Ny hearers,
though you may have been borne down
with sin, snd though trouble and trials
and temptation may have some upon
apon you, and !eu feel today hardly
like looking up, methinks there is one
grand, royal, imperial word that ought
10 rouse your soul to infinite rejoicing,
and that word is ''Jesusr'
Taking the suggestion Of the text, !
shall speak to 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 issinging yet. We
may have forgotten the Werds; but they
went into che hber of our soul and will
forever be part Of it. 1t is not sc
much what yol formally teseh youl
children as what you sing TO them. A
hymn has wings and can fly every.
whittier. One hundred and fly year.
after you ere dead and ''Old Mortality
has worn cut his chisel recuIling yo4l
asne On the tombstone your crest.
granochlldren will De singing the song
which last hight yeu sang 10 your little
snes gathered about your knee There
is place in SRllSlsnd where, il yor
distinctly utter your voice, there come
back l0 or Is d,stinc, echoes, and every
Christian song sung by 3 mother in the
ear Of her child shall have 0,0&
echoes coming back from sll the gates
Of heaven. On, if mothers enly knew
the power Of this sacred spell, how muct
eftener the little ones would be ss,heree
and all our homes would chime with
the songs OF Jesusl
We want some counteraceing influence
upop your chllGren. TIE very nomen:
your child steps,inso the street he steps
into the path of temptation. There are
foul mouthed children who would llka
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 recres-
tion. God save your children FROM the
scsthing, blasting, damning Influence
OF the street! know Of no countersct-
ing influence but the power Of Chris
tian culture and example. Hold be
fore your little ones the pure life of
Jesus. Let that name be the word
that shall exercise evil from their
hearts. Give to yeur instructions ali
the fascination OF music morning, doom
and night. Let it be Jesus, the cradle
song. This is important if your chill
oren grow up, but perhaps they may
not. Their pathway may be short.
Jesus may be wanting that child. Then
there will be soundless step il the
dwelling, and the youthful pulse will
begin to 6urter, and little hands will
De Lifted for help. You cannot help.
And great sgony will pinch st your
heart, and the cradle will be empty, and
she nusery will be empty, and the
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
30 room. No strange and wondering
questions. No upturIed face with
laughing blue eyes come for kiss, but
only : grave and wreath of white
blossoms on the top of it and bitter
desolssion and signing At nightfall
with no one to put to bed. The
heavenly Shepherd will take that lamb
safely anyhow, whether you have been
faitful or uufsithful, but would it not
hSye been plesssnter if you could have
heard from those lips the praises OF
Christ? ] never resd anything more
beautiful than this about : child's