Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-03-26

go therev' l think it was almost the
first time l ever made q religious ad-
dress. 1t was in DR.. Bethune'S church,
Brooklyn; it was an anniversary of the
Young Mems Christian association. I
came in from my village home, and 1
remember nothing of that anniversary
except that one of the speakers that
night said: MANY years ago two young
men stood at the door of the Park the
alter, New York. They were discussing
whether they had better go in or not.
There was an immoral play to be en-
acted that night. One of them said, 4
will not go in The other said: Don't
be afraid. Let us go in. Who caresY
The one who entered went on from sin
to sin, the terminus of his life delirium
tremens, with which he died in a hospi-
tai The other man turned back, came
to Christ as his Saviour, entered the
gospel ministry, and he stands before
you tonight. What was it that stopped
me at the door of the Park theater,
New York, so many years ago? 1t was
a pressure Of a hand on my shoulder
the pressure of my mothers hand"
Begin Early.
stand on the banks of a river and you
try to change it's course. 1t has been
rolling now for 100 miles. You cannot
change it. But just go to the source
of that river, go to where the water
just drips down on the rock. Then
with your knife make a channel this
way and a channel that way, and it
will take it. Come out and stand on
the banks of your child's life when it
Is 80 or 40 years Of age, or even 20, and
try to change the course Of that Fife.
It is too late! 1t is to late! Go far
Their up at the source of life and near
est to the mothers heart, where the
character starts, and try to take 1t in
the right direction. But, oh, my friend,
be careful to make a line, a distinct
line between innocent hilarity on the
one hand and vicious hilarity on the
other. Do not think your children are
going to ruin because they make
racket. All healthy children make a
racket. But do not laugh at your
child's sin because it is smart If you
do, you will cry after awhile because
it is malicious. Remember it is what
you do more than what you say that
is going to affect your children. Do you
suppose Noah would have got his fam
lily to go into the ark if he staid out?
No. His sons would have said, 81 am
not going into the boat; there's some
thing wrong; father won't go in; If
father stays out, I'll stay out"
An officer may stand in a castle and
look off upon an army fighting. But
he cannot be much of an officer, he
cannot excite much enthusiasm on the
part of his troops standing in a castle
or on a hilltop looking off upon the
fight. 1t is a Garibaldi or a Napoleon
I, who leaps into the stirrups and dash
es ahead. And you stand outside the
Christian life and tell your children to
go in. They will not go. But you dash
on ahead, you enter the kingdom of
God, and they themselves will become
good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Lead if
you would have them follow. Have a
family altar. Do not with long prayers
wear out your children's knees. Do
not have the prayer a repulsien. If
you have a piano or an organ or me-
lodeon in the house, have it open while
you are having prayers. If you say,
81 cannot construct a prayer; l am
struct a prayer" then take Matthew
Henry's prayers or take the Episcopal
church prayer book. There is nothing
better than that. Put it down on the
chair, gather your children about you
and commend them to God. You say
it will not amount to anything. 1t will
long after you are under the soil. That
son will remember father and mother
at morning and evening prayers, and it
will be a mighty help to him. And,
above all, in private commend your
children to God. Say: Here, Lord, l
my imperfections of discipline
and government. Here are these i'm
mortals. Make them thine forever.
The angel that redeemeth us from all
evil, bless the lads!'
A Stupendous Question.
Are all your children safe? l know |
it is a stupendous question to ask, but
I must ask it. Are all your children |
safe? A mother, when the house was
ON fire, got out the household goods, |
many articles of beautiful furniture, |
but forgot to ask until too late, care !
the children safe?' When the elements |
are melting with fervent heat and God |
shall burn the world up and the cry of |
''Fire! Fire!' shall resound amid the |
and the valleys, will your
children be safe?
1 wonder if the subject strikes a
chord in the heart Of any man who had
Christian parentage, but has not lived
as he ought? God brought you here
this morning to have your memory
revived. Did you have a Christian an
cestry? "Oh, yes!' says one man. 'If
there ever was a good woman, my
mother was good" How she watched |