The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-02-07

ing, organic unit of the kingdom of
heaven" But how can there be this
realization if Zebedee is left out from
the covenant relation? 1t is impor-
tant that the mother be religious and
Christian, but it is equally important
that the father be so, too. Study the
Year Book-the mothers are in the
membership of the churches, but the
fathers who are there are comparative
ly few. Look over the ordinary congre-
cation in the average community-ho
many pews have the father Sunday
after Sunday at the head of the pew?
Now this condition is grave menace.
1t is not merely that the life and work
of the churches is endangered. So far
as running church is concerned in
deed, women can do that fully as we'll
as men, / am not believer in the dis
parity of the sexes in any respect, and
| am sure if there is any inferiority of
woman is not the one that is inferior.
But here is the peril-that the whole
community, the body social, will be i'm
poverished religiously. Salome alone
can't save the state to things religious.
She must have the help of her husband.
Ii the attitude Of reverence and the
temper of worship and the reality of
the act of communion with God-in
fine, the spirit and experience of relig-
ion. are to be preserved, men must bear
their share Is it reasonable to expect
that boys especially will grow up to a
thoughtful, spiritual manhood without
the inspiration of the example of their
fathers? A mothers prayers and ten
der nurture from the days of babyhood
on do often make noble, devoted Chris
tian men. This silent, beautiful intiu-
ence is beyond all reckoning. But as
many times it proves ineffective be-
cause it is struggle single-handed, the
father being an Indifferent spectator, if
not a positive although perhaps uncon-
scious opponent. Every Salome does not
succeed in raising James and John,
and when she fails the sin is most liable
to lie at Zebedee's door. This, then, is
our charge against Zebedee - he is
spelling the family. 1t ought to be a
unit for the life religious. 1t is not,
for the fathers fault And this, l re-
peat, is very sad.
The Christ always comes our way
sooner or later. He may come but
once or twice, but he comes and we
have our chance to meet him and to
know him, to learn Of him and to be-
lieve on him and to follow him. When
he comes, O father, to summon your
children into his service, shall he find
the same man that you were before-a
toiler unillumined with any splendid
vision, a mere member of nets as it
were, without one glimpse Of the spirit
ual ideal that has dawned upon your
sons or your daughters? God forbid.
When again he comes in the hour of
crisis, and great hopes are swelling in
the hearts of those you love, shall you
be far away, uncaring, with no anxiety
for them and with them, having moth
ing in common to think of and to feel
and to talk about touching the ever
lasting issues of life? God forbid!
When still once more he comes, and
now it is some last day of awful trial,
some inevitable day of the cross, shall
it be that you are not numbered with
the little company Of disciples that
suffer but are made strong thereby,
that sorrow but to know the everlast-
ing peace, that are crucifed with Christ
that one day they may reign with him
in the world which is to come. 0 Zebe-
dee, pray that this may not be!