Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-08-26

uOSl vi t1OS0 WHO D6COluc minister
are the sons OF those who had terrific
struggle to get their everyday bread.
The collegiate and theological educa-
ton Of that son took every luxury from
the parental table for eight years. The
other children were more scantiIy ap-
pareleG. The son at college every little
while got bundle from home. In it
were the socks that mother had knit
sitting up late at night, her sight not
as good as once it was. And there also
were some delicacies from the sisters
hand for the voraciOus appetite of a
hungry student. The father swung the
heavy cradle through the wheat, the
sweat rolling from his chin believing
every step Of the way, and then sitting
| down under the cherry tree at noon,
! thinking to himself, Il am fearfully
| tired, but it will pay if L can once see
that boy through college and if 1 can
know that he will be preaching the Cos
pei after 1 am dead" The younger
children want to know why they can't
have this and that as others do, and
the mother says, BE patient my chill
dren, until your brother graduates, and
then you shall have more luxuries, but
we must see that boy through"
Good Reason For Rejoicing.
The years go by, and the son has
been ordained and is preaching the glo-
riouS gospel, and q great revival comes,
and souls by scores and hundreds ac-
| cept the gospel from the lips of that
young preacher, and father and moth
er, quite old now, are visiting the son
/ at the village parsonage, and at the
close Of a Sabbath of mighty blessing
father and mother retire to their room,
the son fighting the way and asking
| them if he can do anything to make
| them more comfortable, saying if they
want anything in the night just to
knock on the wall. And then, all alone
father and mother talk over the gra-
| cious influences of the day and say:
''Well, it was worth all we went
through to educate that boy. 1t was
hard pull, but we held on till the work
was done. The world may not know it;
but. mother, we held the rope, didn't
We?'' And the voice, tremulous with
joyful emotion, responds: Yes, father,
we held the rope. [ feel my work is
done. Now, Lord, lettest thou thy serv-
ant depart in peace, for mine eyes have
seen thy salvation" "Pshaw! says
the father. Il never felt so much like
living in my life as now. 1 want to see
what that fellow is going on to do, he
has begun so WE'LL
Something occurs to me quite person
al 1 was the youngest of a large fami-
ly Of children. My parents were nei-
Their rich nor poor. Four of the sons
Jy-0n+n6 n cn1InCrio 70 n1Il0a tinJ1 q nd
obtained it. but not without great home
struggle. We never heard the old peo-
pie say once that they were denying
themselves to effect this, but l remem-
Der now that my parents always looked
tired. l don't think they ever got rested
until they lay down in the Somerville
cemetery. Mother would sit down in
the evening and say, 'Weu, l don't
know what makes me feel so tired,'
Father would fall Immediately to sleep
seated by the evening stand, overcome
with the days fatigues. About So
years ago the one and about 81 years
ago the other pat down the burdens of
this life, but they still hold the rope.
0 men and women, you brag some
times how You have fought your way
in the world. but I think there have
been helpful Influences that YOU have
never fully acknowledged. Has there
not been some influence in your early
or present hume that the world cannot
see? Does there not reach you from
among the New England hills or from
western prairie or from southern plan
tatiOn. or from English or Scottish or
Irish home a cord Of influence that has
kept you right when you would have
gone astray and which after you had
made a crooked track recalled you?
The rope may be as long as 80 years or
500 miles long or 5000 miles long, but
hands that went out of mortal sight !
long ago still hold the rope. You want /
q very swift horse, and you need to
rowel him with sharpest spurs and to
let the reins lie loose upon the neck and +
to give 4 shout to the racer if you are |
going to ride out Of reach Of your moth |!
er's prayers Why, a ship crossing the !
Atlantic in six days can't sail away |
from that. 4 sailor finds them on the |
lookout as he takes his place and finds !
them on the mast as he climbs the rat
lines to disentangle a rope in the tenn !
pest and finds them swinging on the |
hammock when he turns in. Why not /
be frank a12d acknowledge it? The
most Of US would long ago have been |
dashed to pieces had not gracious and !
loving hands steadily and lovingly and |
nightly held the rope.
An Unrecorded Service.
But there must come q time when we
shall find out who these Damascenes
were who lowered Paul in the basket
and greet them and all those who have
rendered to God and the world unrec-