The Yale expositor., 1901-08-30

| those who had terrific struggle 10 get
their everyday bread. The collegiate
and theological education of that son
took every luxury from the parental
table for eight years. The other chill
dren were more scantily apparelled.
The son at college every little while
got a 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 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, 81 am fearfully tired, but
it will pay If l can once see that boy
through college, and If l can know
that he will be preaching the gospel
after l am dead" The younger chill
dren 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 Injuries, but
we must see that boy through"
The years go by, and the son has
been ordained and is preaching the
glorious gospel, and a great revival
comes, and souls by scores and hun
dreds accept the gospel from the lips
Of that young preacher and father and
noOt her nIiifa old poW ora uicitinp tho
son at the village parsonage, and at
the close of a Sabbath of mighty bless
ing father and mother retire to their
ROOM the son lighting the way and
asking them if he can do anything to
make them more comfortable, saying
II they want anything in the night just
to knock on the wall, and then, all
alone, father and mother talk over the
gracious influences of the day and say
We'll, 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
WEI" And the voice, tremulous with
joyful emotion, responds: Eyes, father,
We held the rope. l feel my work is
| done. Now Lord, lettest thou thy
servant depart in peace, for mine eyes
have seen thy salvation" "Pshaw!"
says the father. 81 never felt so much
like living in my life as now. want
to see what that fellow is going to
do, he has begun so we'll"
Something occurs to me quite per-
sonal. l was the youngest of a large
family of children. My parents were
neither rich nor poor. Four of the
sons wanted college education, and
four obtained it, but not without great
home struggle. We never heard the
old people ssy once that they were de-
nying Themselves to effect this, but
remember now that my parents always
looked tired. / don't think they ever
got rested until they lay down in the
Somerville cemetery. Mother would
sit down in the evening and say, well,
l don't know what makes me feel 50
tired" Father would fall Immediately
to sleep, seated by the evening stand,
overcome with the days fatigues.
About 50 years ago the one and about
81 years ago the other put down the
burdens of this life, but they still hold
the rope.
Recognition of blessings.
o men and women, you brag some
times how you have fought your way
in the world, but think there have
been helpful influences that you have
never fully acknowledged. Has there
not been some influence in your early
or present home that the world cannot
see? Does there not reach you from
among the New England hills or from
the western prairie or from southern
plantation or from English or Scottish
or Irish home 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 tina. went out of NOR
tai sight long ago ftill hold the rope
You want a very swift horse, and you
need to rowel him with sharpest spurs
and TO let the reins lie loose upon the
neck and 10 give a shout to the racer
| if you are going to ride out of reach
of your mothers prayers. Why, ship
crossing the Atlantic in six days can't
sail away from that. A sailor finds
them on the lookout as he takes his
place and finds them on the mast as
he climbs the ratlines to disentangle a
rope in the tempest and finds them
swinging on the hammock when he
| turns in. Why not be frank and ac-
knowledge 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.
But there must come time when
we shall ind out who these Damas-
Genes were who lowered Paul in the
basket, and greet them and all those
VINO have rendered to God and the
world unrecognized and unrecorded
services. That is going to be one of