Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-14


! he was surrounded, without any comment
presented him with receipts for his sub
scription to various societies and urged
their claim upon his enlarged sympathy
The merchant replied with various ex-
cuses. and at last grew impatient at the
continued appeals. The stranger rose, and
fixing his eyes upon his companion, said,
in voice that thrilled to his soul: zone
year ago tonight you thought your daugh-
ter lay dying; you could not rest for ago
NY Upon who did you call that night?"
The merchant started and looked up; there
seemed a change had passed over the
whole form of his visitor whose eyes
were fixed upon him with a calm penetrat-
ing look as he continued: Five years ago
when you lay at the brink of the grave
and thought If you died then you would
{ leave your family unprovided for. Do you
remember how you prayed then? Who
saved you them" Pausing a moment he
went on in a still more impressive tone:
do you remember 10 years since, that
time when you felt yourself so lost, so
helpless-when you spent day and night
in prayer; when you thought you would
give the world for one hours assurance
that your sins were forgiven? Who lis
tened to you tlen?"
1T was my God and Savior" said the
merchant with a sudden burst of remorse-
full feeling. "oh, yes, it was He"
And has He ever complained of being
called upon too often?" asked the strang-
er in a voice full of reproachful sweetness.
Say, are you willing to begin this night
and ask no more of Him If He from this
time asks no more of your"
"Ohi never, never" said the merchant,
throwing himself at his feet. The figure
vanished and he awoke; his soul stirred
within him. "Oh! God and Savior, what
have been doing? Take all-take every
thing! What IS all that have to what
Thou hast done for me?"
How much owest thou to thy Lord?
Let us examine the proportion which our
offering divine bears to the sum we spend
on our selfish needs. VIII this, think you,
be a true answer to the question?
Again, what should our principle mean
IN the family life? A woman not very long
ago remarked that she would not perform
a certain duty because she did not feel
like it." A Christian woman thus giving
an answer that would have been consider
ed weak and trivial by a woman of the
world. Presumably this womans home
as well as her church education had been
defective. The first lesson which should
be taught the young Is that the cost of
every act OF life creates its value. We
have no right to ask Of the world or God
a reward or plaudit for any deed, word or
thought which has cost US nothing. All
OF life's noblest principles rest eternally
upon this truth-the amenities of friend
ship; the very happiness Of the home life.
The gateway OF heaven" originate from
this source. Nay, I will say more: Lifes
only pure, substantial and lasting happi-
ness depends upon II. If you do not find
your happiness in your home life, you will
find Il nowhere else on earth. If your
children could be taught not only from
our pulpits and our lips, but from our
II. A. IA,
the cost of an act alone creates fits value
in the sight Of God ana man, the wrecked
homes which so plentifully distinguish our
day and generation would be fewer in
number. During the period Of our love-
making the cost Of mutual attention is
gladly paid. because there is a distinct
prize to be won. But too often, the honey
moon over, these little attentions which
constitute the hearts sweetest and most
eloquent language begin. one by one, to be
ignored. If some warning voice whispers
to a husband who Is thus Iaps1ng he re-
plies that his business efforts, etc., are
so great that this home effort costs him
too much" If the whisper comes to
wife who is thus lapsing she replies: my
domestic and social duties are so burden
some, my health Is so delicate, that am
not equal to the EFFORT
Sometimes these neglects are deliberate
and intentional-the outward manifesto
tons Of love that is dying or dead. To
such cases we will not refer. But others
are the offspring Of a selfish carelessness.
To such we will say: The day will possibly
come when you will sadly conclude that
the lost love, Joy, light Of your home
life, the sweet lesson to the opening
minds and hearts OF your children, was
worth far more than these love tokens
cost! Moreover, the home is one of the
places for character building and each lit
tie effort-slight in cost, 1t may be--is but
an element in the construction OF the
noblest phase Of the character Of man.
When the cares OF life are many,
And its burdens heavy grow
For the ones who work beside you,
II you love them, tell them so.
What you count OF little value
Has an almost magic power,
And beneath their cheering sunshine
Hearts will blossom like a flower.
THE WORSHIP OF GOD.
Let US touch upon this principal in its
application to 1.-The worship of God"
We sometimes see great crowds thronging
to a religious meeting. Let us examine
the prevailing motives which draw these
people. A noted speaker, an advertised
singer, often the intoxication of the wave
popular assemblies-often the magnetic
power Of a great public movement which
sweeps the individual along with the cur
rent of the stream. Not too often as It
should be q heartfelt longing for the
pearl OF great price. Divest this great
meeting Of it's peculiar character cut it
up into small quiet assemblies gathered
together for the purpose of performing
one of the ife's supreme duties-the wor-
ship Of Almighty God-and how many of
them would be conspicuously absent? Do
not forget that the worship of God is not
a matter of attraction or reward, It is a
duty. The man in the pulpit, the priest
at the altar, the music of the choir, in
toxication Of emotion should not be our
chief thought. AS you seek and, receive
a reward for this worship. 1t is ian Of
fering which costs you nothing
And finally I'm this. as well as all of the
affairs of life, carefully examine life's
motives and see that they are
pure. The sermon on the mount
has taught us the beautiful lesson
blessed are the pure in heart for they
shall see God" Few people realize the
scope of the meaning of that phrase, The
pure in heart" The average individual
thinks it means heart free from lust
or sensualism. The true meaning is
those whose motives in life are pure. 1t
is only as our ambition turns I'm this direc-
ton that we can realize the high ideal of
the sweet singer of Israel" 1t is well
said 1--WE must not look for stars In the
mud. We must climb If we would see
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