Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-05-02

and people who saw only DIS OUTWARD
cheerfulness had no conception how
deeply the iron had entered his soul
When my father was dying, be con-
| tilually talked about che boy who had
been his pride. his eldest son, who Is
now sleeping by his side as he once sat
at his feet He WAS n noOie iau,
brilliant young lawyer. we carried
him ont one cold winter day and laid
him away to rest under q soft quilt OF
snow. My father went back to bis
work. He said. 81 dare not lay IL
down even for an hour lest the effort
to take it up again should be too great
for me-" He took up his cross in the
same cheerful. hopeful spirit as be-
fore. though the wound in his heart
never healed. He always carried
gers spade.
My fathers best sermon was the
daily life which he lived in his own
home bear my testimony TO the fact
that from my boyhood until the time
that ! entered my own parsonage and
was ordained by him for my own pull
pit bad before me the example and
upon me the sweet Influence OF Chris
tan home There never was In Amer
lea happier or more prayerful home
than that of which he was the head.
The children idolized him. The exam
pie he set before them was that of
consecrated Christian gentleman al
ways anxious to do what Christ would
have him Co There was no bitterness
In the nursery. From him we learned
- -.
Among all the men | have known in
various walks of life never knew
human being who was like him i'm the
characteristic that he could never bear
4 grudge against any one. An enemy
might do everything In his power to
destroy him. but my father never struck
back. IL he could, he would not only
forgive, but he would go any distance
to serve and help an enemy. Among
the many homes | have visited as a
pastor I never entered one where the
parent has so earnestly sought to in
oulcate gentleness of rule as he did in
my old home. My father never lifted
4 hand 10 strike blow, yet he ruled
his children with rod stronger than
one made out of iron. 1t was the rod
of love. My sisters and myself had
but one fear in reference to his life
we were afraid to do anything wrong
Tor fear Of seeing wounded look pass
over the kind face, which to us Always
reflected the light which shone from
the divine face OF Christ. Family pray
ers were not to us meaningless for
| mality. We felt that our dear father
was taking us to the throne of grace
as Joseph the Good brought his breth-
rem into the throneroom of the Egyp-
tan king.
Reputation and Character.
Reputation is what the world thinks
about n man. Character is what he
really is. Reputation may be wrong.
Character is an actual fact Man look
eth upon the outward appearance; God
looketh upon the hecrt. But l have
sometimes felt that God has made it
possible for other eyes. as well as his
own all seeing eye, to look into a mans
heart. The child has the opportunity
and the privilege of looking into the
parents heart. When boy lives for
| years by the side of father, he knows
what are the ruling principles of his
mental beliefs. When lived at home
or Travelled by my fathers side, con-
| tinually with him for weeks or months
| at a time, formed the conviction that
he was as good man as ever lived.
My father was a Christian minister
assuredly inspired for his work 10y the
Holy Spirit. For a quarter OF a CEN
tury his critics have been trying by
Analysing his character and his SER
mons TO discover how he came to at
| tain worldwide success. Some attrib-
ute his power 10 word painting. He
was an unequaled master in the art of
portraying before an audience ancient
and modern scenes and events and
opening up 10 the entranced gaze of his
hearers the palaces Of dead kings and
queens. He could. with a few words,
transport an audience into the hanging
gardens of Babylon or make them hear
the harvests sigh or the nightingale sing.
| Some have attributed his power TO in
vective. No rapier was sharper than
the stiletto OF his tongue when he want.
cd TO exccrate sin. Some again have
ascribed his popularity to his loving
personality. But the critics. who only
go as far as these do but touch the
outer garment OF his power. These
traits were all present, but the source OF
my fathers power was not I'm what he
himself could do. AS he often averred,
| ton, in and OF himself he could do
nothing. With the power OF the Holy
Spirit he could accomplish anything.
The true history OF the Brooklyn
tabernacle REVEALS has never been
| written. | will declare IL now for the
| first time. AS coming storm signal
can be seen in the dark cloud which is
hung high in the heaven OF blue,
could tell weeks before when the album
dant showers OF blessing would fall
upon our church affairs. My fathers
face would be set and anxious. He
had an air distraught as of one whose
thoughts were far of. When passing
his study. would hear him pleading
with God in prayer. The Bible was
often in his hand. The family altar
would become a holy OF HOLES where
the children would feel supernatural
| influence was at work My fathers
power was not his own. 1t was i'm
| parted TO him from above. 1t is in
| these days Of unutterable loss the
chief source OF consolation to know
that such power is still accessible and
that 1t will still be given to the servant
OF God who will wrestle with the angel
or the Presence. declaring, as Jacob
did, that he will not let him go without
a blessing.
| Sermons With Comfort In Ther,
| 1t was because my fathers sermons
were the products of Spirit filled life
that the millions were able to find
comfort In them. Whenever he would
take lecture trip the people would
crowd about him by the thousands, ut.
tering such greetings as 81 read your
sermon on Tears by my baby's casket.
and have feand Christi" 81 read your
sermon upon Recognition of Friends
In Heaven to my mother when she