The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-10-06

| Lord. which we must not forget or ne.
| gect. This fire burns for short time
| while that of eternal life burns forever
How pitiful when the so-called Christians
only thoughts are of this life and not OF
| that above! The time will come when
| the physical members will go on
strike. the food we eat. which is the coal
| for the furnace of the body, will cease to
| nourish and that body will perish like a
| burnt-out furnace. But there is Il habita-
| ton of God not made with hands eternal
| in the heavens. which Is ready for us, and
that fire of life is ever fed by the hand
| of God himself.
; Another fire around which all gather is
| the fire of home. In every land "home'
represents all that is dearest and that to
which we most cling. In every language,
| there is some such expression as "There s
| no place like home Happy Is that one
whose home fires of love burn bright and
clear 10 have a dear home-nest of his
own should be the bright ideal OF each
young man or woman. The judgment of
| God will rest on any nation that does not
| cherish, protect and keep involate Its
home life. Easy divorces, based on free
| love, are lit by flame which rises from
| hell. The young man who does not love
home above all things earthly else, is In
bad way
But let us never forget that this fire
The gray ashes of old age come. The
winds of affection scatter the embers.
Dear faces pass from the home circle. 1t
is a fading fire, sweet as 1t Is. We should
look up to that eternal home which never
will know parting. and there. where our
loved ones gather. let our true home be.
Let the earthly tlickerng home-fire be
but n reminder of that everlasting fircside
Of the Divine home coming and the home-
land of the soul.
Another fire around which mutitudcs
gather, Is the fire of avarice The yellow
gold seems a flame that only apparently
comforts the eager heart which seeks 1t.
1t cannot warm the soul. The flame is
soon eXtingushed. The losses of earth
sometimes put 1t out Ninety out of every
one hundred business men soner or later
fail in business. If not this death comes
and all the gathered money is scattered
among thankless heirs. 1t is a poor
flame to comfort an immortal soul The
wealth OF God is better. That the Chris
tinn has, for he is Gods son and heir.
But how pitiful 10 see the Christian for
getting this and seeking all his comfort
in the flame of mere money, as too many
seem to do. He who fOrgets the needs
of his fellow man in what he seeks for
himself has surely never known. or has
denied. his Lord. who gave up all to
seek us.
Then many arc gathered around the fire
of appetite of physical passions and de-
sires. 1t is a fierce. hot flame. but it
soon dies out. Cold cmbcrs of a disap-
pointed life and wrecked body are al
that are left It is sad to see young
men seeking at the flame of intoxicating
drink the warmth of today at the prio C
of the freezing remorse and loss of to-
morrow. Yet how many gather about the
alcohol fire. 1t burns. but it also burns
up, not only itself, but those who gather
about it. Oh. ye SONS and daughters Of
passion there is purer fire and more
h ,ubdinC Joy. in the love of Christ and an
abiding peace. which is better than the
sudden burst of any earthly blaze. The
glow of heavens love may be felt for
ever 1t is the glow of heavens anthra-
cite, of heavens diamonds; not the blaze