Connecticut western news., 1902-08-07

influence. The Bible distinctly says, "They shall still bear fruit in their old age" No better fruit can 1t bring than the personal testimony of Gods faith fulness, which your children will never forget. When skeptics assail them with doubts, they will be able to say, My father put Gods promises to the proof, and he declared that he had found them true"
 Sustained by the Gospel.
 One night in a large infidel meeting an old gray haired Christian woman arose and addressed the speaker in these words: "I would like to ask the speaker what his infidel beliefs have ever done for him? My gospel religion sustained me when 1 was left a poor widow with six fatherless chil- dren to support. My religion has given me hope and courage when I have had to stand by the brink of an open grave. My religion has made me a purer, truer, braver woman to face the strug- gles of life. That, sir, Is what my faith in Jesus Christ has done for me. What have your intidel beliefs done for you?' The infidel could not an- swer. The whole audience realized that the Christian woman was speak ing out of her own life's experience. So the mightiest witnesses for God are those whose Christian testimonies are the outgrowths of the many, many years that are gone.
 The aged Christian influences for good those who are near to him be- cause he is able to lavish upon them a wealth of boundless, fervent, tender Christian affection. While we are young and even middle aged we spend most of our time in doing for others rather than in showing the sweet man. Hesitation of our affections. We are like Martha, who went into the kitch en to cook Jesus dinner, rather than like Mary, who sat at the feet of Christ.
 When Jesus, sad and weary. longing sore For loves sweet service, sought the sis
 ters' door,
 One saw the heavenly, one the human
 guest,
 But who can say which loved the Master
 best?
 While we are young or middle aged we are like the busy merchant, who spends most of his time in the store and the office in order to earn money enough to support his children, rather than like the old grandfather and the grandmother, who spend most of their time in spelling their grandchildren until at last the married daughter turns and says: Father and mother, I be- heve you love my children better than you ever loved me when I was young. Anyway, you pet them far more than you ever petted me-" Many a mechanic has but little time to fondle or caress his own children. He has to leave home for work before the children are out of bed. He does not return until late at night, when the babies have been again tucked away in their cribs. A Mighty Influence.
 Editor Brown said that 1t took him nearly fifth of century to find out how much his father loved him. When he was boy at home, his father was always busy earning money to support the family. Sometimes he was self absorbed, gruff and stern and seem- ingly harsh. But after awhile his fla ther's health broke down. Then the boy felt he ought to leave home, as there were too many mouths to fill from his fathers scanty savings. The morning he left the old man walked down the road with him. Then the feeble old father put his hand upon the young mans shoulder, and tears came into his eyes and his lip quiver- ed as he said: My boy, I don't want you to leave home. As long as I have a crust of bread, my child, am ready to share it with you. You had better come back Then" said Editor Brown, flor the first time in my life I realized the immensity of my fa- ther's love. All that day sweet throated songster kept singing in my heart: He loves me. He loves me. Father loves me. Yes, he loves me- And when, some years later, an evan ther's love I arose In that meeting and gave my heart to God. I knew that my earthly father loved me. Yes, 1 knew that he loved me-" So the Chris tian's old age Is the time when he can best demonstrate the wealth of his affection for those who are near and dear to him and when he can best in- fsuence them for good.
 The statement that the aged Chris for good over the lives of those who are nearest and dearest to him Is espe- ctally true if those dear ones in turn have children of their own. I do not believe man ever fully appreciates the love of a parent until he himself Is married and has babies about his own family table. It Is only after a ieties of his own home troubling his heart, 1t Is only after he has stood by the side of the cradle and nursed his baby boy through the awful sickness of diphtheria, 1t is only after he has got his own family burial plot and has dug therein a little grave for one of his own babies, that he begins to fully appreciate what his father and mother in their time have done for him.
 The Spirit of Reverence.
 The aged Christian is able to inspire the spirit of reverence in the hearts of many with whom he comes in con- tact. This spirit Is a growth, and not an act. It Is a germ seed which often takes years and years to develop, and not an entity which springs into being at jump or a bound. 1t generally starts away back in the nursery. If the child learn to respect his mother, then 1t Is very easy for him to learn as boy to respect his teachers. If the boy learn to respect his teachers, then it Is very easy for him as young man to learn to respect his Christian employers. If a young man respects his Christian employers then 1t Is very easy for him as middle aged man to learn to re spect the aged Christian servants who for years have been living at the Di- vine Masters feet. If the middle aged man respect Gods aged Christian sery- ants, then 1t is very easy for him to A