Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-10-01


flowers and that pathway have been
watercd with your mothers tears.
But there Is another path to which
would call your attention today. 1t Is
that which you once Travelled when 60
ing to Sunday school and to the church
Of your childhood. If that church was
In the country. then there was poetry
In your going. When the call of the
village bell rang those notes would
press their way through the atmos-
phere like bubbles of air working their
way up from the bottom Of stream.
They would come nearer and nearer to
your ear, as the bubbles come nearer
and nearer to the surface of the wa
ters. Then with a happy laugh they
would seem to burst. You would first
hear those notes when you would be
riding toward the town. Father and
mother, brothers and sisters would all
be crowded together in the one car
rlagc. My, there was a big load OF you
who used to travel that road! No won
der the big springs of that family We
hicle used to bend and groan and creak
under the hcavincss of the load.
Walking with Christ.
IF the path which you first Travelled
to Sunday school was along the side
walk of a city. then in all probability
you walked. You walked by the side
of your father or mother, because you
were the youngest. Then your new
shoes would squeak at every step.
Those Shoes kept new for n long while,
because yen were only allowed to wear
them on Sunday. But rs you rode or
walked to that Sunday school and to
your first church services great
change came over your family party.
One Of your sisters or brothers left
your side and went up to the church al
tar. one by one they there gave their
hearts to Christ ana publicly confessed
him ut the communion table. After
awhile your turn camc. You can sec
yourself now as You came before the
church session. You remember how
the old minister wiped his glasses lie
put his hand upon your shoulder and
said: My boy. why do you want to
join the church: 10 you love Jesus?
WIZ You promise to live for him and
give your l.rc to his service Then
you remember thc great big lump that
stuck in your throat. You remember
how between your sobS you said: The
reason want to be a Christian is be-
cause my father and mother and broth
crs and sisters are all Christians.
want their Saviour TO he mine. AS we
have a united family here | want an
unbrokcn family circle in heaven"
Aged, gray haired man, that was a
beautiful path over which you went to
church for the first time. That was a
holy drive you took on the morning
you went to take your first communion.
You did not speak much that morning,
but your thoughts were very deep and
very high. They were as deep as your
sins, a. hi2;h and as great rs the
forgiveness of God. Oh. why have
you not always kept walking in that
path? Christ walked with you there
twenty years ago. Jesus as guide is
ready to lead you back to that path
and walk with you there now VIII
you seek the old rath-the path over
which You went for the first time to
the communion table OF the Lord?
Highway of blossoms.
There IS still another path which you
once trod. This path is fragrant with
blossoms. Like the tabled trees Of old,
the heavy bfanches which line it are
laden with silver bells. 1t is the path
which once led up to your marriage al
tar. 1t is the path over which the fall
en- rice is strewn and whore the merry
laughter of the bridesmaids is trying
to drown the joyful salutations of the
wedding chimes. The blossoms which
line this pathway are orange blossoms
The silver bells are those which
once played Mcndessohns wedding
March" Where did that path which
ended at the marriage altar first lead
you? oh" you answer. at led me
first among the bricrs and over the
stony grounds. My courtshp days
were not all sunshine. For long time
did not know whether | could win
the hand OF my heart love In the first
place. | was not socially her equal
Then | was ppnniless and had nothing
10 offer but my two hands and a will
NE lftIl lltll III. lllc WIS hpt w ia
It ought to have been. But she had
faith in me. promised her to reform
went to church with her. | gave VI
drinking. and | promised her would
surrender my heart to Christ. And, dc
YOU know. the night she gave herself
to me she made me kneel with her and
we both made prayer that God would
hear and help me keep my VOWS" All
yes, my brother. | know Just how yor
feel when You think Of that old patti
which led up 10 your marriage altar
When YOU took the trembling hand OF
that yoUn: girl n yours you truly fell
that you wanted to be good, for
promised God, then and there. for heI
sake as we'll ux your own, to live a
good, true. pure, noble, Christian life
Have you kept your VOW? Are you
willing to 60 to church with her now
as you did when you were engaged tc
her? Are you helping her to set the
right example before your children
your children and hers? Remember
man. you made Il promise to her and tC
God on the night of your wedding
Will you seek the old path of conse
Grated love, which wound through the
days of your courtship and ended or
the night you took your heart love as
q bride from her fathers home?
Keep Your Pledges.