Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-12-11
A Blunt Question.

regrets. Regrets. burning regrets in
reference TO our kith and kin who are
gone. 49,
Blunt Question. Goa
Family dissensions should cease.
Dare any one. old or young. gainsay
this immanent truth? But IL this warm
ing comes with mighty force to broth
ers and sisters how. much more should
1t come TO the fathers and mothers who
are angry or indifferent with their chill
drcn! Many people are apt to Judge
the children harshly when domestic
troubles arise between parents and
their offspring. But as men and women
grow older and have children of their
own they are more willing to blame the
parent for the estrangement than they
are 10 blame the child. Haye you, par
ents, ever tried to win back the affec-
lions Of your children? Did you ever
try to recall that cruel remark you once
made TO your obstinate boy? That re-
mark cut into his heart as a surgeons
knife buries Nself in the flesh quivering
upon the operating table. Have you,
. parent, since that second marriage,
which so trampled upon the love of
Your children, gone regularly to visit
your children, as you used to do before
their mothers death? Do you send to
them the warm, cordial invitations to
come home and insist that they come
with their families? Do you, the par
ents, try 20 instill into your children the
thought that their father and their
mother are absolutely dependent for
happiness upon their boys and girls
affections? = g
Parents. let me ask you one blunt
question. Surprising your children have
done wrong-and in all probability they
have--who ought to forgive firstf who
ought to be continually forgiving until
the old sweet relationships are re-
storedf Ought not the first forgiven, the
chief forgiven. be you, o father. o
mother, you who have been worshiping
mt Christ's feet for forty years? Ought
IL not to be you rather than your child.
who has not been a member of The
church more than i've years? Ought
not the fether and the mother try to
show to their children forgiyiny ma
lures, no matter what those children
nave said or done? Remember the
prayer you have been saying ever since
you learned 1t at your mothers knee.
Forgive us our trespasses as we for
give those that trespass against us"
ihat means. Forgive us. o God, as we
are willing to forgive cur children"
Peace on Earth.
cannot the parents who are estrang-
ed from their children realize that the
years are very few in which Il is nos.
slDie FOR them to have Christmas rec
onciliations? When a child despises "a
parent. living or dead, that child mnst
suHer the most awful agonies that can
ever come TO n human being this side
or the grave. Bear, forbear. forgive
ana be forgiven are the teachings. ION
earth peace. good will toward men,"
BEFORE the next Christmas comes
around 1T Will be impossible for some
10 forgive or to be forgiven. The
casket maker Is even now manufactur.
Ing coffin. The gravedigger is even
now sharpening his pick and spade
Inc quarryman is even now cutting n
The bellringer is even now
ready TO toll knell. Brothers and Sis
tiers. fathers and mothers. kith and
Kin. stop and attune your family rec
onciliations to the notes of the Christ
mas song.
Christmas days have not ALWAYS
heard the angels sing the song. "On
earth peace, good will to men" In
io09 William the Conqueror to COM
piete his triumph over England. de-
creed that all the country should he
devastated between York and Durham.
In all that region every city, town or
village was RACED to the ground. and
SO literally was the order executed that
a famine ensued In which 100, 600 men
women and children perished. So MANY
Christmases since 1869 have Witnessed
their siaughters OF thousands unon
thousands. Not the slaughter OF life
alone, but the slaughter Of heart loves
and heart affections between brothers
and sisters and parents and children.
May the Christmas Of 1903 not be n
Christmas Of domestic tragedy, but OF
family reunions. May it be the time
when the very angels in heaven shall
again be compelled to sing for JOY that
all relatives at the manger have be-
,ome reconciled.
copyright. 1908. By Louis Klopsch.l
Quick as thought is not very Quick.