The Newtown bee., 1904-09-09
SERMON BY REV FREDERICK A.
 HOLDEN.
PREACHED AT HUN rINGTON OLD HOME
 SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 1904.

l SUNDAY, AUGUST IS, 1SO4.
 send me away that l may. go unto mine own pl Ice and to my country"
 The text is taken from one of the stories that have come down to us from the rich literature of the Hebrew peo- pie. It tells us of the longing of Jacob for the home of his childhood. It is we'll suited to our use today. Our an- cestors here in New England were dili- gent students of the Hebrew litera- ture and that literature helped largely to shape the character of our early New England life. The moral vigor, the democratic freedom-loving spirit, the piety that breathes in the marvel ous literature of that unique people of the oiden time has been powerful in-
 1uence in molding New England char acter.
 In Israel the land remained in the same family for many generations, and even in Christ's time men went back periodically to the ancestral village.
 LOVE OF FAMILY AND HOMESTEAD
 has characterized our New England country life and for more than two centuries the farms remained in the l to son, though the fertile fields beyond have all the while called the ambitious and restless and the greats industrial revolution has sadly depleted the old farms, yet more largely than we think the old stock remains and may yet with the reviving interest in rural life reassert itself. Old home week appeals to fundamental trait in human life. The memories of the fresh experiences of childhood remain powerful factor in all after life. Go back in memory in thought the old schoolhOuse with it's battered door, the carvings thickly covering the primitive desks, the teachers, the seatmates and chosen companion. As you pass along the highway aud draw near the old home how familiar the scene, the old rocks are there but they seem smaller than they used to, the trees have changed and hide many places once open to view. You seem again to enter the old house, now much changed, per- haps only fast filling cellar remains, but memory calls back the scenes of youth, the routine of daily tasks, the lowing cattle, the faithful horse, father and mother, brother and sister, come back to memory. Some of them have gone and stones mark their graves in the old cemetery. Regrets there will be for the joyous festivities and fresh eager life of long ago, but do not for get the memory of lessons in industry, piety and kindly charity. Do not for get the places where your deepest Sp1r- itual conflicts have been fought and victories won, the family prayers, the 1 schoolhouse prayer meeting, the old church where you stood up and con- 1 fessed your faith in Christ and prom fsed to live by His law.
 l At this hour your deepest feeling should not be of regret for what has been but of
 iTHANKFULNEss THAT so MUCH OF
 REAL ACHIEVEMENT
 has been made. The things that yor
 cannot lose are after all the the most precious in your gallery of memory The ~hard work that has brought
 strength and steadiness of character the spiritual perception, the assurance of the divine presence that is far more real to-day than in youth. The lov'
 of those who once were nearest ant
 dearest to you is yet present posses sion. Love can. never lose her own
 The present retains all of the past Una
 has value and has added it's own pecul \
 body by relaxing little our hold ol material things permits concentration
 upon the deeper spiritual realities What the future has in store for us il ripened character in. bless ed reunion
 with those who to-day belong to thu memory of the past, in nearer an
 more precious divine cOmmuningS n' words of mine can more than suggest , But the hour has opportunities 10
 practical service that should not b. : missed. Worse than useless will b
 indulgence in tender memories ii
 does not lead us to action. ArreSte : feeling baked of it's natural outle , avenges itself upon the soul. FeelinI
 must be converted into action. Gu . old rural communities have future : Huntington is
 IN MANY RESPECTS BETTER FLAG : for homes than it ever was before 1. Better roads, rural delivery of mail, tn < telephone, improved schools, tn < broader spirit of Christian charit! : these mean much. Men are agai : turning their thoughts to the countr. >H The best ho me for children is and a -N ways will be in the country. Wor is invaluable in human developmer : Il and farm work in it's variety and SUI 4 Fouadings with the quiet so necessar
 for the formation of the highest tyr : Eu1f character is here. We invite you , Nfhelp.u2 make it still better. We wis Nlbetter schools. Educate country chi , AdlIenYfor life in the country. By teacl ; Ging mature studies in even the lOwt grades open their eyes to see and lo' : beauty and mystery around them; l. 7, there Joe such industrial training : will enable them to live in the cou : try. Give some instruction in agricU
 ture, horticulture, etc. Give also son manual training. These things a
 being taught successfully elsewher
 why not here in rural New Englan
 The foreign missionary must oftt
 give attention to such teaching. WI
 not those who have the problem of u
 small country parish. A library, re;
 ing room and historical collection
 A needed. Financial help in the
 things would give good res ults. Let HELP TO KEEP COUNTRY LIFE s1MP1 7. \ AND WHOLESOME.
 k lKeep life free from the demands '. luxury aud fashion. Secure the ema ! cipation that the use of machine = ought to give us Learn to do witho 5. uany of the things that cost mon -e W fth no real addition to the high ~, life. Let there be no denial of the ; n tistic sense or the spiritual life. I
 there be plain living and high thir , inc. All this means in large measu le the preservation of the old New Er $. land spirit. Not it's narrow harshn' or neglect of the beautiful, but it's si os plicity and moral vigor, it's loyalty es truth and to the institutions of rel
 ion and tD God But you say men