The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-03-11

cues come regrets may De plled IN
flowers mountains high upon the
casket, brothers may weep over the
dead brother, the hands may be press
cd and the lips pressed and the fore
head stroked, but the dead viii hear
not one word. He will not lift one eye
lid. He will not smile one look Of for
giveness back TO those who want TO be
forgiven. Oh, regrets, regrets. How
often have we wept our regrets over
the coffin lids. How often that word
might have been chiseled as epitaph
upon the tombstone Of the dead, Re
grets. bitter, heartrending, but useless
regrets. Regrets. burning regrets in
reference to our kith and kin who are
gone.
Family dlssensions should cease.
Dare any one. old or young. cansay
this immancnt truth? But if this warn
ing comes with mighty force TO broth
ers and sisters how much more should
il come TO the fathers and mothers who
are angry or Indifferent with their chill
dren. Many people arc apt 10 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 arc more willing to blame the
parent for the estrangemrnt than they
are TO blame the child. Have You. par
cnts. over tried to win back the aiiec-
tions Of your childrenf Did You ever
try TO recall that cruel remark you once
made 10 your obstinate b0yf That re-
mark cut into his heart as surgeons
knife burles itself in the flesh quiyerng
upon the operating table. Have You.
o 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 deathf DO You send 10
them the warm, cordial invitations TO
come home and insist that they come
with their famlliesy DO you. the par
ents, try to instill into your children the
thought that their father and their
mother are absolutely dependent for
happiness upon their boys and girls
affections?
Parents, let me ask you one blunt
question. Supposing your children have
done wrong and I'm all probability they
have-who ought TO forgive first? Who
ought to be continually forglving 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 worshiplng
at Christ's feet for forty years; Ought
IL not 10 be you rather than your child
who has not been a member Of the
church more than five years. Ought
not the father and the mother try TO
show 10 their children forgiving ma
lures. no matter what those children
have said or done? Remember the
prayer you have been saying ever since
you learned it at your mothers knee.
Forgive us our trespasses as we for
give those that trespass against us
That means. Forgive us. o God. as we
are willing TO forgive our children"
Cannot the parents who are estranC
ed from their children realize that the
years are very few in which IL is pos
sible for them to have Christmas rec
onciliations? When a child despises a
parent. living or dead. that child must
suffer the most awful agonies that can
ever come TO a human being this side
Of the grave. Bear, fOrbear forgive
and be forgiven are the teachings. "on
earth peace, good will toward men,
Before the next Christmas comes
around Il will be impossible for some
to forgive or 10 be forgiven. The
casket maker Is even now manufactur-
ing a coffin. The gravedlgger is even
now sharpening his pick and spade.
The quarryman Is even now cutting a
tombstone. The bellringer Is even now
ready to toll knell Brothers and sis
ters, fathers and mothers kth 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, ION
earth peace good will TO men, In
| 1863 William the Conqueror, TO COM
plete his triumph over England. de-
creed that all the country should be
devastated between York and Durham.
In all that region every city town or
village was razed to the ground. and
so literally was the order executed that
a famine ensued in which 100000 men,
women and children perished. So many
| Christmases since 1869 have witnessed
| their slaughters Of thousands upon
thousands. Not the slaughter Of life
alone. but the slaughter Of heart loves
and heart affections between brothers
and sisters and parents and children.
Nav the Christmas Of 1903 not be a
| Christmas Of domestic tragedy. hut 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 he
come reconciled.