The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-09-16

=
that. Their religious life had declined.
and they never opened the Bible of late.
They had even neglected to record the last
death that had taken place in the family.
They had been weaned from the church
through frequent removals, and Religious
thought and feeling had become strangers
to their hearts.
Their consciences had been dulled, and
what had once seemed impossible to them
was now second nature. They used to
think they could never allow the Sunday
paper in their home. but now they read IL
themselves and allowed their children to
read it without the least qttalm of con
science. 10 stay away from ehuEch once
was a few years ago an act OF backsliding,
but they had not long been in New York
before whole months passed without their
crossing the sacred threshold, and yet ID
gave them no compuncton whatever. lime
was, and not long since, when they wer9
most punctilious about sending their chill.
dren to Sunday school The widest winf$
and the fouleSt weather would not pass
with them as an excuse for allowing the
boys and girls to stay at home. There was
no such strictness these last years, but
weeks of Sabbaths went by and failed tn
record single present mark for any of the
children on the rolls OF the Spnday-schoo..
Therefore, sentiment gone, association
and memory having looseped their grasp.
their religious life having become q thing
of the past and their consciences having
grown sluggish, they had no more use for
the Old Book. It was too bulky to move;
they would keep the family record but the
sacred pages and covers which had given
it its inclosure and setting, they would
throw away.
Were there ever sadder story? 1t
makes one weep to think of it. And yet it
is the story of a thousand homes in tais
community, Of hundred thousand homes
in this city 1t is what some of you are
coming to. dear friends, unless you take
warning. Let this Bible give you such
warning tonight. May it ever be warn
ing to every family of this church.
AS often as the eyes Of those worshiping
here shall rest upon it, may it speak to
them its solemn message with voice that
cannot be drowned--let not the fire burn
low on your hearthstone, but keep up the
Preside glow. Sec shat your home is in
touch with the church. Suffer not your
family altar to become ruin. Have
family Bible and use it. Take care that
mildew spots, like those which find here
that are always signs of disuse, are not al
lowed to mar it. Read the Old Book to
YOUR children. Read it to your own soul.
Without it your home life will grow ho-
low and unholy, your children will deter
lorate, your own soul shrivel up and die.
Thus this Bible shall stand as a memo
rial to a typicaly deteriorated New York
home, and as a warning to the families
that have not likewise deteriorated, but
shall it not also be at the same time a
memorial to something higher and more
inspiring-to the glorious character and
ministry of the word of God as an abiding
and ever expanding power among men?
Here is fountain that was long sealed.
but it has begun To flow, and it's streams
shall water not one home but thousand.
This book 80 seldom used before shall be
opened with every recurring service within
this house of prayer, to be read, expound-
ed and applied to the multiplying hun
dreds that shall worship here. This Bible
was disowned, desecrated, cast out as rub
bish into the street, only to be recovered,
honored, set in high place, elevated to a
public throne from which it will issue a
verdict of condemnation upon this home
and every home in this city that has
turned God from it's door. but will speak
comfort, hope and strength to those with
in which the word of God dwells and exer-
cises its heavenly dominion. While this
book shall utter its admonition,, then, let
it also speak forth its word of encourage
Iment and triumph, telling all who shall
henceforth behold it that the word of God
liveth and abideth forever; that however
muck men may attack it and seek to de-
stroy it, it shall come out of every battle
q thousand fold stronger than before, and
light circle thac extends far beyond it's
former perimeter of influence.
"a glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic as the sum-
1t gives light to every age;
1t giyeth, but borrows none"