Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-04-14

uiSSipoteu Doy growing up In Chris
tian home. Such children are never
happy unless they are or at some par.
t. or visiting some nelghbor or attend
ing some theater. But after awhile
they Will find that the sweet, gentle
fellowships of n Christian home offer
the best kind OF enjoyment The quiet
reading OF book by the glowing hearth
in the sitting room is one. The loving
careSs of mothers or wife's hand
IL another. The playful prattle OF q
little child, the quiet prayer the sweet
memories of long years that are past
arc others. The hopes of the years To
come, being talked over, offer the high.
est joys this side OF heaven. O man
do n think that associating with men
or the world offers to you the acme OF
pleasure. If you cannot find any en-
joyment in the fellowship of Christian
people. then the sooner by the grace OF
God you kill your diseased spiritual
appetite the better for your own en-.
joyment and the better for your life.
Learned 10 Love Music.
That You can govern your love for
the good and your dislike for the bad
or the Indifferent was illustrated to
me by vie experience OF lady mem
Der of my church who is n very fine
musician. Her brother was n happy
60 lucky young man who seemed to
have no ear for good music. Every
popular air, every music hall Jingle,
every negro melody that had q jolly
ring to 1t, he knew by heart. All the
noted college songs he could sing until
the very rafters echoed. But the deep
er, sweeter, holier calls of the great
musical masters fell UNDECIDED upon
his dull ears. This brother, who was
fine athlete, had his leg broken and
was brought home from college and
had to lie In bed for about six weeks
During those six weeks his sister had
to continually practice for a difficult
performance which she was about to
give before a famous musical society
Of the city. At first the brother pro-
tested. lie wanted to hear her play
some OF the popular airs But as the
language of the musical masters kept
pouring their thoughts into his mind
and. heart through the vestibule of his
ear there was born In his soul a love
Tor the truly great music The old
songs which he once loved he now
despises. The truly beautiful music
he once despised now he loves. MY
friends, if you do not love the society
Of Christian people there is something
wrong in your life. You have n dis
eased spiritual appetite. The sooner
you go with the truly consecrated peo-
pie the sooner you will learn to love
their society. Do not make the prayer
OF my text, Restore unto me the Joy
Of thy salvation" unless by constant
association with Christian people YOU
do all in your power TO develop that
spiritual joy.
But in order to fully grasp the beau
ty OF the psalmist's prayer you must
remember that il is given with the alb
solute knowledge that in his own
strength he was nothing, but that in
Gods strength he could be everything
David at this time was standing under
the shadows OF his past sins. God had
blessed him again and again, yet Just
after these many manifestations of the
divine love he had fallen back into sin
because he had depended upon his own
strength. Thus David says, Restore
unto me the joy of thy salvation and
uphold me by thy free spirit" That
means in plain English, 30 God,
bring me back TO thy loving grace,
cleanse me from sin and then by thy
power do not let me again wallow in
the quagmires and the boys and the
filth Of evil" After David had played
the fool in King Achish's court and
had murdered Uriah to steal for him.
self Uriah's wife, ought lie not to have
made this prayer with fear and trem-
bling? After you and have sinned
again and again when God had re-
stored upon us the joy OF his salvation.
ought not we to make this prayer I'm the
same spirit as David made II?
Trust In the Father.
1t is only by doubling and continuing
TO distrust our own strength that we
are led To rely entirely upon Gods pro-
tecting power. 1 would have us feel
our dependence on God when we make
this prayer exactly as the little adopt
ed daughter OF dear friend of mine
feels toward her father. He Is a noble
man., made noble through suffering.
He started out in humble financial
circumstances, but he went ON and on
in life until at last he won position
of wealth and influence. But after the
wealth came, then came the sorrow.
God came to his two little girls and
said: Come, daughters; comet 1 want
you to play I'm the green field OF heav-
en-" And in n night the earthly nursery
was emptied for the celestial play
grounds. Broken hearted were my
friend and his dear wife. The cry OF
their agonizing hearts was, 80 God,
give us n little girlr' And God gave
them little daughter, not OF their
own flesh, and blood, however, but a
little girl who came out OF n howell OF
poverty and filth and sin. a6A.@
Some months ago this little girl was
In founding Institute in one of our
large eastern cities. BY this institu-
tion she was sent west and put into a
low Mexican's home OF ignorance and
hlth- There my friend found her and
said: ''She shall not remain here. She
shall come and be Hny daughter and
I've in my home" He took her west.
Then he and his wife washed the little
girl and put clean clothes upon her
and put her into a clean. white bed.
They surrounded her with all that
wealth and love could give. Yet,
though that little girl is now only
about two and one-half years old, she
lives in continual terror OF being taken
back to her past surroundings. Every
night before she goes to bed she calls
her foster father to her side or crawls
up into his lap and puts her little
arms about his neck and says, Papa,
you won't let them come and take
baby away, will you?" Sometimes she
awakes at night and calls and asks
the same question, You won't let
them take baby away, will you:" And
the great, strong man, with tears in
his eyes, says: NO, baby; no, daugh-
teri / will not let them come and
take you away from me and mammal
Go to sleep now; papa Will keep you
safely by his sider' SO David, as a
heartbroken sinner. just reaches up
and puts his arms up in plea to God
and says: 80 Father, keep me. Don't