The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-19

father is dead now. I can never bring
him back to tell him how | have repented
of my past sins.
Bearing Burdens In Heaven.
Your father and mother beyond the bur-
den of your sins? Friend, do not know
about that Even in heaven think they
are still longing and hoping for our sal
walton. | for one cannot understand now
there can be any JOY in heaven over one
| sinner that repenteth and not any
thoughts about us who are still repent
| ant One of the greatest of New York
pastors once told me that when anything
| wrong in his life he used to feel the warm,
| loving arms of his redeemed daughter
| about his neck and he could hear her dear
| lips speak to him words OF counsel which
| would bring him to his better SELF DO
| not believe it beyond the range of possible
tiles for our dear ones to be anxious about
| orr renentant souls. Even now l would
no. be surprised If they were sending
| forth an angelic messenger to fnd out
what our decision is to be. Heaven,
| beautiful heaven! Have our redeemed
parents any burdens about our unpardon-
ed sins in heaven?
Perhaps by taking you on a past Jour-
ney to a place where | spent most Oh my
bovhood days / might help you to de-
eision to give your hearts to Jesus Christ.
THE tourney which you are to tax oc-
Cured a short time after my fathers
burial. After his body had been laid
away to sleep by the side OF my mother
I said to my sister, Come. let us go ana
lool, at the old house, We walked down
the street where we both mad played
many wears before. As / went along l
bagan 10 call I'D the names of different
neiphbors But the houses had now
strange : ces looking out of the windows.
The little children who were playing IN
the street looked much like my OLD play
me tes. They laughed and shouted and
Jumped Just as we used 10 jump Dut their
eyes were different. They edged on from
the sidewalk as we came along. we were
strangers to them. They were stransels
to us.
All. yes, here Is the old house 1t stands
as a sentinel overlooking Fort Green
mark. where one of the old revolutionary
battles was fought, and where some Oh
the old revolutionary veterans lie buried.
From the outside the old house looked
about the same. There was the vine
mother planted, still crawling over the
side and clingirg to the roof and trying
10 cover IN the windows. Indeed. the
house looked so much like the past that
I thought for an instant mother would be
waiting for me in the front room to well
come me home from college. Just to the
rear of the house was the old grapevine
arbor built by Captain Spicer before ne
lost his wife and manly son, whom l
can Just remember. l had often taken my
dessert of fruit there before ! answer the
dinner bell. Here, let me take peek in
at the window. I wonder II yonder police
man will think I am thief. He wears
Just the same kind of brass buttons as
did the officer who used to chase me
off the park grass when I was playing
''hound and hares." and climbing up yon-
der walls more like a trapeze performer
than hare scurrying for her burrow.
Visiting the Old Home.
Yes, here is the parlor. There saw my
FIRST Christmas tree. There they laid sne
as little baby In a basket as Christmas
pre- sent for my father There, in that
same room, first saw the dead face OF
relative. My Brothers casket lay there.
Mothers casket was covered with flowers
there. And there we met to laugh as well
as to weep.
Up and through the house we went.
Each room had for us a history. In each
place we could see the living and the dead
side by side. Now 1t was sister In her
bridal robes, now death-bed scene now
but stop; | cannot go further. You
would not have me if you could. The his
tory of my old home was merely the his
tory of yours, only under other names
With us 1t was jessie De Witt. May
Edith, Frank. Maude. With you 1t was
Gertrude, Sarah Carrie William, John.
Walter. Names different; scenes all the
same.
That afternoon went away from the
old homestead with a sad heart AL
that scene OF low, gone forever" Kept
saying. "All gone, all gonep' Is 1t al
gone forever? But that night as sped
on west toward my own home, where my
wife and children were waiting to greet
me. I was looking out Of the train win
dow. I had my cheek resting upon my
hand. know not whether was asleep
or awake. suddenly a strange VISION
came to me. I seemed to see the dear
faces of the beloved ones who are gone.
Among the twinkling stars of the night
saw their bright eyes and heard them
speaking to me. They seemed 10 say
The past Is not dead. We are going 70
have our reunions again We are mere