Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-06-01
SATURDAY
NIGHT TALKS
A BRoKEN-HEARTED CRY.
June 8, 'Os-(Mark 7:24-Soo
Rz.E. q. DAWSON

Parentage Is a great JOY; IL 10 "ioo
a vast responsibility. There Is noun
ing that so agitates the great deep OF
the heart as to bend over an infant IN
its cradle, with the knowledge that
its whole future career depends upon
you, and that you will be the archi-
~tect of its destiny In a very real
sense. In view of all the perils that
hover about the feet of innocent
childhood, the wonder is that SO
many turn out well.
One of the saddest incidents In the
life of Christ is his interview with
the Canaanite woman in the region
of Tyre and Sidon. Most OF those
who sought the Great Physician were
themselves afflicted with disease.
They came because they were In
pain, or helpless and distressed. They
were deaf or blind or leprous and
they plead for personal relief. Thls
woman came for an absent daughter,
and so great was the grief OF the
mother for her suffering child, that
she made her case her own, crying,
"Have mercy on me-" as II what was
done for the sick one would be ac-
cepted as a personal benefit. SO
great was her distress, and so Inn
Fortunate her plea. and so magnih-
cent her faith that her desire was
granted and a grateful mother
clasped to her heart a recovered
daughter.
But that Syro-Phoenician home Is
not the only household darkened and
saddened by child's calamity. There
are tens of thousands Of homes all
over this broad land, In which the
mothers could truthfully say: MY
daughter is grievously vexed with
devil" Whether we accept the doc
trine of demoniacal possession or
not. we are all conscious of the fact
that there are all about us children
who act as II they were possessed OF
devils.
In the very first family of which
there Is any record, the first born son
was a murderer, and his hands were
stained with his own brothers blood.
What was Ewes anguish as she
looked for the first time into the pale
face of death! Jacob had large
family, but his boys nearly broke his
heart by their deception and jeal-
ousy. Solomon had but enc son,
Rehoboam, but he was a conceited,
spoiled child, and the first act of his
reign was to split the kingdom asun-
der. Solomon Is credited with being
the author of the proverb Spare the
rod and spoil Che child" and he EVIL
IDENTIFY practiced what he preached.
David's son Absolom broke his heart
with his perfidious behavior, and the
centuries have throbbed with his bit
ter wall. 70 Absalem! my son, my
SON Absaloml would God, l had died
for thee, O Absalom, my son, my
son!"
History is full Of such Instances.
Fathers searching for wandering
boys. Mothers weeping in silence. re-
fusing to be comforted over hayward
daughters. Homes are darkened that
would otherwise be bright, hours are
weary that would otherwise be light,
pillows are wet with tears that would
otherwise be soft. There are sleep
less hours, and aching hearts, and
grief-stricken signs, because some
son or daughter is grieyeously vexed
with q devil. The devil ct drink, the
devil of lust, the devil of disobedi-
ence, the devil Of ingratitude, the
devil of wandering, the devil OF tenn
per. a whole brood Of demons en-
camped upon the soul!
Oh, II youth, hot-blpeded and in
considerable, could for a moment
realize show sharper than a SER
pent's tooth 1t is. to have thankless
child" IL they could feel for an In
slant the point of one thorn, whole
crown of which they are plating for
their parents brows, they would
change their course Of evil doing be-
fore another sunset, They would
steady those aged limbs instead of
digging pitfalls for trembling feet.
They would lift the burdens from
bending shoulders rather than add to
the weight, They would make the
present peaceful and the future rose
ate with hope. The Prodigal Son came
home, 1t is true, In time to receive his
fathers dying blessing, but not until
he had wasted his substance in riot
GUS living. had lost his reputation
and his character, had ruined his
health and been cast out from the
society even Of his old companions In
vice. The mighty, forgiving father
l&e Is shown in the reception that
he received but there Is little to
commend In the career Of the man
who stayed away just as long as he
could get crust to eat and a rag to
wear, and dragged his poor. misera-
BILE, wretched and ruined body home
when starvation was staring him in
the face, for his poor old father to
take care Of. That he came home at
all was something; that he did not
come before was despicable'
Oh, the height and depth and
length and breadth of parental love,
1t oyerleaps all barriers, 1t palliates
where the world condemns; Its man
tie Of charity covers multitude OF
sins. That child must have gone
very far astray whose mother turns
against him. Courts may pronounce
him guilty, but to her he Is her baby
still. and she will go with him to the
gallows, forgiying and forgetting all,
God only knews how many mothers