The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-08-18

HGItIS. we LuuSC DTlIlS CHem TO real
ize that if enough of them are banded
together in the name of Him "who all
4hings can do" the mighty evil of Sab
bath day corruption can be stopped.
We must teach our own boys and girls
to keep this day and we can best teach
it by keeping it ourselves. Why should
we insist that they go to church and
Sunday school and then decide that
the day is too warm or too cold for us
or that we had some letters to write,
or the age-old excuse, cts raining!"
and then the next day if we are in
vited to party we dress in our pref
tiest clothes, and if it is raining we
call taxi and go to the party. Will
not the puzzled eyes of our children
see that we are putting the things of
the world ahead of the things of God?
Do not think that because they are
small that they will not notice such
things. They may be limited, but
within their limitations they are
pretty keen and accurate and they
will discover our weakness. We must
be honest and keep the faith.
The life of a child has often been
compared to a book-the book of life.
In the first part of the book the pages
are filled with pictures, mostly of the
parents and the home. Early childhood
is the best time to influence these pic
lures, for these early pictures will de-
termine the character of all those
other ones that follow.
Our real teaching goes often much
further than we think because we
forget the keenness of the child for
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pie. Often there is more caught than
taught. To illustrate: One day in
talking with one of our we'll known
and we'll loved doctors of this commu-
nifty he told me the story of his rev.
erence for the Bible. He said in his
early days the sweet gentle little lady
who taught him to make spot hooks"
always opened the school with prayer
and scripture reading. The Bible was
on the corner of her desk and she
taught them that they must never lay
anything on the Bible. 1t was the
book of Gods word and must always
be treated with reverence. He said
that so deeply was this instilled into
his mind that even today if when
called on a case he would lay his hat
or gloves on the Bible and notice what
he had done he had to remove them
before he could go on with his work.
"My common sense tells me-" he said,
"that my gloves or hat can't hurt that
book, but the impression made on my
mind won't let me leave them there"
Then take imitation. | know a
mother who each night when she puts
her children to bed says little prayer
over them after they have finished
their little prayer. One night the
baby of the family, a child of two,
happened to be present when the
others were put to bed and he saw
them say their prayers and the
mother say hers. When he was made
ready for bed he wriggled off his
mothers lap and going to his little
bed, knelt down and said, prayer,
him little prayer and although he
was very young the mother felt that
the sight of that little kneeling baby
was precious in Gods sight.
How important it is for US to see
then, that these early impressions are
what they should be.
If we will but persevere and con-
tinue in spite of the great difficulties
of our task, Christ's work will go for
ward. We must persevere by telling
frequently the age long stories of the
men who knew Him, trusted Him and
were sure that God was right and
kind when He set apart the Sabbath
as His day, we will fix in their men,
DRY for permanent possession certain
vivid and helpful pictures that have
gripped and still grip the hearts of
men. They will quicken desire for
better living and in their picture book
of life these stories will hold an i'm
portant place, and we do not know at
what time in their lives these pictures
will come to their aid.
l read story of two soldiers in the
World War. Both were wounded and
one was dying. AS his wounded friend
sat beside him he asked, Cant you
say a prayer for me?" Prayer had
not been a part of his life for many a
long day, but he couldn't fail the
pleading eyes of his friend, and CROP
ingly, haltingly he begun the little
prayer that came to his mind, "Now I
lay me down to Sleep" and when he
reached the lines, eff / should die be-
fore l wake, 1 pray thee, Lord, my
| 6Oul W TAKE, SliAe VI uILSI Soil-
tentment and peace came over the
face of his dying friend, his hand
loosed and with a smile of peace he
went on to meet his God. And my
friends, can we not think that that
little prayer also was the beginning
of a new life for the soldier who re-
peated it for the soldier who died?
Another story of one of these early
pictures was told to me by a mother
of a son who had enlisted in the avia-
ton department. He had always had
a fear of the water, but thought that
as man he had overcome this fear
On his first flight alone over the water
the sea was rough and he felt that old
fear returning, but in a letter to his
mother he said: "Like a flash came
the picture of our Sunday afternoons
together and the story of Jesus still
ing the waves came to me again in
your dear voice and I seemed to hear
Him saying, Peace, be still!' The
fear dropped away, dear mother, and
it has never returned. Thank you
for those sweet Stories"
And so, my friends, if new day is
to dawn, day that will cover the
whole earth with the spirit of the
Lords day the light must come from
the Christian home-the home lighted
by the love of Him who said, II am
the light of the world"-the home
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