A WORD TO FATHERS.
Have you ever thought how it is that in the prayer we call our Lord’s, God is spoken of as Father? Do you not see that your child calls you by one of the names—the Christ-chosen name of the Devine Being? Is there not a sermon in that to everyone of us who has children of his own? Perhaps you have never given the matter a thought that for some of the early years of you children you may be giving them a caricature of God in your ungodly conduct. Let us lay this to heart, and strive, by God-like actions, to teach our little ones what God is like. By long suffering and gentleness towards ignorance and weakness;—by stern denunciation, in life as well as word, of everything that is mean and deceitful;—by delighting in mercy, and readiness to give to those who need, to our children, “Our Father,” may become a stepping stone to the knowledge of God.
XX. THE RED LAMP.
Travelling by express train the other day, we found that we were stopped a long distance from the station where we were timed to stop, and looking out of the window, saw a red light ahead. That accounted for it, we knew there was something in the way. The driver knew what he was about, and though anxious to go on, did not move until the red light was changed to white.
Some of those who read this paper are living in sin. To such, the Bible speaks out in plain terms, and, like the Red Light, would stop them.
“The End of these things is Death.”
You cannot go any further without danger. Why run the risk? That Red Lamp seems to say, “If you will come on, you will be slain.” What should we think of any one who urged the driver to go on, in spite of the warning? Would you not call him “fool” and “madman?” Just so, and you will do well to call those who urge you to despise the warnings of the Bible, by the same names.
We should not think much of the wisdom of any one who said of the Red Lamp, “Why take any notice of that old-fashioned thing? We have outgrown these childish ideas!” Would not your reply be, “Danger is danger, and safety is safety!” We have not outgrown death and the grave, and it is still true, in spite of the march of science, that a train coming into collision with another means suffering to those who are in it. Sin is yet sin, and we cannot break the Commandments
of God without having to suffer. And as for the Bible being old-fashioned, we feel, that which kept our fathers from hell shall keep their sons also.
Here is one of the Red Lamps of the Bible, which young men would do well to consider—
“Her House is the Way to Hell!”
Young man, there is the Red Light! Stop! Do not go one step further! There are plenty of fools to tell you that
“This is seeing Life.”
The Bible says—“The dead are there, and her guests are in the depths of hell.” If everything had to be called by its right name, just as sign-boards tell us what is to be procured within, like “Furniture Dealer,” “Boot and Shoe Maker,” fancy the sign-board that would have to be put over the house of the “strange woman.” Here is a suitable inscription, which we take from the Bible.—Prov. ii. 19:—
“None that go unto her return again.”
This is putting a Red Lamp over her door, is it not? Will you heed the warning? Or do you mean to be one of those of whom the Bible speaks,
“And thou shalt mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, ‘How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof?’”
XXI. A SERMON ON THE BOAT RACE.
In finding illustrations for our teaching at the river-side, we shall be in good company, for that manly preacher, Paul, had seen wrestlers and race-runners. It is true that then, athletics had not been disgraced by betting; and it is only of very late years that the struggle on the Thames has been polluted by gamblers.
There are not a few who read our paper, who will be on the lookout to know as soon as possible, whether
Dark or Light Blue
has won. For ourselves we care not, but we are anxious to make use of the contest as a parable, before the race is forgotten.
If you would row as to obtain, you must mind certain things, and these are pictures of what we must do, would we gain the heavenly prize.