| Home Making |
Chapter 8 |
Page 8 |
Every home needs the refuge of religion. We live in a world of danger. Every life that grows up here must grow up amid countless perils. Human souls are delicate and tender. Our dear ones are exposed on every hand. Storms sweep the sea ant the wreck goes down, burying noble lives beneath the waves; there is sorrow in homes when the missing ones comes not. The battle rages on the bloody field and many a brave soldier falls to rise no more, or to raise scarred, maimed for life; there is grief in the homes where the cruel ball strikes. But there are fiercer storms raging in this world than those upon the sea and our dear ones are exposed to them. There are more terrific battles on earth than those whose crash makes the mountains shake and which decide the fate of nations, and the tender souls of our households are in the very centre of the strife.
When our children go out from us in the morning to the day’s duties or in the evening to the night’s scenes and pleasures, we know not to what terrible dangers they will be exposed before we see them again. We mourn for our dead, but if they have died in the arms of Christ they are safe. No danger ever can reach them. They have no more battles to fight. Do we never weep for our living when we remember to what perils they are exposed?
“Lord, we can trust thee for our holy dead;
They, underneath the shadow of thy tomb,
Have entered into peace; with bended head
We thank thee for their rest, and for our lightened gloom.
“But, Lord, our living–who on stormy seas
Of sin and sorrow still are tempest tossed!
Our dead have reached their haven, but for these–
Teach us to trust thee, Lord, for these, our loved and lost.
“For these we make our passion prayer at night;
For these we cry to thee through the long day.”
Yes, our dead in Christ are safe. They are folded
Away under the shadow of God’s wings.
“What is death, father?”
‘The rest, my child,
When the strife and toil are o’er;
The angel of God–who, calm and mild,
Says we need fight no more;
Who, driving away the demon band,
Bids the din of the battle cease,–
Takes banner and spear from our trembling hand,
And proclaims an eternal peace.’”
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