Sunday at Home.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 38, 16 December 1893, Page 4

Sunday at Home.

PIPPINS FROM PA»KKB. Young souls, do be careful about habits. You can lay a Imbit down and take it up and say, “ 1 am m:u - ter of it.” But when it is grown ! You, don’t know how evil grows ; it is a word to-day, but a book next year-. The habit will mock you next year. Go and bring me tlxat oak on the hillside—a century ago it was an acorn. Plant your feet firmly, take a, big breath, and one big pull. ; Have ■'-on got it P Why not? It is grown, and its roots run all over the earth. Learn a lesson from the oak tree. So will your habit be one day. Blessed be to God if it be a good habit. You will be above the devil’s strength one day, and he will not be able to tear you up, who are rooted in grace and Hie of Christ. Do not be pulling up the roots every evening to see how you are getting on. Ho plant will stand that affront. Nature needs six days in which to mature her work. To sin is to hurt the root of the universe—to drive in poison to the living core of things. When you sinned against that woman, that child, the dark line quivered and throbbed away to the Throne eternal. Obedience is genius ; obedience is insight; obedience is capacity. Practice will form character, and character is the supreme Christian argument. A thousand a year makes a man very susceptible to draughts in the chapel. One world is enough for you! Why, judging from your conduct, I should say it is a good deal too much for you. One man says, “ I do not believe in any creed.” Yes, you do. You believe in that creed. All action is creed in motion. Do not talk about the supernatural —live it. Life is logic, conduct is argument. That small infant is greater than the greatest beast that crushes the earth beneath its broad foot. He is a man. So I look on the child as great, immortal. IQ I am asked to baptize such, do I ask, What weight is he ? Seventeen pounds. How old is he ? Twelve weeks. Can he speak P Can he understand anything p Quite as much as you. I will baptize him, for he is a man, and I will take him in my arms and sprinkle heaven’s dew on his half-slumbering face, and name the Great Name over him.