Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-03-26


those in the prime and vi,or Of manhood
and wOmanhood, bearing the burden and
heat of the day, battling for victory and
success in life, at that period when lif,'s
grandest achievements, stir the energies;
to such, mature life is best.
And | fancy that best of all, if there
be a better and best, is a green old age,
attained after a life of integrity and use'
%fulness, from which it is the privilege of
one to look back with the consolation,
that the grand, and controlling purpose of
Of life, has been to be faithful in his re-
lations to God and man, and forward
WITH the Christians hopes and anticipa>
tions /; | trust, that the testimonies of this
day, may encourage the faith Of us all to
do right and trust the faithfulness Of God,
and stimulate us to live such lives as We
may delight to review and such as may
be q pledge ofa better one hereafter.
Mr.. Rankin said, that while lie agreed
in the main with the brother, who had
just spoken, that each age Of life was the
best in its season, yet in one sense, he
thought the evening of life, the best of
them all the morning is indeed beauti>
fal, with its rising freshness, and rosy
light. The midday is grand, when the
sun is high in the blue robs1 sky (;
but, there is something real good in quiet
silly eve, when tired nature, makes
preparation for soft slumber, when the
tolls of the day are we'll done, and the
shades of night are creeping up the hills
to shut off the light, when soft music
steals softly over the plain, and faint
echos, from the spirit land, seem to float
down OIL moonlit wings, and the stars
come out from their azure thrones, to
smile over the scene.
How pleasant at this hour for the toll.
worn farmer, to sit upon his piazza and
rest from the well performed labor of the
day his we'll cultivated fields have yield,
ed a yellow harvest, his orchards a rich
supply of golden fruits and now, without
the fear of want, he is ready to sink into
the repose of night. What a beautiful
emblem of the last days of the good
man. He imagined, that, there was a
sweetness, not of earth to the veteran of
three score and ten," at this period,
when the passions of youth and the high
fervor of manhood have softened down
into the rich breatbipgs of the vesper air.
Old age has its in6rmities, but no less
its pleasures. 1t is a trial for ones mans
hood to be placed upon the retired list"
and daily feel this "mortal coil being
shufled off," but then comes the %consola>
ton that it is only the Angel Of the Lord
who has kept long sentinel around the
clay tenement of the soul, now taking up
his tents, turning the wheel at the cls>
tern" and loosing the silver cords of life
in order to transport his change to the
mansions of the Father"
He wished to be allowed to congratu-
late Colonel Telford and his excellent
lady upon their long life of usefulness and
success. God has blessed you, give him
the praise. Like Abraham and Sarah
you have jOurneyed together. You have
had your trials. Now you may rest in
the faith of Abraham's God and in the
affections of your children, who have
grown up around you like olive branches.
You have said they are all daughters,
twelve in number reckon you arc happy
in the tender love of such affectionate
daughters. With these and their fami-
lies and your numerous friends around
you I can believe your last days your
best. Aud in the sacred relations of
man and wife may you be moro happy
till the end come. Then, when the
shades of evening shall darken into night
arc und your footpath, l pray, that you
may have faith to hope and strength to
wait till the Master calls you to thai re-
union of your family above, in the City
whose streets are gold and in that Light
which is not of the sun where none shoH
grow old.
After Rev. W. B. Rankin had cloied
his remarks, Rev. r. N. Lee said, in
looking at these beautiful and valuable
gifts of gold and books, "there was one he
admired more than all the others-the
Bible, that inestimable gift of God to
man-and he doubted not if those whose
marriage we celebrate would speak the
secrets of their hearts they would say
that that blessed book had been the guide
OF their youth and the support and solace
of their declining wears. Tn rsference 70