The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-31
CRICKEKlNG HALL.
THE DYING yEAR-SEBMON By REV. SAMUEL


CoLCoRD.
At Chickering Hall the Rev. Samuel Cocord
preached, the subject of his discourse being "The
Dying Year." The text takea from Genesis ",
27-'And all the days OF Mothuselat were nine hum
dred sixty and nine years, and no died. Nj Colcord
sad:--What fruitful Ito that might have beon
He might have had 100 years in the college of cxpe-
renee then, with that ripencd cducaton had 500
years devote to benefLng his fellow men. Methu-
seah lived longer than any other man on the earth,
and yet all the record OF his lite Is this, iha. he be-
gat sons daughters and lived 900 years and died.
or how many lives that the complete record There
was u man who nigh; have been useful member OF
society and pillar the Church, but all he did
is contained In the that he lived sixty years
and he died. His tombstone roads:-"Born Septem-
q 1885, died November ], 1876 1t is all that IL
worth recording OF thai lfe Nine hundred and sixty
ninc years why whole world has been revolution
lzed in less time than that In contrast with the
barrenness of tho long life Of Meth uselah Mr. Colcord
spoke OF the fruitiulness OF tho lives OF David the
young king, Josiah, ST. Paul. and Jesus, who was only
thirty three years on the eartn and in our latter
times OF John Howard, Elizabeth Fry and others.
We have come, he said, to the close OF year,
and IL Is we'll that before stepping the threshold OF
1878 we pause and look back the year and the
years 70 what purpose have lived? The success
or failure of life IS to judged by the value and tho
permanOncy OF Its results. We have all been builders
IN these years. Some have built on the shifting
sands, and some have buildcd on the solid rock TO
what purpose have we builded? Have we builded en-
during work. Have we builded the shifting sands
OF time or the rock OF Gods eternal truth That
great achievement, TO span tho turDd waters
Of tao Mississippi ut 81 Louis with tnat majestic
structure which shall pass the commerce OF nun
drcds OF years. Thoy built It not on the shifting
sand, but they dug down to the solid bed 4ock and
laid there foundations that shall last for centurea
We building. Shall we build on the crumpling
foundations Of time the Rock OF Agess Shall
wo build for the years or shall we build Tor the eterni-
ties?
The closing Eords in the brief record Of Methu.
selahs lite arsAhese And he died" Yes, all must
But how yon die not matter OF so great import
anco how you live. The religion OF Christ is not
only religion 70 die BY, 1t Is religion to I'VE by:
thing TO 1--we, for this lite is the morning Of eternity
This is the lie in which destnies arc made. Tho
years do not pass by without meaning. They are
reghted with meaning. They are big with possiblli-
tios. They eternities. for the issues OF eerni
ties are In them. Raphael painted well, Tor he felt
that ne was painting Tor eternity. We are painting on
the OF Immortality in colors that shall not
ing for us oharacte that shall last to bless
ali the ages to come on, II Is solemn thing 10
live. God has given US these years.. In this lie we
saved or lost.
WHY WILL YE srAyS
Neglect not the great salvation. Seek II now while
| lie is yours anu mercy waits Lilo Is not always
| yours and mercy will not always wait How uncer-
tain life 1t Is swifter than weaver's shuttle. II
Is ike the flame of lamp IN which tho oil Is con-
ccalcd SO that he who by It cannot know when
| II Will 80 out man is mprlsoned In dungeon
| Before its burns out he must find lost key aud
open q CON picated lock That shuts him from freedom
ana lie. How no works losing no time, lest the oil
burn his task Is done, or lest sudden gust oil
air. playing through the narrow window OF his coll,
put out tamc, that dungeon become his tomb
| SO burns tue lamp ot lilo. You know not how much
oil Is within Tow tho breath Of Omnipotence
may put out that flame. You must save your soul by
that light BY that light you are TO nnd and the
key that opens tho prison house OF sin and doom and
admits into the glorious liberty Of the sons Of God.
The oil IL burning low. You know not whether there
be little oil in the lamp or whether the lame OF HE
Is already consuming the last drop. You SEQ wnero
and there other lights us bright rs yours, have
| gone out in an instant and without warning before
| sudden gusts oil chill.
i / SEQ old men here Your frame 10 bent beneath
| the weight OF years; gray hairs are on your hcad;
| your has growR dull and your eye grown uin;
your step feeble and you lift your trembling hand 10
brush back tho locks OF gray. The OIL In your lamp
| has burned very low your flame IL wanng-it 10
already dickering to 20 out You have not yet found
used the Key that opens 10 eternal freedom and the
bloom OF eternal youth. Young men are here, IN the
freshness OF young Tie and the bloom OF health aud
the confidence oil early hope. But do not know,
you do not Know, now soon, in an unexpected
| moment In tho tvtnklng OF eye, some
sudden wind or damp may cxtnguish your lghI
| Fair maidcnhood Is here, aud womanly grace, and
benuy and nigh hope but how soon may tho paiior OF
death the cheek Of beauty and the spark OF lie
90 out like meeor's flash across the sky and leave
the darkness forovers Oh, now while yet the
lamp OF lilo holds out TO burn, save that soul Neglect
not the great salvation. Will thoro DO better
tiineY The shadows Of the last Sabbath evening OF
1877 already falling. Christ Is willing, HIS voice
may be heard saying, Gomez" the Holy spirit has
| ceased His striving aud Gods voice Is saying,
'Now Is tho accepted time now Is the DAY OIL salva