Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-01-24
Shadows Of Church going Saints.

In every church there are aged disciples
The form has lost itS youthful straightness
Many years and many cares have left wrin
kles on the face, even rs a vexing wind
makes ripples on the waters. The landscape
at any distance, with its features of tree, ol
house, or hill once so sharply marked be
fore them, in their failing sight is as shad
owy as fleet in fog. Still they love Gods
house, Sometimes they are poor, and peo
pie see their bent forms under a worn black
shawl or faded old coat, gliding up the
aisle each Sunday. They are as sure to be
nesting in their "corner-seat " OH pleasant
Sundays as the cooling pigeons up among
the cornices of the broad caves of the
Westinghouse" They love that verse in
the Psalm, Yea, the sparrow hath found a
house, and swallow a nest for herself, where
she may lay her young, even thine altars,
o Lord of hosts, my King and my God. st
There is one drawback. They can't hear.
The voices of the " singing men and singing
women" as jublant and noisy as crowd OF
robbins in a cherry tree, come to their ears
only as a drowsy, musical hum. Why two
bumblebees could make as much of con
cert. The parsons voice, too, has changed
1t was once deep and sonorous. Now
the good man has lost it altogether, or
it comes at intervals like the faint, occa
sional tick of the big yellow clock on the
wall, heard 10y the sharper ears in the
congregation Sometimes these Simeons and
Annas think that in the future it may be "a
trouble grievous enough to compel them to
stay at home. An old lady, perplexed by this
difficulty in hearing, was talking about it
to "A relative. She was between eighty and
ninety years old. No wonder that those
two faithful servants, her ears, should get
a little out of repair after such long service.
Should the old lady continue to go to
church She remarked, 81 don't know but
| could make a ShGdOD.' Yes, she could
make "a shadow i'll Gods house. She could
be at her post and just stand there. She
could give i'll the mite of her example and
so help on the Lords service. She could,
at least, count one. She could make a
shadow. Shadow-making is of vast impor-
tance. Very dear to God are the shadows
thrown on the church floor by His patient,
steadfast disciples. 1t almost seems sac
rilege to take up the old floors in the day of
"repairs." On them have rested the
shadows of the fathers and mothers in Israel
as the sun came through the broad old
fashioned church windows and stamped the
aisles with their forms. Shadows sometimes
affect men as well as please God. The old
apostolical story, more wonderful than any
romance, comes to us just here "Thcy
brought forth the sick into the streets and
laid them on beds and couches that at tho
least the shddoo of Peter passing by might
overshadow some of them" When it was
noised that the apostle was coming, what a
running there was into sick chambers all up
and down the street, that the sufferers
might be borne out There they rested on
their couches, thin hands, tired eyes,
shrunken forms, waiting for Peters shadow
to fall over them and leave behind its silent
benediction of health. There was bless
ing in the throwing of a shadow. And just
the shadow OF some church-going saint may
be extremely helpful to others. 1t may
bring blessing of spiritual health and life
A Christian was once asked to give the rea-
son of his conversion. This was the secret
of it. He had noticed the constant attend
ance at church of certain mau. Sabbath
after Sabbath he had seen him going tc
Gods house like a shadow straight to the
caves of the altar. The shadow of an exam
pie had fallen upon him. 1t had stirred W
thoughts within him that developed lik,
seed into a better purpose and new life
Gods spirit took shddow and by it saved {
life. So keep on, patient church-goer. Yol
may be as infrm as old Jacob. Keep you
place in Gods house, though all you can dc
is to make a shadow Christian at Work.