The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-01
TIE EMPTY PLACES.


There is often a silent eloquence in an
empty place an empty chair or crib or
pulpit. WHAT We do not see affects Us
more than what we do see. When
King Saul ran his eye down the table
at has royal banquet II troubled MIN to
discover that "Dayid's place was emp
ty. That vacant place excited him
more than the prCssuce Of all bis other
guests.
How many of Us know too well the
sad patbos of the empty chair At our
own tables. and Oh. how we long for
The touch of the vanished hand and
the sound Of ths silent voice. Yet
Coils angel Of comfort often comes
TO fll the vacant place. ard brings Us
blessed messages from that world
where our loved ones aie. They have
only changed their residence and gone
from oar home 10 Christ's home. My
three children M Heaven are the only
Hcifg children that have. the two in
this world are down yet among tue
dying. An empty chair means a place
filled i'm thc Fathers hodse, and
stretches anew cord OF attachment to
yonior household Of glory.
| received recently a letter from a
very distinguished minister in Christ
distinguished for his intellectual power
and devoted piety-who ha been called
To part with the wife t. ~ tom bee had
been welded for about fifty years.
Tie letter is $40 rich in spiritual thought
and SD full Of inspiring, uplifting con-
solutions that venture 10 give por.
ton OF it.. am quite sure that my be-
loved brother will NOT chile me for the
+ liberty nave taken. lie says.
Truly my sorrow is q SORROW wholly
F b; itself Whist is 90 b. done with a
love which lel0ug- only to one. when
tina. one is gone and cannot Take it up
ltcaunot perish. for 10 has become a
part Of our own being. VIVA. shall we
do with lost love which waulers like
a elost thoushall the chambers Of the
soul % feel how empty they arey
have about ne Blessed be God a dean
dlughtcr and grandchildren. but I can
not divide this love among them. for II
is incapable of distribution. What re-
mains bat TO shoot j. upward until II
find her 10 whom it belongs by right Of
concentration through more than forty
years:
Il viii lot speak. nay brother. OF m,
pain. let that be-. DC Is lhe discipline a
love. having itsfIuit in what Is TO be
But 1 Will tell you how a gracious
Father fills thii cloud with Himself
and covering me ia it, takes me int
Ills pavilion Il is not what l would
have chosen. but IN this dark cloud
know better what it is % BE- alone Will
Him: and how it is best sometimes t.
put out the earthly lights. thateyen th
sweetest earthly love may not come be
tween Him aud me. IL is the old *
perience Of love breaking through III
darkness as it did long az
through the terrors OF Sina
and the more appalling gloon
OF Calvary. have this to thank Hif
for. the greatest Of all His mercies' an
then for this. that lie gave her to N
so long. The memories Of almost hal
century encifcle me as a rainbow.
can feed upon them through the r.
mainder Of q short. sad life, and. afte
that. can carry themu 20 Heaven Wit
me and pour them into song foreye
Ii the strings OF the harp are beln
stretched to a greater tension, it is th;
the praise may hereafter Use 70 high'
and sweeter notes before His throne
: as re boic together he,e.-Chr'Stidn
Work.