Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-09
MedftatiOns at Midnight.

DEAR INDEX: This beautiful calm sweet day
and balmy breezes of the sunny South finds
me-after q ten days meeting at Moline, Kan
sas-safely enconsced lin the pleasant home
OF my son in the beautiful and enterprisinR
city of Gainesville. Texas, attending protract-
ed meeting at the Christian church, conducted
by the eloquent and gifted q. n. BroWder, of
Kirksville, Missouri.
Well, having Toasted on turkey to-day and
the gospel tonight my two little eraud-daugh-
tiers having kissed me goodnight, / am left
alone in my room to silent meditation and con-
Secration. In the still hour Of the night my
heart goes back in Iny many "reminiscences to
the church and loved ones In Medicine Lodge
and the many joyful and thankful hearts on
this the 18th of November 1891. On this day
THANKSGIVING day-Christian hearts all over
our land aud all over every land, were lifted
up and unite in saying reverently, Father 1
thank thee" AS my brethren and sisters and
friends that so dearly love in Medicine Lodge
heard the grand words that fell from the lips
of DIR. Phillips, on the evening of Thanksgiy-
ing, hope they all said: yes, dear Father, 1
thank thee; yes. l thank thee for my life, lust
as II is and just as it has ever been. 1 thank
thee that all through the changing scenes of
the swiftly flying years that thou hast ever
been with me; guiding me through every dam
ger, whether seen or unseen, into paths that
were safe and pleasant. O.! may the outburst
ings OF every heart upon this happy day have
been: thank thee, dear Father, that often
when my rebellious spirit has tried to turn
away from some cup which thou hast held out
to me, when / have cried aloud. Not that, oh
Lord, not that! Still. with q wisdom ON
nipotent and with love divine thou hast firm
ly held the cup to my unwilling lips and made
me drink, and then that have always been led
to see that it was best that 1 should drink from
the cup held by my Fathers hand-that it was
safe that l should journey along any path
when he would lead the way. 1t is now the
silent hour of midnight-the hour l love the
best Of all the twenty-four for prayer and medi-
tation. 1t brings wildly to memory the dole
full hour of GethsemIne; when
might with ebOn pinion brooded DER the vail,
When the blessed Son of God poured out in
tears and sweat and blood.
AS PROSTATE in the garden he raised his voice
/ to God"
An as 1 mediate upon the agonies Of the
suffering Saviour In that doleful garden, l
again say thank the Father that out from the
darkest nights the brightest days have dawn
ed.
Father, thank thee. Well, perhaps just to-
day on this Thanksgiving day. you can not say
it. You try but the words will not be uttered.
o my soul. there's a vacant chair about the
fireside-the empty cradle, the useless toys, the
quiet orderly home where once the childish
shouts Of glee leave no stiffness, and restless
baby hands would work sad havoc where'er
they CHANGED to fall Those shouts of glee
those baby hands have passed away. o how
I a.: MI =
thank thee? Well who can wonder? And
what right has one who has never clasped to
her breast the stifened form of a lifelese
child, to pirate of resignation to those who by
sharp experience can know just what il
means. And Jesus understands; Jesus knows
| all that is within your breaking heart; Jesus
who while upon the earth, wept beside the new
| made grave, knows how hard it is for you, and
Jesus alone knows how to comfort. Yes, he
whispers to the Father of how strong are the
| ties of flesh and of how weak the spirit may
become. Dear brother, sister, Jesus remem
bers his own heart-aches and Jesus under
| stands. And though to-day you may not be
able to be reconciled to the vacant chair, the
empty cradle, the hushed stiffness Of the home
| or for any of the lessened ties of earth, YET
you can thank God for that strong eye OF
faith by which you can see beyond the grave
! you can thank God that time will not last for
| ever, and you can thank God that the ties that
| are being loosened here are only making heav.
en- brighter and more real. Then, beloved
| brethren and friends of Medicine Lodge, thank
| ing the Father for all this, why even the pres
ent begin to brighter grow, and though we may
| not understand-and though we see through
glass darkly--yet we can trust, and because o.
| this we all say, Father thank thee"
Fraternaly, J. E. NICHOLSON.
| Gainesville. Texas, November 26th, 1891 a
| the hour of midnight.