The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1892-03-18

eve .ybody seems SO strange. The world
seems to go away from them, and they
are left all alone They begin to feel
in the way when you come into the
room where they are, and they move
their chair nervously and say: II hope
am not in the way" Alas! that ia
Their and mother should ever be in the
way. When You were sick, and they
sat up all night rocking you, singing to
you. administering to you, did they
think that you were in the way? Are
you tired of the old people? Do you
snap them up quick and sharp2 You
will be cursed to the bone for your in
gratitude and unkindness.
Obi it is hard TO be old without re-
ligion-to feel this world going away,
and nothing better coming. II there
be any here who have gone far ON with
out Christ, ! address you differentially.
You have found this u tough world for
old people. Alasl 70 have aches and
pains, and no Christ to soothe them.
want to give you a cane better than
the one you lean on. It is the cane
that the Bible speaks of, when it says:
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort
me-" ] want to give you better spec
tacles than those you now look through,
1t ais the spiritual eyesight of Divine
grace. Christ will not think that you
are in the way. Does your head trem-
bic, with palsy of old age? Lay in on
Christ's bosom Do you feel lonely
now that you companions and children
are gone? I think Christ has them.
They are safe in His keeping. Very
II Al
/ take hold of your arm and try to
lead you to a place where you can put
down all your burden. Go with me.
Only a little while longer, and your
sight will come again, and your hear
ing will come again, and with the
strength of an immortal athlete you
will step on the pavement of Heaven.
No crutches in Heaven; no sleepiess
nights in Heaven; no cross looks for
old people. Dwelling there for ages,
no one will say: Father, you know
nothing about this; step back. you are
in the way" Oh, how many dear old
folks Jesus has put to sleep! How
sweetly He has closed their eyes! How
gently folded their armsi How He has
put His hand on their silent hearts and
all over. The tears will never start
again. Hushl hushT' So, He gives
His beloved sleep. / think the most
beautiful object on earth is an old
Christian-the hair white, not with the
frosts of winter. but the blossoms of
life. / never feel sorry for Christian
old man. Why feel sorry for those
upon whom the glories of the eternal
world are about to burst? They are
going to the goodly cedar. Though
their wings are heavy with age, God
shall renew their strength like the
eagle, and they shall make their nest in
the cedar. "All fowl of every wing"
Again: The very bad, the outrage
ously sinful, may come. Men talk of
the grace of God as though il were SO
many yards long and SO many yards
deep. People point to the dying thief
as an encouragement to the sinner
How much better it would be to point
to our own case and say: IF God saved
us He can save anybody" There may
be those here who never had one earn
est word said to them about their souls
Consider me as putting my hand on
your shoulder and looking In your
eyes. God has been good to you. You
ask: "How do you know that? He has
been very hard on me-" where did
you come from?'' Home" ''Then you
have a home. Have you ever thanked
God for your home? Have you chill
dren?" YES" Have you ever
thanked God for your childrenP Who
keeps them safe? Were you ever
sick?" ."Yes" "Who made you
well? Have you been fed every
day? Who feeds you? Put your
hand on your pulse. Who makes
it throb? Listen to the respira-
tion of your lungs. Who helps you to
breathe? Have you Bible in the
house, spreading before you the future
life? Who gave you that Bible2" IN!
it has been a story of goodness and
mercy all the way through. You have
been one of Gods pet children. Who
fondled you, and caressed you, and
loved you? And when you went
astray, and wanted to come back, did
He ever refuse? / know of father
who, after his son came back the fourth
time, said: mo, | forgave you three
times, but ] will never forgive you
again" And the son went off and
died. But God takes back His children
the thousandth time as cheertully as
the first. AS easily as with my hand
lSerchief strike the dust off q book,
God will wipe out all your sins.
There are hospitals for 'incurabies.'
When men are hopelessly sick, they
are sent there. Thank Godl there is
no hospital for spiritual incusables.
Though you had the worst leprosy
that ever struck soul, your flesh shall
come again like the flesh of little
child. o, this mercy of Godl / am told
it is an ocean Then 1 place on it four
swift-sailing craft with compass and
charts, and choice rigging and skillfnl
navigators, and / tell them to launch
away and discover for me the extent of
this ocean. That craft puts out in enc
direction, and sails to the north; this
craft to the south; this to the east;
this to the west They crowd on Rll
their canvass and sail ten thousand
years, and one day come up the harbor
of Heaven, and 1 shout to them
from the beach, Have you
found the shore2' and they an
swer: mo shore to Gods mercy!''
Swift angels, dispatched from the
throne, attempt to 20 across it. For
one million years they fly and fly, but
then come back and fold their wings at
the foot of the throne, and cry: mo
shore. no shore to Gods mercyr'
Mercyl Mercy Mercy! / sing it.
! preach it. pray it. Here find a