Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-06-25

and pushing back his white hair
from his creviced forehead, and see
him looking up through the hole in
the roof Of the dungeon into the
face Of his executioners, and hear him
say: II am now ready to be offered, and
the time OF my departure is ut hand. I"
Then they lift him out of the dungeon,
and they start with him to the place Of
execution. They say: Hurry uleng,
old man, or you will feel the weight Of
our spear Hurry along" ''How far
is it." says Paul, 1--WE have to travel?"
"Three miles" Three miles is n good
way for an old man to travel after he
has been whipped and crippled with
maltreatment But they soon get to
the place of execution-AcquB Saliva
and he is fastened to the pillar of mar
tyrdom. 1t does not take any strength
to tie him fast He makes no resist
ance. o PAUL. why not strike for your
life? You have great many friends
here. With that withered hand just
launch the thunderbolt of the people
upon those infamous soldiers No!
Paul was not going to interfere with
his own coronation. He was too glad
to go. see him looking up in the face
of his executioner, and, as the grim Of
fetal draws the sword, Paul calmly
says: II am now ready to be offered,
and the time of my departure is ut
hand" But put my hand over my
eyes. want not to see that last strug-
gle. One sharp, keen stroke, and Paul
docs go to the banquet, and Paul does
dine with the King.
What transition it was! From the
malaria of Rome to the finest climate in
all the universe-the zone of eternal
beauty and health. His ashes were put
in the catacombs of Rome, but in one
moment the air of heaven bathed from
his soul the last ache. From ship
wreck, from dungeon from the biting
pain of the elmwood rods, from the
sharp sword of the headsman, he goes
into the most brilliant assemblage of
Heaven, king among kings, multi
tudes of the sainthood rushing out and
stretching forth hands of welcome; for
I do really think that as on the
right hand Of God is Christ, 50 on the
right of Christ is Paul, the second great
in Heaven.
Now. why cannot all the old people
have the same holy glee as that aged
man had? Charles l, when he was
combing his head, found o gray hair,
and he sent it to the queen as great
joke; but old age is really no joke ut all.
For the last forty years you have been
dreading that which ought to have been
an exhilaration. You say you most fear
the struggle at the moment the soul
and body part. But millions have en-
dured that moment, and may not we as
we'll? They got through with 1t and so
can we. Besides this all medical men
agree in saying that there is probably
no struggle at the last-not so much
pain as the prick of pin, the seeming
signs of distress being altogether invol-
untary. But you say: at is the uncer-
tainty of the future" Now, child of God,
do not play the in fidel. After God has
filed the Bible till it can hold no more
with stories of the good things ahead,
better not talk of uncertainties. But
you say: II cannot bear to think of
parting from friends here" If you are
old, you have more friends in heaven
than here. Just take the census. Take
some large sheet of paper and begin to
record the names of those who have
emigrated to the other shore; the COM
panions of your school days, your early
business associates, the friends OF mid
life, and those who more recently went
away. Can it be that they have gone
so long you do not care any more about
them, and you do not want their socie-
ty? Oh no. There have been days
when you have felt that you could not
endure another moment away from
their blessed companionship. They
have gone. You say you would not
like to bring them back to this world
of trouble, even if you had the power.
1t would not do to trust you. God would
not give you resurrection power Be-
fore tomorrow morning you would
be rafting at the gates of the ceme-
terry crying to the departed: Come
back to the cradle where you slept!
Come back to the hall where you used
to play! Come back to the table where
you used to sit!" And there would be
great burglary in Heaven. No, no.
God will not trust you with resurrec-
ton power; but He compromises the
matter and says: ''You cannot bring
them where you are, but you can go
where they are" They are more lovely
now than ever. Were they beautiful
here they are more beautiful. there
Besides that, it is more healthy there
for you than here, aged man; better
climate there than these hot summers
and cold winters and late springs;
better hearing; better eyesight;. more
tonic in the air; more perfume in the
bloom; more sweetness in the song.
Do you not feel, aged man, sometimes
as though Won would like to get your |