Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-03-16

i
their chair nervously and say: II hope
! am not in the way" Alas. that father
and mother should ever be in the way.
When you we're sick. and they sat up
all night rocking you, singing to you.
administering TO you. did they think
that you were in the wayP Are you
tired OF the old people? Do you snap
them up quick and sharp? You will be
cursed to the bone for your ingratitude
and unkindness!
Oh! it is hard 20 be old without relig-
ion-to feel this world going away. and
nothing better coming. II there be any
here who have gone far on without
Christ, / address you deferentially. You
have found this tough world for old
people. Alas! to have aches and pains.
and no Christ to soothe them. want
to give you a cane better than that you
lean on. 1t is the cane that the Bible
speaks of when it says: Thy rod and
| Thy staff. they comfort me-" want
to give you better spectaclcs than those
you now look through. 1t is the spirit
ual eyesight of divine grace. Christ
will not think that you arc in the way.
Does your head tremble with the palsy
of old age? Lay it on Christ's bosom
Do you feel lonely now that your COM
panions and children are gomez I think
Christ has them They are safe in His
keeping.
Very soon he will take you where
they are. 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 little while longer
and your sight will come again and
your hearing will come again. and with
the strength of an immortal athlete
You will step on the pavement of
Heaven. No crutches in Heaven; no
sleepless 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 wayr' Oh, how
many dear old folks Jesus has put
to sleepl How sweetly He has closed
their eyes! How gently folded their
arms How He has put a hand on their
silent hearts and said, Rest now. tired
pilgrim. 1t is all over. The tears will
never start again Hushl hush" So
lie 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 the
tree of life. / never feel sorry for n
Christian old man. Why feel sorry for
those upon whom the glories of the
eternal world are about to burst? They
are gong 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 it were so
many yards long and so many Yards
deep. People point to the diving 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 any body" 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
you in the eye. 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 n home.
home? Have you children?" "Yes. "
Have you ever thanked God for your
children Who keeps them safe? Were
you ever siclS?" YES" "Who made
you well? Have you been fed every
day? Who feeds you? Put your hand
on your pulse. Who makes it throbp
Listen to the respiration of your lungs.
Who helps you to breath? Have Won n
Bible in the house, spreading before
you the future life? Who gave Won
that Bible?" Oh, 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:
No; / 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 cheerfully as the first. AS easily as
with my handkerchief / strike the dus I
off 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 hos
pital for spiritual incurables. THOUGH
you had the worst leprosy that ever
struck soul, your flesh shall come
again like the flesh of little child.
Oh, this mercy of God! am told IT, is
an ocean. Then ] place on It four
swiftsailing craft, with compass,
and charts, and choice rigging.
and skillful navigators. and I tell them
to launch away and discover for me the
extent of the ocean. That craft puts
out in one direction and sails TO the
north; this craft TO the south: this 10
the east; this 90 the west They crowd
on all their canvass and san Ia. 600
years. and one day come up the harbor
OF Heaven and j shout to them from
the beach: Have you found the shore2p
and they answer: NO shore TO God q
mercy" Swift angels dispatched from
the throne, attempt TO go across il. For
million years they fly and fiy. but
then come back and fold their wings at
the foot Of the throne and cry: "No
shore! no shore 20 Gods mercy.
Mercy! Mercy! Mercy. I sing Il. I
preach 1t. / pray IL Here / find a
man bound hand and foot 20 the devil.
but with one stroke of the hammer of