The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-07-11

They say they are SIXTY but they are eighty
How some people will lie. Glorious ola
age, if found in the way of righteousness.
How beautiful the old age of Jacob, Lean
ing on the top of his staff; OF John Quin-
cy Adams. falling with The harness on;
of Washington Irving sitting. pen in hand,
amid the scenes himself had made classi-
cal; of John Angel James to the last pro-
claiming the gospel TO the masses of
birmingham; Of Theodore Frclinghuyson.
down to feblcness and enacati ton ,levoting
his illrstrious faculties TO- the kingdom of
God! At cventidc it was light,
See that you do honor TO the aged. A
philosopher stood at the corner of the street
day after day, saying to the passcrs-by.
You Will be an old man; sou will be an
OLD man: You will be an old woman;
you will be an old woman" People thought
he was crazy. | do not think that he was
smooth the way for that mothers feet:
they have not many more steps to take.
STEADY those tottcrng limbs, they will soon
be at rost. Plough not up that face with
any more wrinkles: trouble and care have
marked it full enough. Thrust no thorn
into that old heart, it will soon cease to
beat. The eye that mockcth its father
and rofusath TO obcy its mother. The ravens
eagles shall eat IT," The bright morning
and hot MONDAY of life have passed with
many. 1t is four o'clock! five o'clock,
six o'clock. The shadows fall longer and
thicker and faster. Seven O'Clock. eight
O'clock. The sun has dipped below the
horizon: the warmth has gone out of the air
Nine o'clock. ten O'Clock. The heavy dews
are falling. the activities of lifc'S day are
all huShed: it is time to 30 to bed. Eleven
O'Clock. twelve O'Clock! The patriarch
sleeps the blessed sleep. the cool sleep, the
long sleep. Heavens messengers OF light
have kiudlcd boniircS of victory all over
the heavens. AT eventime it is light!
Light.
Christianity Is Young.
My text shall also find fulfillment in the
latter days of the church. Only Il few mis-
sonarics, a few churches, Il few good men,
compared with the institutions lcprous and
purified.
1t is early yet in the history of every thing
good. Civilization and Christianity are just
getting out of the cradle. The light of
martyr-slakcs, flashing all up, and down
the sky, is but the flaming of the morning;
but when the evening OF the world stall
come, glory to Gods conQuering truth, it
shall be light. Wars sword Changing back
in the scabbard; intelnperance buried under
ten Thousand broken decantcrS; the worlds
impurity turning It's brow heavenWard for
the bcnedction, blessed are the pure i'll
heart" lie last ycstige Of seilishnesS sub
merged in Notwithstanding charities; all
China Worshippin@ DR.. Abeel's Savior; all
India believing in Henry Martyrs Bible;
aboriginal superstition acknowledging David
Hrainerd'S picty; human bondage delivered
through Thomas Clarkson's Christianity;
yagrancy coming back from its pollution at
the call OF Elizabeth l'ly's redecmer; the
mountains coming down; the valleys golnG
up; ''hOlinesS' inscribed on horses bell, and
sl<worInS thread, and brown-thrasher'S
wing, and shells tinge, and manufacturers
shrttlc and chemists labora tory. and kings
sceptrc, and nations Magma Charta. Not
Il hospital, for there are no wounds; not
an asylum for there arc no orphans; not
a prison. for there are no criminals, not an
alnlShouSc, for there are no paupcrS; not
a tear for there are no sorrows. The long
divpp of oarth'S lamentation has ended IN
the triuinphal march of redeemed empires,
the forests h;lrpin. it on Vlne-Strllng
branches. the water chanting IT. among the
.rorges the th,lnjers drumming it among the
hills, the ocean giving it forth with its or
ganS tradp-winds TOUCHING the keys. and
Eurociydons foot on the pedal ! want 70
see John Howard when the last prisoner
is reformed; | want to see Florence Night
incalp when the last sabre wound has stop
ned hurting: / want to see William Penn
when the last Indian has been civilized; !
want 10 see John iIuss when the last dame
or persecution has been eXtln%uiShcd; /
want to see john Bunyan after the last
pilgrim has come to the gate of the celeS-
tal city; above all, | want to see Jesus
after the last saint has his throne, and be-
gun to sing haIlclujah.
You have watched the calmneSs and the
glory of the evening hour. The laborerS
have come from the field. The heavens
are glowing with an indiscribHble etfulgence.
as though the sun in departing had for
gotten TO shut the gate after it. All the
beauty of cloud and leaf swim n the lake
For Il star in the sky a star in the water;
heaven above and heaven beneath Not
leaf ruStling or a bee humming, or Il
graSShopper chiiping Silence in the mead
ow; silence among the hills.
Thus bright and beautiful shall be the
evening of the world. The heats Of earth
ly conflicts are cooled. The glory of heaven
fills all the scene with love, and 10y, and
peace. At eyent;mc it is light! light!
The Two Angels. IA
FINALLY my text shall find fufllment at
the end of the Christians life You know
how short winters day is and how 1T
tie work you can do. Now, my friends,
life is Il short winters day. The san rises
at eight and sets ut four. The birth angel
and death angel fly only little way apart.
Baptism and burial are near together.
With one hand the mother rocks the era
die and with the other she touches the
grave.
went into the house of one of my par
ishioncrs on Thanksgiving Day. The little
child of the household was bright and glad
and with it ] bounded up and down the hall.
Christmas day came and the light of that
household had persisted. We stood, with
back book, reading over the grave, Ashes
to- ashes; dust to DUST
But / hurl away this darkness. l can
not have YOU weep. Thanks be unto God.
who giveth us the victory. lit eventiUe it
shall be light. 1 have seen many Chris
tans die. | never saw any of them die
in darkness What if the pillows of death
do rise above our grdle. who does not love
to battle? What though other lights do 20
out in the blast. What do we want of
them when all the gates of glory Swing
open before us. and from Il myriad voices,
a myriad harpes Il myriad thrones. a my
Rad palaces there dash upon us, "Ilosan-
nah! li0sannah!'
Throw back the shutters and let the
sun come in said dying Scoy.lc Met ollum,
one of my Sabbath school boys. You can
see Paul putting robes and wings Of
ascension as he cNclaims. Il have fought
the good fight | have finished my course;
| have kept the faith" Hugh McNaii went
to one side of the Scatfold of martyrdom and
cried, "Farcwcl sun. moon and stars. fare
well all earthly delights" Then went to
the other side of the scaGfoll and cred,
"Welcome, God and Father. Welcome,
sweet Jesus Christ, the mcdiator of the
covenant, Welcome death. Welcome elo-
Of ~. nh