Democratic messenger., 1893-07-15
HEAVENS PORTALS.
BEHELO BY THE FAITHFUL IN THE
EVENING OF LIFE.

BeHElO BY THE FAITHFUL IN THE
EVENING OF LIFE.
Dr. TaImsy- Disrours-s IN the Text, LAT
Evening Time u shall B- Light"-Dcath
Has No Tcrr"r- For the Christian.
BROOKLYN. July 9-Rcv DR. Talmage
has chosen aS his subject for today the text.
AT evening time il shall I've light" (Zech-
ariah xiv. -
While might in nil languages il the
symbol for gloom and suffering. il is often
really cheerful. bright and impressive
speak not of sich nights as come down
with no star pouring light from above or
silverrd wave tossing up light from be.
neath-murky. hurtling. portentous-hut
sIch as you often when the pomp and
magniiic"ncc of heaven turn out on night
parade, and il seems as though the song
which the morning stars began 40 long ago
were Ginning yet among the cOnstellat ions
and the sonS of Gel were shouting for joy.
Such nights the sailor blcsses from the
forecastlr. and the trapper ON the vast
prairie, and the bclatetl traveller by the
roadside. and the soldier from the tent,
earthly hosts gazing upon heavenly. and
shepherds guarding their nocks afield,
while angel hands above them set the silver
bells a.ringing. GLORY to God in the high
est and on cart b peace: good will toward
men,
What n solemn and glorious thing IN
night in the wildcrncssl Night among the
mountainsl Night on the occani Fragrant
night among tropical grovcsl Flashing
night amid arctic seventies! Calm night
on Roman campagnai Awful night
among the cordillerasi Glorious night
mid sea after tempestl Thank God for
the night! The moon and the stars which
rule IL are lighthouses on the coast toward
which. ] hope. we are all sailing. aud blind
mariners nre we il. with 80 many beam
ing. burning. flaming glOrcs to guide us,
We cannot find our way into the harbor
My text may well Suggest that as the nat.
urai evening il often luminous, NO IL shall
be light in the evening of our sorrows-of
old age-of the worlds history-of the
Christian life At eventime il shall he
light"
FULFIiLMENT OF TIL. PROPHECY.
The prophecy will bc fulfilled in the even
ing Of Christian sorrow For long time
IL is broad daylight. The SIN rides high
lnnurierablr activities 90 ahead with a
thousand feet and work with n thousand
arms. and the pickax struck a mine, and
the battery nIa,ie II discovery, and the in
vestment yirhicl its ~ per cent and the
book came tn iis twentieth edition. and the
farm Quadruple'l in value, and sudden for
tune hoiste,i to high position. and children
were praised, and friends without number
swarmed into the family hive. aud prosper
ity sang in the music and stepped in the
dance and glowed in the wine and ate at
the banquet, and all the gods Of music and
ease and qualification gathered around this
Jupiter holding in his hands 80 many thun
derbolts of power.
But every sun must set. and the brightest
day must have its twilight. Suddenly the
sky was overcast. The fountain dried up
The SONG hush~. The wolf broke into the
family fold and carried of the best lamb
A deep howl Of woe came crashing down
through the joyous symphonies. At one
rough twang Of the hand Of disaster the
harp strings all broke Down went the
strong bmsinrS> firm, Away went long es-
tablisiit-i ,rri.;' j. flew flock Of calum
nie>i The new book would not sell a
patent could not br secured for the inven
tion. Stocks sank like lead The insiir.
ancc company exploited How much y
says the sheriff. will you bid for this
piano'" How much for this library"
How much for this family picture,"
Will the grace Of God hold one up in
such circumstances; What have become
OF the great multitude of Gods children
who have been pounded of the fail and
crushed under the wheel and trampleti
under the hoof: Did they lie down in the
dust weeping. wailing and gnashing their
teethi When the rWl of fathcrly chastise-
mcnt struck them. did they strike back .
Because thry found one bitter cup on the
table Of God's supply, did they upset the
whole table, Did they kncel down at their
empty money vault and SAY, "All my
treasures are gone" Did they stand by
the grave Of their dead saying. There
never will be Il resurrection"
Did they bcmoan their thwarted plans
and say The stocks are down. Would
God | were dead" Did the night Of their
disaster come upon them moonless, star
less, dank and hOwling, smothering and
choking their life out, mol No. No. At
eventime il WIS light. The swift promises
overlook them. The eternal consultations.
from their circuit about Gods throne,
poured down an infinite luster Under
their shining the billows of trouble took on
crests and plumes OF gold and jasper and
amethyst and flame. All the trees of life
rustled in the midsummer air Of God =
love The night blooming assurances Of
Christ's sympathy filled all the atmos
phere with heaven. The soul mt every step
seemed to start up from its feet bright
winged joys warbling heavenward.
1T is good that have been afflicted" !"
cries David. The Lord gave, and the Lord
hath taken away" exclaims Job Sorrow
full, yet always rejoicing" says St. Paul.
And God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes" exclaims John in apocalyptic
vision. At evrntime il was light. Light
from the cross Light from the promises!
Light from the throne! Streaming. joyous.
outgushing, everlasting light.
THE EVENING or LIFE.
The text shall also find fulfillment in the
time OF old age. IL is grand thing to be
young-to have the sight clear and the
hearing acute, and the step elastic. and all
our pulses marching on to the drumming
of n stout heart Midlife and old age will
be denied many Of us, but youth-we all
know what that is Those wrinkles were
not always ON your brow; that snow was
not alwayso on your head: that brawny mus
Gle did not always bunch your arm; you
have not always worn spcctacles. Grave
and dignifie,l ~ YOU now are. you once
went coastng down the hillside or threw
off your hat for the race or sent the ball
flying sky high. But youth will not al
ways last. IL stays only long enough to
give us exuberant spirits and broad shoul
ders for burden carrying and an arm with
which to bait lie our way through difficulties
Life's path if you follow it long enough
will come under frowning crag and across
trembling causeway Blessed old age il
you let II come naturally. You cannot hide
II. You may try To cover the wrinkles, but
you cannot cover the wrinkles. II the time
has come for you to be old. be not ashamed
to be old The grandest things in all the
universe are old Old mountains, old riv
ers. old seas old stars and an old eternity
Then do not he ashamed to be old unless
you are older than the mountains and older
than the stars.
How men and women will .iel They say
they are ~, but they ara 60. They say they
are 90 but they are 70 They say they are