The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-07-26
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: esLight in the Evening"" "

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TEXT "At euening time ii shall be light
-Zechariah xiv, z.
While might" in, all languages is the
symbol for gloom and suffering. 1t is often
really cheerful, bright and impressive. L
speak not Of such nights as come down with
no star pouring light from above or sifvered
wave tossing up light from beneath-murky.
hurting. portentous-but such as you often
see when the pomp and magniftcence OF
heaven turn out on night parade, and it
seems as though the song which the morn
| ing stars began 80 long ago were Ginning
| vet among the consultations and the sons
| Of God were shouting for Joy.
Such nights the sailor blesses from the
forecastle, and the trapper on the vast
prairie and the belated traveller by the road
| side, and the soldier from the tent. earthly
hosts gazing upon heavenly. and shepherds
guarding their focks af1eld, while angel
| hands above them set the silver bells a-rlng-
ing, "Gloryto God in the highest and on
earth peace; good will toward men,"
What a solemn and glorious thing is night
In the wilderness Night among the noun
tains Night on the ocean! Fragrant night
among tropical groves Flashing night
amid arctic seventies Calm night on Roman
campsgna! Awful night among the COR
dilleras! Glorious night 'mid sea after a
tempest! Thank God for the night The
moon and the stars which rule 1t are light
houses on the coast toward which, I hope,
we are all sailing, and blind mariners are we
II With 80 many beaming. burning, flaming
glories to guide US we cannot find our way
into the harbor My text may we'll suggest
that as the natural evening II often luminous
30 it shall be light III the evening OF our sor-
rows-of old age-of the worlds history-of
the Christian life. sat eventime 1t shall be
light"
This prophecy will be fulfilled in the wen
ing OF Christian SORROW. For long time it
is broad daylight. The sun rides high. In
Vulnerable activities go ahesd with thou
sand feet and work with thousand arms,
and the picka1 struck mine, and the bat
terry made discovery, and the investment
yielded It's 20 per cent. and the book came to
its twentieth edition, and the farm quad
rupled in value, and the sudden fortune
hoisted to high position, and children were
praised, and friends without number swarmed
into the family hive, and prosperity sang In
the music and stepped In the dance and
plowed In the wine and ate at the banquet,
and all the gods Of music and ease and gratl-
flcation gathered around this Jupiter hold
ing In his hands so many thunderbolts OF
power.
day must have its twilight. Suddenly the
sky was overcast. The fountain dried up.
The song hushed. 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
business firm Away went long established
credit Up flew flock Of calumnies The
new book would not sell. A patent could
not be secured for the invention. Stocks
sank like lead. The insurance company ex-
ploded. Chow much" says the sheriff,
twill you bid for this piano?" g How much
for this library2" ''How much for this
family picture"
circumstances2 What have become Of the
great multitude Of Gods children who have
been pounded Of tho fail and crushed under
the wheel and trampled under the hoof2 Did
they lie down in the dust weeping, Wailing
and gnashing their teeth? When the rod OF
fatherly chastisement struck them, did they
strike back? Because they found one bitter cup
on the table Of Gods supply, did they upset
the whole table2 Did they kneel down at
their empty money vault and say cali my
treasures are gomez Did they stand by tho
grave OF their dead saying: ''There, never
will be resurrection?"
Did they bemoan their thwarted plans and
say ''The stocks are down-would God /
were dead2" Did the night Of their disaster
come upon them moonless, ,starless. dark and
bowling, smothering and choking their lives
out? No! No! No! At eventime it was
light. The swift promises overlook them.
The eternal consultations from the circuit
about Gods throne poured down an infinite
iuster. Under their shining the pillows Of
trouble took on crests and plumes OF gold
and iaspar and amethyst and flame. All the
trees OF life rustled In the midsummer air Of
Gods love. The night blooming assurances
of Christs sympathy filled all :he atmoS-
phere with heaven. The soul at every step
seemed to start up from its feet bright
winged joys warbling heavenward.
'It is good that I have been afflicted, '"
cries David. '!The Lord gave, and the Lord
hath taken away" exclaims Job. "Sorrow-
full, yet always rejoicing" says st. Paul.
their eyes," exclaims John In apocalyptic
vision. At eventime it was light. Light
from the cross! Right from the promises
Light from the throne!' Streaming, joyous,
outgushing, everlasting light
The text shall also find fulillment in the
time OF old age. 1t is grand thing to be
young to have the sight clear and the hear.
ing acute and the step elastic and all our
| pulses marching on to the drumming OF
Stout heart. MidIfe and old age Will be de;
MED many OF us, but youth-We oil know
what that is Those wrinkles were not al.
ways on your brow. That snow was not al.
WAYS on your head. That brswny muscle
did not always bunch your arm. You have
not always worn spectacles. Grave and dlg-
nified as you now are, you once went coast
ing down the hillside, or threw of your hat
for the race, or sent the ball flying sky high.
But youth will not always last. 1t stays
only long enough to give us exuberant spir-
| its, and broad shoulders for burden carry
ing, and an arm with which to battle our
way through difficulties. Life's path II you
fellow it long enough will come under irown-
ing crag and across trembling causeway.
| Blessed old age II you let it come naturally.
| You cannot hide it. You may try to cover
the wrinkles. but you cannot cover the
wrinkles. n the time mas coms for you to
be old, be not ashamed to be old. The
grandest things in all the universe are old.
| Old mountains. old rivers, old seas, old
| stars and an old eternity. Then do not be
ashamed to be old unless you are older than
the mountains and older than the stars.
How men and women will lie! They soy
they are 40, but they are 60. They say they
are 20, but they are 80. They say they are
60, but they are 30. How some people will
lie! Glorious old age II found in the way OF
of Jacob, leaning on the top OF his staff, Of
John Quincy Adams falling with the harness
on, OF Washington Irving sitting pen in hand
amid the scenes himself had made classical,
Of John Angell James to the last proolaiming
| the Gospel to the masses Of Birmingham, OF
Theodore Frelinghuysen down to feebleness
and emaciation devoting his illustrious
faculties to the kingdom OF God. At even
l tide it was light
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