Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-07-14
IN THE EVENING"
DR.. TALMAOE breaches IN
THE TABERNACLE.
AT the Evening limo 1t Shall BE
Light'-See That You DO Honor to
the Aged-Last Hours of Christians
On Earth Pictured.

rs ouen really cheerful, bright and
impressive. 1 spca not of such
oats as come down with no star
pouring light from above, or silvered
wave tossing up ght from beneath
murky, hurting, portentous, but
such as YOU often see when the pomp
and magniicence of heaven turn out
on night parade; and it seems us
though the song whieh the morning
stars logan so long ago were Ginning
yet among the consultations, and the
sons of God were shouting Tor JOY.
sucn nights the sailor blesses from the
torec4stle, and the trapper on the vast
prairie, and the belated traveller by
the rad side and the soldier from the
tent, earthly hosts gazing upon
! heavenly, and shepherds guarding
| their iloclIs atield, while angel hanGs
! above them set the silver bells a-ring-
! ing: ''Glory To God in the highest, and
! on earth peace; good will tow ard men.
What a solemn and glorious thing is
night in the wilderness! Night among
the mountains Night on the ocean!
Fragrant night among tropical groves!
Flashing night amid arctic seventies!
! Calm night on Roman Campagna! Avn
full night among the Cordilleras Glori-
GUS night mid sea after tempest!
| Thank God Tor the night The moon
and the stars which rule it are light
houses on the coast, toward which
hope we are sal ing, and bind marin
ers are we if, with so many beaming,
| burning, flaming gloriCs to guide Us,
| we cannot find our way into the har-
! Der. My text may wei suggest that,
as the natural evening is often lumin-
! Gus, SO it shall be light in the evening
| of our sorrows-oi old age-of the
worlds history, OF the Christian lite.
| at eventime it shall be light"
This prophecy viii &c fulnlled in the
! evening Of Christian sorrow. For II
long me it is broad daylight. The
| sun ri es h gh. lnnumerable activl-
| ii go ahead with u thousand feet,
and work with thousand arms and
the pickaX struck mine, and the bat
terry made discovery, and the invest
ment yielded its twentieth edition, and
the farm quadruplcd in value, and sud-
den fortune hoisted to high position,
and CHILDREN were praised. and friends
without number warmed into the
family hive, and prosperity 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 so many thunderbolts 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 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 dis
aster the harp-strings all broke.
Down WENT the strong business firm.
Away went long-esta blished credit!
Up went u flock of calumnies! ! he
new book would not sell. A patent
could not be secured for the invention.
Stocks sank like lead. The insurance
Company exploded. 'How much,'
says the sheriff, will you bid for this
pia o." How much for this
library?" chow much for this family
picture?' Will the grdcG of God hold
one up in such circumstances? What
has become of the great multitude of
Gods hildren who have been pounded
of the nail, and or, shed under the
wheel, and trampled under the hoof?
Did they lie down in the dust, weep
ing, wailing aud gnashiDg their teeth?
When the rod of fatnerly chastise-
ment struck them, aid they strike
back? because they found one bitter
cup on the table of Gods supply, did
they upset the whole table? Did they
kneel down at their empty money
vault and say, "All my treasures are
gomez Did they stand by the grave
of their dead, saying, There never
will be a resurrection?'
Did they bemoan their tn warted
plans and say, The stocks are down
would God were dead?" Did the
night of their disaster come upon them
moonless, starless, dank, and bowling,
smothering and oking their life out?
No! No! No! AT eventime it was
light. The swift promises overlook
them. The eternal consultations,
from their circuit about Gods throne
poured down an infinite lustre. I'm
der their shining the pillows of
trouble took on creStS and plumes OF
gold and jasper. and am "thyst, and
flame. All the trees of life rustled in
the midsummer air of Gods love. The
night blooming assurances of Christ S
sympathy filled l the atmosphere
with heaven. The soul at every step
seemed TO start up from its feet brig T.
winged joys, warbling heavenward.
''is is good that have been afflicted, ~
cries David. 1.-THE Lord gave, and the
Lord hath taken away" eX"laims Job
"Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing,
says St. Paul. "And God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes" ex-
claims John, in apocalyptic vision.
At eventime it was light Light from
the cross! Light from the promises!
Light from the thronel Streamin 2,
joyous, outgushiny. everlasting light
, The text shall also find fulfilment in
the time of old age. 1t is a grand
I thing TO be young-to have the sight
clear and the hearing acute, and the
step elastic, and all our pulses march.
ing on TO the drumming of a stout
heart. Mid-life 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 always on your head.
That brawny muscle did not a WAYS
bunch your arm. You have not always
worn spectacles. Grave and dignified
as you now are, yoy once went coast.
ing down the hin side, or threw of
) your hat for the race, or sent the bail
flying sky-high. But youth will not
always last. 1t stays only long enough
~, oiva 11a aytt hpf. mt enit.ifc and h~,.. 4