Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1893-07-15
ACooMAC G. Fl, VA SATURDAY, JULY
IN THE SILENT NIGHT
Da. TALMAGe ON THE MINISTRY OF
SILENCE, GRIEF AND DEATH.

DR. TALEtAGt ON THE MINISTRY OF
SILENCE, GRIEF AND DEATH.
Tho Mysterious Law by Which God Warn.
Us OF. a Coming Change Compared With
Which Gil Earthly Changes Arc as
Nnught-!-ho Great Com ponsation-
BooKLyN. July n.-,Ilev. DR.. Talmage
hae chosonns bis euhject for today the
text. "Atsvoning time it shall be light"
tzcchariah XVII.
While Hnight" in NIL languages is the
the symbol for gloom and suffering. it Is
often really cheerful, bright and impress
i've Isbeak not of such nights as come
down with,no star pouring light from
above orseilvcretl wave tossing up light
from beneath--mnrky. hurting, portent-
GUS but such Ms you often SEQ when the
pomp anGinagniiccnce Of heaven turn
out on. night parade, and it seems as
though tic song which tho morning stars
began SO. long ago were Ginning yot
among tie consultations and the SONS
Of God were shouting for JOY.
Such nights the sailor blcsses from tho
forecastle: and the tranper on, the vast
prairie. ond the belatcd traveller by the
roadsido,sartl the soldier from the tent,
earthly hosts gazing upon heavenly, md
shopherds guarding their focks a6eld.
whilo Angel hands above them set the
silver bells a-rinsinG, GLORY to God III
tho highest and Oh earth peace; good
will toward men.
What fsolenn and glorious thing is
night in sSho willernessl Night among
the mountairsl Night on the ocean!
Fragrantnight among tropical groycsI
Flashing nigh, amid arctic soVcritiesl
Calm night on Roman campaign! Aw-
ful nightsamong tho cordillcrns Glori:
Gus night mid sea after tempestl
Thank God for the night. The moon
and tho{stnrs which rule it are light
houses CD the coast toward which. hope,
we are all sailing. and blind mariners
are we il. with so many beaming, burn.
ing flaming glorics to guide us wc can
not find;our way into the harbor. My
text may we'll suggest that as the nat
ural evening IL often luminous so it
shall beylight in the evening of our sor-
rows-of old nsc--of the worlds history
of thes5Christinn lifo. "At oyentimo it
shall Delight
This prophecy will DO fulfilled in the
evoningof Christian sorrow. Fora long
time it is broad daylight. Thesun rides
high. Innumcrablc activities go ahead
with q thousand feet and work with IL
thousand arms. and the pickny sJruclt a
mino, and the battery 1nade discovery.
and theE investment yielded Its 20 per
cent. and the book cano to its twentieth
edition, Sand tho farm quadrupled in
value, aud sudden fortune hoisted to
high position. and children were praised,
and friends without number swnrmed
into theSfarniIy hive. and prosperity sang
in the music and stepped in tho dance
and glowed in tho vino and ate at the
banquet,and all tho gods Of music and
ease and; qualification gathered around
this Jupiter holding In his handss many
I thunderbolts OF power. -: y
But 49, must set and the bright
est day must have its twilight. Sudden
ly the sky was overcast. The fountain
dried up. The song hushed. The'wolf
broke into the family fold and carried off
the best lamb A deep howl Of woe
came crashing down through the joyous
svmnhcn;es at ono rough twang Of the
hand of disaster the harp strings all
broke Down went the strong business
frtn Away went long established crod-
it! Up few !, lock of calulnnies The
new book would not sell A patent
could not be secured for tho invention
Stocks sank like lead The insurance
company exploded. "Ilow much" says
the sheriff. will you bid for this piano."
How mach fer this libraryT How
much for this family picturo2-
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 tho fail and
crushed under tho wheel and trampled
under the hoof? Did they lie down in
the dust weeping, wailing and crashing
their teeth2 When tho 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 table? Did they knccl
down at their empty money vault and
say, "All my treasures are gomez Did
they stand by the grave Of their dead
saving. There never will bo q resurrec-
tom
Did they be1noan their thwarted plans
and say, "Tho stocks are down-would
God were dcatlY" Did tho night Of
their disaster come upon them moonless
starless, dark and bowling, sniothering
and choking their life outS No! No!
MOI ct evcntilno it was light. The
swift promises overlook them Tho cter-
nal consultations from the circuit about
Gods throne poured down an infinite
lustcr. Under their shining tho billows
of trouble took on crests and plumes OF
gold and jasper ind amethyst ind fame.
Ali the trees of lifo rustled in the mid
summer air of Gods love. The night
blooming assurances of Christie sympa-
thy filled all the atmosphere with heav-
en-. The soul at every step seemed to
start up from it's feet bright winged joys
warbling henvenward.
1t il good that have been afflicted, >
cries David. THE Lord gave, and the
Lord hath taken awey," ezclaims job
'.Sorrowful. yet always rejoicing says
st. Paul. And God, shall wipo away
oil tears from their eyes, exclaims John
in apocalyptic vision. Ateventime it was
light Light from the crossl Light from
the promises! Light from the throne!
Streaming joyous. outgushing. cverlast-
ing light!
The text shall also find fulfllnent in
! tho time of old age. It Is q grand thing
to be young.eto have Che sight clear and
the hearing acute and the step elastic