The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-07-12
LIGHT IN THE EVENING.
An Eloquent Discourse by Rev. T.
Dewitt Talmage, D. D.
Light In the Evening of Our Sorrows, of
Old Age, OF the Worlds History, of
the Christians Life-A Password
at the Gate of Heaven.


ject for recent sermon at the Brook
lyn tabernacle the text: "At evening
time it shall be light. ."-Zech. xiv, Z.
He spoke as follows:
While might" in all languages, is
the symbol for gloom and suffering, it
is often really cheerful, bright and i'm
pressive. speak not of such nights as
come down with no star pouring light
from above, or silvered wave. tossing
up light from beneath--murky, hurt
ling, portentous, but such as you often
see when the pomp and magnifcence
of Heaven turn out on night parade;
and it seems as though the song which
the morning stars began so long ago
were Ginning yet among the constella-
1, tions, and the sons of God were shout
ing for joy. Such nights the sailor
blesses from the forecastle, and the
trapper on the vast prairie, and the be-
lated traveller by the roadside, and the
soldier from the tent, earthly hosts
gazing upon heavenly, and shepherds
guarding their focks afield, while
angel hands above them set the silver
bells a-ringing: "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, goodwill
toward men,"
What 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!
Awful night among the Cordillerasl
Glorious night mid sea after tempestl
Thank God for the night! The moon
and the stars which rule it are light
houses on the coast, toward which l
hope we are sailing, and blind mariners
are we il, with so many beaming,
burning, flaming glories to guide us,
we can not find our way into the har-
Dor. My text may well suggest that,
as the natural evening is often lumin-
Gus, SO it shall be light in the evening
of our sorrow--of old age-of the
worlds history-of the Christian life.
"At eventime it shall be light"
This prophecy will be fulfilled in the
evening of Christian sorrow. For a
long time it is broad daylight. The sun
rides high. Innumerable activities go
ahead with a thousand feet, and work
with thousand arms, and the piclSax
struck mine, and the battery made
discovery, and the investment yielded
its 20 per cent, and the book came TO
twentieth edition, and the farm quad
rupled in value, and sudden fortune
hoisted TO high position, and children
were praised, and friends without num-
Der swarmed 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 graft
fcation gathered around this Jupiter
holding in his hands so many thunder
bolts Of power Bnt 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 off the best lamb.
Adeep howl of woe came crashing down
through the joyous symphonies. At one
rough twang of the hand of disaster the
harp sUing all broke. Down went
the strong business firm! Away
went long established credit! Up
flew a flock of ealumnies! The
Hbook would not sell. A patent
could not be secured for the inven-
ton. Stocks sank like lead. The in
surance company exploded. "How
much" says the sheriff, twill you bid
for this piano?" "How much for this
library?" "How much for this family
.pictrre?" viii 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 trampled under the hoof?
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? Be-
cause 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 arc gomez" Did
they stand by the grave of their dead,
saying, There never will be resur-
rectionT'
Did they bemoan their thwarted
plans and say, "The stocks are down
would God | were dead?' Did the
night of their disaster come upon them
moonless, starless, dark and bowling,
smothering and choking their life out?
MOI MOI No! Az eventime IL was
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 erests, and plumes Of gold and
jasper, and amethyst and flame. All
the trees OF life rustled in the midsum-
mer air of Gods love. The night
blooming assurances Of Christ's sympa-
thy filed all the atmosphere with
Heaven. The soul at every step seemed
TO start up from its feet bright-winged
joys, warbling heavenward. at is
good that have been afflicted" cries
David. 1.-THE Lord gave, and the Lord
hath taken away exclaims Job.
"Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing"
says st. Paul. "And God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes," OK
claims John, in apocalyptic vision. At
eventime IL was light Light from
the crossl Light from the promisesl
Light from the thronel Streaming,
joyous, outgushing, everlasting light
The text shall also find fulHllment In
the time OF old ago. IL is q grand