The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-01-24

as one makes the acquaintance OF anoth.
or at the beginning of long ocean voy-
age-as one whose oompanionship may
be pleasant and whose friendship may
be useful on the other side
joys OF Christian Old Age.
Sixth. Let us, then, fairly face the
fact that to us "a good old age'' means
O Christian old age II means an old
age made graceful, sweet, strong, hope
full, active and happily reminiscent by
the masterful working of God in the
mind and heart. We need some one
whom we cannot lose, who will also
transform our losses into unquestiona.
BILE gains, else old age will come to the
grave signing beggar. God Almighty
is the one fact and factor which love
can lean upon when her heart is torn
with the loss of others. God, as reveal
ed in Jesus Christ, our Saviour, is the
one skillful artist who takes the defeats
and disasters of life and molds them
over into mental and moral power. The
greatest privilege of life may be ours
to feel the inflow of God upon the worn.
out soul; to be conscious that the tired
nerves are being renewed with the
strength of the infinite one; to know
that, as the body falls away. tho soul
is putting on its robes of coronation to
grow young as we grow old. We need
an indubitahle fact whose life in our lifo
grows clear and strong with succeeding
years and stands over against the chang.
ing sky as very pillar of divine assur-
ance Jesus Christ, rs the manifestation
of God, comes to youth and middle age
today with the promise--a promise YER
ified in the lives Of men and women
whose gray hairs were a crown of glory
that will ever so incarnate God that
whatever storms surge against our faith
we shall always be sure of the father.
hood of the all good and the all strong
He himself is the divine voice piercing
the gale, 1.-THE deeper voice across tho
storm" saying, "All is we'll " Jesus
Christ is also the manifestation of man.
He comes to the youth so sure to be
disappointed in many mel and asks to
so walk in his visions that as critical
age comes on that heart who has once
trusted him shall always see humanity
at its divinest, humanity filled with
God and believe in man. Life tends
to be fragmentary and TO fasten upon
unworthy aims. Only the continuous
presence of God Can get us from event to
event with blessing. In Christ we get
the ideas and aims of God, ideas and
aims which ran through the first yes
terday into and through today and on
into forever.
A noble past is sinless past, or a
past out of which tears of repentance
and the blood drops of Christ have
washed out the stains of wrong. Great
tasks has God reserved for ages trem.
bling hands-the task Of hopeful wait
ing, the task of making youth look for
ward to age without sorrow. Great rev
Citations come to age alone--the discov-
cry Of the meaning Of human life, the
gathering of the sunset tints which
touch only lifes west windows. Jesus
Christ is 1.-THE same yesterday, today
and forever" " Let us get his fadeless
youth in our souls He is the light of the
"OlihB iABhp lOL hlOlhlhHJ llSIb AOI
MONDAY, light for eventide.
Angels of Benediction.
We have only to compare Cicero de
Senectute with st. Paul to see the glory
of Christian old age. Sin pardoned,
passion conquered, hope strengthened
and heaven at handl Just few more
strokes at the oar little more sea to
cleave with your breaking craft, and
many of you will be at home 1t is said
that Columbus, nearing the shores of
the new world, believed the story
which the waves and skies brought him
that land was not far away. Birds
came near and floated on the mild air
and at last perched upon the masts and
twittered their praise of the shore. Ber.
ries were seen in the sea and were
caught up from the waves and eaten by
the happy sailors. Land was nigh. This
is picture Of Christian old age. The
heavenly shores are near enough, so
that the rich fruits of the other world
are withins reach of the weary mariner
Angels of hope and benediction come to
the soul and flutter over the tired life
and ride home to land with the creak-
ing old ship. May God help us all to
such an old age as this!