Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-05-31

Gee, but he went away very early. Lo
preached himself into the grave. Has
Robert McCheyne's sun set? Is Robert
McCheyne's day ended? Oh, mol His
dying delirium was filled with prayer,
and when he lifted his hand to pro-
nounce theebenediction upon his family
and the benediction upon his country he
seemed to say: ~ cannot die now. I
want to live ON and on. l want to start
an influence for the church that will
never cease. am only 80 years of age.
Sun Of my Christian ministry, stand still
over Scotland - And it stood still
The Dead Hero.
But it is time for Joshua to go home.
He is ITO years old. Washington went
down the Potomac, and at Mount Yer
non closed his days. Wellington died
peacefully at Apsley House. Now, where
shall Joshua rest? Why, he is to have
his greatest battle now. After 40 years
he has to meet king who has more
subjects than all the present population
of the earth, his throne pyramid of
skulls, his parterre the g1aveyards and
the cemeteries of the world, his chariot
the worlds hearse-the king Of .terrors
But if this is Joshua's greatest battle it
is going to be Joshua's greatest victory
He gathers his friends around him and
gives his valedictOry, and it is full of
Renaissance. Young men tell what they
are going to do. Old men tell what they
have done.
And as you have heard grandfather
OF great grandfather, seated by the
evening fire, tell of Monmouth or York
town and then lift the crutch or staff as
though it were a musket to fight and
show how the old battles were won, so
Joshua gathers his friends around his
dying couch, and he tells them the story
of what he has been through, and as he
lies there, his white locks showing
down on his wrinkled forehead Won
der if God has kept his promise all the
way through-the promise Of the text
AS he lies there he tells the story one,
two or three times-you have heard old
people tell story two or three times
overland he answers: Il 20 the way
of all the earth, and not one word of
the promise has failed, not one word
thereof has failed. All has come to
pass not one word thereof has failed.
And then he turns to his family, as
dying parent will, and says: CHOOSE
now whom you will serve-the God of
Israel or the God of the Amorites. AS
for me and my house, we will serve the
Lord" A dying parent cannot be reck-
less or thoughtless in regard to his chill
dren. Consent to part with them at the
door of the tomb we cannot By the
cradle in which their infancy was rock
ed, by the bosom on which they first
lay. by the blood of the Covenant, by
the God of Joshua, it shall not be. We
will not part We cannot part. Jehovah
Jireh, we take thee at thy promise, Il
will be a God to thee and thy seed after
thee"
Dead, the old chieftain must be laid
out. Handle him very gently. That sa-
cred body is over 10 years of age. Lay
him out. Stretch out those feet that
walked dry shod the parted Jordan.
Close those lips which helped blow the
blast at which the walls of Jericho fell.
Fold the arm that lifted the spear to-
ward the doomed city of Al. Fold it
right over the heart that exulted when
the five kings fell But where shall we
get the FURNISHED granite for the head
stone and the footstone? l bethink my
self now. l imagine that for the head it
shall be the sun that stood still upon
Gideon, and for the foot the moon that
stood still in the valley of Ajalon.