The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-08-13

must; and it viii be to us shameful
occurrence or a time Of admirable be-
$hayior. Our friends may stretch out
their slp hands to keep us back, but no inn
ploratlon or their part can hinder us.
eEhey might offer large retainers, but
death would not cake the fee. The
breath will fail, and the eyes will close,
and l the heart will stop. You may
hang the couch with gorgeous tapestry,
put what death care for beautiful cur
talns You may hang the room with
the finest works Of art, but what does
death care for pitures? You NAV fill
the house with the wailings of widow
hood and orphanage; does death mind
weeping? I'LL
This ought not to be depressing
theme Who wants to live here for
ever? The world has always treated
me well, and every day feel less and
less like scolding and complaining.
But yet would not want to make this
my eternal residence. love to watch
the clouds, and battle my soul in the
blue sea of heaven; but expect when
the armament is rolled away as a
scroll to see a new heaven, grander,
higher and more glorious. You ought
TO be willing to exchange your body
that has headaches and sideaches and
Weaknesses innumerable, that limps
with the stone bruise, OF testers with
the thorn, or flames on the funeral
pyre of fevers, for an incorruptible
body and an eye that blinks not before
the Jasper gates and the great white
throne. But between that and this
there is an hour about which no man
should be reckless or foolhardy.
doubt not your coura &c, but [ tell you
that you will want something better
than a strong arm, a good aim and
IlTlsty sword when you come to your
last battle. You will need a better
rope than any you have in your ward
robe to keep you warm in that place.
circumstances do not make so much
difference. It may be bright day when
you push off from the planet, or it may
be a dark night and while the owl is
hooting from the forest. 1t may be
spring, and your soul may 20 out
among the blossoms, apple orchards
swinging their censefs in the way It
may be winter and the earth in a
snow shroud.@ It may be in autumn,
and the forests set on fire by the re-
treating year; dead nature laid out in
state. 1t may be with your wife's
hand in your hand, or you may be in
strange hotel with servant faithful
to the last. It may be in the rail train,
shot off the switch and tumbling in
long reverberation down the embank-
ment-crash! crash! I know not the
time; know not the mode; but the
days of our life are being subtracted
away and we shall come down to the
time when have but ten days left, then
nine days, then eight days, then seven
days, six day, five days, four days,
three days, two days, one day. Then
hours; three hours, two hours, one
hour. Then only minutes left; five
minutes, four minutes, three minutes,
two minutes, one minute. Then only
seconds left; four seconds, three sec
onds, two seconds, one Second Gone!
The chapter of life ended! The book
closed! The pulses at rest! The feet
through with the journey! The hands
closed from all work. No word on the
lips. No breath in the nostrils Hair
combed back to lie undisheveled by
any human hands. The muscles still.
The nerves still The lungs still. The
tongue still. All still. You might put
the stethoscope to the breast and hear
no sound. You might put a speaking
trumpet to the ear, but you could not
wake the deafness. No motion; no
throb of life. Still! still!
So death comes to the disciple! What
If the sun of life is about to set? Jesus
is the day-spring from on high; the per-
petual morning of every ransomed
spirit. What if the darkness comes?
Jesus is the light of the world and Of
heaven What though this earthly
house does crumble! Jesus has pre-
pared house of many mansions. Je-
sus is the anchor that always holds
Jesus is the light that is never eclipsed.
Jesus is the fountain that is never ex-
hausted. Jesus is the evening star,
hung up amid the gloom Of the gath
ering night!
You are almost through with the
abuse and backbiting of enemies. They
will call you no more by evil names.
Your good deeds will no longer be mis-
interpreted nor your honor filched.
The troubles of earth will end in the
felicitiesi Toward evening! The be-
reavements Of earth will soon be lifted.
You will not much longer stand pour
ing your grief in the tomb, like Rachel
weeping for her children or David
mourning for Absalom. Broken hearts
bound up. Wounds healed. Tears
wiped away. Sorrow terminated. No
more sounding of the dead march!
Toward evening. Death will come,
sweet as slumber to the eyelids Of the
babe, as full rations to a starving sol
der, as evening hour to the exhausted
workman. The sky will take on it's
sunset glow, every cloud fire-psalm,
every lake a CLASSY mirror; the forests
TRANSPORTED; delicate mists, climbing
the air. Your friends will announce it;
your pulses will beat it; your joys will
ring it; your lips will whisper it,
Toward evening" 81.
"a DOGS sAGACrTY.