Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-08-01


The utmost nursing and medical at
tendance are Intellectual. The pulse be-
comes feeble. the complexion lighter.
the step weaker, the laugh fainter. No
more romping for that one through hall
and parlor The nursery is darkcncd by
an approaching calamity. The heart
feels with mournful anticipation that
the sun is going down. Night speeds
on. Ii is toward evening.
You have long rejoiced i'll the care of
a mother. You have done everything to
make her last days happy. You have
run with quick feet to wait upon her
every want. Her presence has been a
perpetual blessing i'll the household.
But the fruit gatherers are looking visit
fully at that tree. Her soul is ripe for
heaven. The gates are ready to flash
open for her entrance. But your soul
sinks at the thought of separation.
You cannot bear 10 think that soon you
will be called to take the last look ut
that face which from the first hour has
looked upon you with affection I'M
changeablc. But you see that life is ebb-
ing and the grave will soon hide her
from your sight. You sit quiet. You
feel heavy hearted. The light is fading
from the sky. The air is chill, 1t is to-
ward evening.
You had q considerable estate and felt
independent. In five minutes on one fair
balance sheet you could see just how
you stood in the world. But there came
complications Something that you
imagined impossible happened. The
best friend you had proved traitor TO
your interest. 4 sudden crash of nation
al misfortunes Frustrated your credit.
You may today be going on i'll business,
but you feel anxious about where you
are standing and fear that the next
turning OF the wheel will bring You
PROSTATE. You foresee what you con-
slider certain defalcation. You think of
the anguish of telling your friends you
are not worth dollar. You know not
how you will ever bring your children
home from school. You wonder how
you will stand the selling of your libra
~ or the moving into "a palmer house.
The misfortunes of life have accumulat-
ed You wonder what makes the sky so
dark. IL is toward evening.
sweetening the Cup.
Trouble is an apothecary that mixes
a great many drafts bitter and sour
and nauseous, and you must drink some
one of them. Trouble puts up great
many packs, and you must carry some
one of them. There is no sandal so thick
and we'll adjusted but some thorn will
strike through il. There is no sound SO
sweet but the undertaker's screwdriver
CRATES through it. In this swift shuttle
of the human heart some of the threads
mu st break. The journey from Jerusa-
lem To Emmaus will soon be ended.
Our Bible, our common sense. our OBJ
servation, reiterate in tones that we can
not mistake and ought not to disregard.
II is toward evening.
Oh, then. for Jesus TO abide with us!
He swectens the cup. He extracts the
thorn. He wipes the tear. He bushes
the tempest. He soothes the soul that
flies TO him for shelter. Let the night
swoop and the euroclydon cross the sea.
Let the thunders roar. Soon all will be
well. Christ in the ship 30 soothe his
| friends. Christ on the sea TO stop its tu-
multi. Christ i'll the grave to scatter the
darkness. Christ in the heavens to lead
the way. Blessed all such. His arms
will inclose them. his grace comfort
them, his light cheer them. his sacrifice
free them. his glory cnchant them. II
earthly estate takes wings, he will be
an incorruptiblc treasure. If friends die,
he will be their resurrection. Standing
with us in the morning of our joy and
in the MONDAY of our prosperity, he
will not forsakc us when the luster has
faded and it is toward evening.
Listen to Paul's battle shout with
misfortune. Hark to mounting Lati-
mer's fire song Look AT the glory that
has reft the dungeon and filled the earth
and heavens with the crash of the fall
ing manacles of despotism. And then
look at those who have tried to cure
themselves by human prescriptions, at
tempting TO heal gangrene with patch
of court plaster and TO stop the plague
of dying empires with the quackery of
earthly wisdom. Nothing can speak
peace TO the soul, nothing can unstrap
our crushing burdens. nothing can over
come our spiritual foes, nothing can
open our eyes TO see the surrounding
horses and chariots Of salvation that fill
all the mountains, but the voice and
command of him who stopped one night
Mt Emmaus.
The words of the text are pertinent
TO us all. from the fact that we are
nearing the evening of death. / have
heard it said that we ought to live as
though each moment We're TO be our
last. do not believe that theory. As
far as preparation is concerned, we
ought always to be ready; but we can
not always be thinking of death, for we
have duties in life that demand our at.
tention. When man is selling goods, it
is his business TO think of the bargain
he is making. When man is pleading
in the courts, it is his duty TO think of
the interests of his clients. When "A
clerk is adding up his accounts, it is his
duty to keep his mind upon the column
of figures. He who fills up his life with
thoughts of death is far from being the
highest style of Christian. | knew a
man who used to often say at night, II
wish l might die before morning. He
became an infidel.
From Time to Eternity.
But there are times when we can and
ought TO give ourselves 10 the contem-
plation of that solemn moment when 10
the soul time ends and eternity begins
We must go through that one pass
There is no roundabout way, no bypa,h,
no circuitous route. Die we must; and
IL will be to US n shameful occurrence
or n time of admirable behavior Our
friends may stretch out their hands 10
keep us back, but no imploration on
their part can hinder us. They might
offer large retainers. but death would
not take the fee The breath will fail,
and the eyes will close. and the heart
will stop. You may hang the couch
with gorgeous tapestry. but what does
death care for beautiful curtains? You
may hang the room with the finest
works of art, but what does death care
for pictures: You may fill the house
with the wailings of widowhood and
orphanage; does death mind weeping?
This ought not to be depressing
theme. Who wants to live here forever?