St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-09-26

INA 09oeo000o ana Wo0kno0o08 100umors
sple. that limps with the stone bruiss,
or Testers with the thorn, or flames ON
the funeral pyre Of fevers. for an incor.
ruptible body and m eye that blinks not
before the jasper gates and the great
white throne. But between that and
this thore Il an hour about which NO
m9p,ahopld b reckless or foolhsrdy.
I doubt not your courage, but I tell
yen thet ycR will want something bet
ttf til = staeos arm. good aim and
: trust (sord when You come to your
last battle. You will need . better
robe tAaneny you have in your ward
robe to keep yOu warm in that place.
Circumstances do not make 20 much
difference. 1t may be . bright day
when you push of from the planet, or
1t may be dark night and while the
owl Is hooting from the forest. II
may be spring. and your soul may 70
out among the blossoms, apple or.
chards swinging their censers in
tho way. 1t may b winter
and the earth In snow shroud.
1t may DO autumn, and the forests
set on fre by tho retresting year;
dead nature laid out In state. It may
DO with your wife's hand in your hand.
or you may be ina strange hotel with .
servant faithful to the last. It may DO
In the rail train, shot OF the switch
and tumbling in long reverberation
down the embankment-crash! crashi
know not. the timc;l know not the mode;
but the days Of our life are being sub.
tracted away and we shall come down
to the time when we have but ten
days left. then nine days, then eight
days. thcn seven days. six days, Ave
days. four days, three days, two days,
one day. Then hours; three hours.
two hours. ono hour. Then only
minutes left; i've minutes, four
minutes, three minutes, two min
utes, ono minute. Then only sec
onds left; four seconds. three sec
onds, two seconds, one second. Gone!
The chapter of life ended! The book
closedl The pulses at restl The feet
through with the journey! The hands
closed from all work. No word on the
lips. No breath in tho nostrils. Hair
combed back to lie undisheveled by
any human hands Tho muscles
still The nerves still The lungs still.
The tongue still All still You might
put the stethoscope to tho breast and
hear no sound. You might put . speak
trumpet to the ear, but you could not
wake the deafness. No motion; no
throb; no life. Still! Still!
So death comes to the disciple! What
II the sun Of life 10 about to set? Jesus
is the day-spring from on high; the
perpetual morning of every ransomed
spirit What II the darkness comes?
Jesus 10 the light of the
world and Of Heaven. What though
this earthly house does crumble! Jesus
has prepared a house Of many man
sions. Jesus is tho anchor that al
ways holds. Jesus is the light
that Is never cclipsed. Jesus is the
fountain that is never exhausted.
Jesus is the evening star. hung up
amid the gloom Of tho gathering
night!
You are almost through with tho
abuse aud back biting 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 felici.
ties! Toward EVENING" The bereave.
ments of earth will soon DO
lifted. You will not much longer
stand pouring 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. Sorrows terminated. No more
sounding Of the dead march! Toward
evening. Death will como, sweet
as slumber to the eyelids of
the babe, as full rations to
starving soldier, as evening hour
to the exhausted workman. Tho
sky will take on its sunset glow, every
cloud fire-psalm, every lake CLASSY
mirror; tho forests transfgured; deli
cate mists climbing the air. Your
friends will announce It; your pulses
will beat ii; your joys will ring it;
your lips will whisper it: Toward
EVENING""