Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-12-11
would he for vouf


all Christendon. What an awful thing II
would be for you'll
dying century, 10 beaueath to the COM
ing century, as yet innocent end unscarred
with single sin or burdened with single
sorrow, the blasphemy, the lswlessneSs, tho
ATHEISM, the prohigacy and the woes OF great
cities still unevanRelized. What we ought TO
sse, . dying century, is a revival of religion
that would wrap the continents in confagra-
lions OF religious awakening, and that would
make legislation and merchandise and all
styles OF worldly business wait awhile at the
telegraph offices and the telephone offices
because they are occupied with telling the
story OF cities and Nations born IN day.
Nearly all the centuries closed with some
thing tremendous. Why may not this century
close In tho salvation Of America? l do not
know whether our theological friends, who
| have studied the subject more than l have,
are right or wrong when they say Christ
will come in person to set up His kingdom
in this world; but though we would be over
whelmed with our unworthine5s | would like
TO SEQ Christ descend from heaven In one OF
the clouds OF this morning, and planting His
feet on this Garth, which He came centuries
ago to save, declare His reign of love and
mercy and salvation on earth begun. And
what more appropriate piace--I say it rev.
erentlally-for such divine landing than
| the capital OF continent never cursed by
the tyrannies and supersiiticls OF the Old
World2
What has this dying nineteenth century to
tell us before he goes? We ali love to hear
septuagenarians, octogenarians, nonagenar-
ians aud centenarians talk. We gather
around the armchair and listen till 1t Is far
on into the night and never weary Of hear
ing theii experiences. utLord Lyndhurst.
~ afr offzhf 70 la
ears OF the House Of Lords in four hours
address the experiences of lifetime, end
Apcilonius, at 100 years OF age, recounting
his travels to thrilled listeners, and Charles
Macklin, at lot years OF age, absorbing the
attention of his hearers, and Ralph Farnham
of our country, at 1O7 years. telling the
Prince Of Wales the story Of Bunker HILL can
create no such interest as this dying centen-
arlan II be- will only speak.
Tell US, 0 nineteenth century, before
you 80 in q score Of sentences, some Of the
things you have heard AMI seen. The
veteran turns upon us and gays; ~ saw
Thomas Jefferson riding in unattended
from Monticello, only few steps from
where you stand, dismount from his horse
and hitcd the b-die to post, and Gu yon-
der hill take the oath OF the presidential
office. l saw yonder capital ablazs with
wars incendarism. / SAW the puff Of the
first steam engine in America. l heard the
thunders OF Waterloo, of Sepastopol and
Sedan and Gettysburg. | was present att
all the coronations Of the kings and queens
and emperors and expresses now In the
worlds palaces. [ have seen two pillows
roll across this continent and from ocean
10 ocean, billow OF revival JOY In 1857
and billow Of blood in 1854. L have seen
four generations of the human race march
across this worll and disappear. 1 saw
their cradles rocked and their graves dug,
have heard the wedding bells and the
death knels CT near a hundred years. I
have c'appsd my hands for millions of Joys
and wrung them in millions OF agonies. [
saw Macready and Edwin Forrest act and
Edward Payson pray. / heard the first
chime Of I.ongfellow's rhythms, and before
anyone else SAW therl read the first line of
Bancrofts history AMI the first verse OF
Bryant's "ThapatopsIs" and the first word oil
Victor Hugo's almost supernatural rol.Incel
heard the music of all the grand marchel
and the lament OF all the requiems that for
nigh ten decades made the cathedral wine
dows shake. | have seen more moral and
spiritual Victories than all OF my predecesl
sors put together. For all you who hear or
read this valedietory I have kindled all the
domestic frssides by which you ever sat and
reused all the haloos and roundeIays and
rolled all the pictured sunsets and starry
banners OF the midnight heavens that you
have ever gazsd at But ere 1 go take this
admonition and benediction of dying GEN.
fury. The. longest life, like mine, must
close. Opportunities gone never come back,
as l could prove from nigh hundred years
OF observation. Tho eternity that will soon
take me will soon take you. The wicked
live not out half their days, az have seen
in 1000 instances.
The only influence for making the world
happy is an influence that /, the nineteenth
century. inherited from the first century of |
the Christian era--the Christ Of ali the CEN
turtles. Be not deceived by the fact that |
have lived 50 long, for century Is a large
wheel hat turns 100 smaller wheels. which |
are the years. and each one of thoss years |
turns 365 smaller wheels, which are the days, |
and each one OF the 365 days turns "a smaller |
wheels, which are the hours, each one OF |
those "a hours turns 60 smaller wheels. which |
are the minutes, and those 60 minutes turn
still smaller wheels, which are tho seconds.
And all OF this vast machinery is in perpetual |
motion and pushes US on aud on toward the |
great eternity whose doors will, at IL O'Clock
OF the winter night between the year 1900
and the year 1901 open before me. the dying
century. quote from the three inscriptions
over three doors OF the cathedral OF Milan.
Over one door, amid q wreath or scuiptured
roses. read ''All that which pleases US is
but for a moment" Over another door,
around a sculptured cross, read. "Al that
which troubles US is but for a moment" But
over the central door, read, THAT only is
important which is eternal" o eternity,
eternity, eternity!
NV hearers, AS the nineteenth century was
porn while the face of this Nation was yet
wet with tears because Of the fatal horseback
'iGe that Washington took ont here mt Mount
Vernon through a December snowstorm,
wish the next century might be born at a
ime when the face OF this Nation shall be
vet with the tears OF the literal or spiritual
arrival of the Great Deliverer Of Nations, Of
whom st. John wrote with apocaIyptio pen,
And saw, and behold white horse! And
lie that sat on Him had Il bow, and a crown
va= given unto Him, and He went forth