South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1896-08-06

sepoing and the grave will Soon hide her
rom your sight. You Ait quiet. You feel
seavy hearted. The Ileht Il fxdinS from the
skv. The air Is chill. It is toward evening.
lou bad considerable estate and felt In
dependent. In ave minutes on one fair bal
ance sheet you could see just how you stood
IN tue world. But there came complications.
Something that you imagined impossible
hannensd Tho best friend Won had proved
traitor to your interest. A sudden crash Of
National misfortunes prostratct your credit.
You may to-day be going on in ousi ness. but
YOU feel anxious about whore you are stGtds
ING ana Tear that the next turning OF the
wheel viii bring yor PROSTATE. You foreses
what you consider certain dcfaication. VOC
think OF the anguish OF telling yotf friends
YOU are not worth dollar. You know not
now you will ever bring your children home
from school. You wonder how Won will
stand the selling OF your library or the NOV
ing into palmer house. TIE misfortunes
OF lire have accumulated. You wonder what
ing. NeA
Trouble is an apothccary that mixes a
greaf many drafts bitter aud sour and
nauseous, and you must drink some one OF
tnem. Trouble puts up great many packs,
ana you must carry some one OF them
mere is no snnjal so thick and well ad-
lssted but some thorn viii strike through Il.
lnere Is no sound SO sweet BIT The UNDER
takers screwdriver CRATES through ~ III shis
swift shuttle OF the human heart some OF the
threads must break. The journey from
Jerusalem to Emmaus Will soon be ended.
Our d bic. our common sense. our observa-
iion. reterate In tones that We cannot mis-
axe and ought not to disregard. II is to-
ward evening
Oh. then, for Jesusto abide with us! He
sweetens the cup. He extrncts the thorn He
wipes the tear. He hnshes the tempest. He
sootnas tho soul that hies TO Him for shelter
Let the night swoop and tho enroclvdon
cross the sea. Let tho thunder roar. Soon
an Will be well. Christ In the ship to soothe
HIS frtends: Christ on the sea to stop its
tumuh- Christ In the grave to scatter the
darkness. Christ in the heavens 10 lead the
way. Blessed all such. His arms will en-.
close them, His grace comfort them. His
light cheer them, His Sacrifices free them. HE
glory enchant them. III earthly estate fakes
wings He will be nm incorruptible treasure,
u friends die. He will be their resurrection.
standing with Us in the morning Of our Joy
ana In the MONDAY of our prosperity. He
Will not forsake us when the luster has faded
and 1t is toward evening
Listen to Pau's battle shout with misfor-
rune. Hark to mounting Latimer'- fire song.
LOOK MT the glory that has reft the dungeon
and filled the earth and heavens with the
crash OF the falling manaces OF despotism.
And then look at those who have tried to
cure themselves by human prescriptions. at
tempting to heal gangfene with patch 90
court plaster aud to stop tlie plague OF dying
empires with the quackery of earthly wis.
1om. Nothing can speak peace to the soul.
notnlng can upstrap our crushing burdens.
nothing can overcome our spiritual foes
nothiug can open our eyes to see the sur
rounding horses and charlots OF salvation
that I'LL all the mountains. but the voice and
Command Of Him who stopped one night ar
Emmkus.
The words Of the text are pertinent Il rs
all. from the fact that we are nearing the
evening OF death. have heard II said that
we ought 20 live as though each moment
were to be our last. do not believe that
theory. As far as preparation 10 concerned,
we ought always to be- ready; but we cannot
always be thinking OF death, for we have
duties in life that demand our attention.
When man is selling goods. II Is his bust
ness TO think of the bargain hu is making
When man is pleading in tho courts. il is
his duty to think Of the Interests OF his
clients. When a clerk is adding up his ac-
counts, 1t is his duty to keep his mind uron
the column OIL figures. he who fills up his
Ifo with thoughts OF death ic far from being
the highest style OF Christian. I knew
nan who used 10 often say ny night. II wish
might die before mofaingrs Hebecame an
infldel
But there are times when we can and ought
TO give ourselves TO the contemplation OF
that solemn moment when TO tho soul Tine
ends and eternity begins. We must 20
through that one pass There Is no round
about way, no 0ypath, no oircuit0us route.
Die we must; and IL will be TO Us n shameful
occurrence or n time OF admir- abie behavior.
Our friends may stretch out their hands 10
keep us back, but no importation on thoir
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
eouch with gorgeous tapestry. but what does
death care for beautiful eurtaine2 You may
hang the room with the finest works Of ART
but what does death care for pictures2 You
may III the house with the wailIngs OF
wsdowhood and orphansge:does death mind
weeping?
This ought not to be q depressing theme.
Who wants TO live here forever? The world
has always treated me well. and every day I
feel less and less ike scoiding an complain
ing Bot yet would not want q, make this
my eternal residence / love to watch tho
clouds aud battle my soul In the bus sea OF
heaven. but expect when The armament Is
rolled away as q scroll to see a new heaven
grancer, higher and moro glorious You
ought to be willing to exchanges your body
that has hea1aches AMI sideaohes and weak
ness inDumera5le, that tmps with the stone
Druise or Testers with the thorn or flames
en- the funeral pyre OF fsvers for an lncor-
rupueie body aud an eye that bifnks not be-
tOre the jasper gates and the great white
throne: But betwcen that.and this there is an
hour about which no man should be reckless
p foolhardy. doubt not your courage. bur
tell You that you will want something bet
,erthnn strong arm, n good aim aud n
.rasty sword when yoa come to your last
battle You will need better robe than any
Ton have ia your wardrobe to keep you
warm ia that place.
Circumstances 10 not make 50 much diff
orence. IL may be a bright day when you
push on the planet, or II may be a dark
night and while .he owl is hooting from the
forest. IL may bs spring, aud your soul may
% out among tho blossoms, apple orchards
s~ipging their nsers "a taO way. u inay
9e winter and the earth In n snow shroud.
II may be autumn AMI the forests set on DIRE
oY the retreating year--iead nature laid out
IN state. II may be with your w,fe's haul Ia
your hand. OF you may be- IN sirange hotel
with servant faithful 10 the last II may De-
in toe rail train, shot on the switch and
iumbling ia long revorbsra.ion DOM
The embankuant --efaah. crashi I knOw
NOT The time, L know not the mode, but
he days % our life ara being suutraetrd
away and We shall come down 90 the
time when VIC have bat ten DAYS LEFT.
then nins days, then eight duys. then
seven dnys, six dayF, Hge day. four days.
three hours, two hours. one hour. Then
only minutes ieii--iys m 'nutes, four min.
utes. three minutes, two minutes one minnie.
Then only ssconds lelt--four sesouda fhrss
seconds. two seconds. one second. Gone
the chapter Of Ife ended. TIE book oi0ssd
rhe pulses ~ rest The feet through With
the journey. The bands closet from 90
wors. No word on the iips. No breath IN
the nosirilF. Hair cofnbcd back 20 lis M
disheveled by auy human hands. The mus.
cies stu. The nerves stiH. The lungs sliN
The tongue still AT 81 ". You might puf
tne stetbO3cope 20 the breast aud hear nc
sound. lou might pui speHking frumye
20 the car. but you c0uil not wake tbs deaf.
ness No motion, no throb, no liie. Sill