The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-09-19
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
rME NOTED DIvINES SUNDAY
DISCOURSE.
Subject: s'The Glow OF Sunset"

eltano In Jerusalem, nave started ont at the
city gate and are on their way, to Emmaus,
sad heart Jesus, who had been their ad-
miration and their Joy. had been basely
massacred and entombed. As, with sad face
and broken heart, they pass on their way a
stranger accosts them. They tell Him their
anxieties and bitterness of soul. He in turn
talks to them, nightly expounding the
Scriptures. He throws over them the fascina-
ton OF intelligent conversation. They for
get the time and notice not the objects they
pass, and before they are aware have como
up In front OF their house. They pause be-
fore the entrance and attempt to persuade
the stranger 10 tarry with them. They press
upon Hin their hospitslities Night Ia coming
on, and He may meet a prowlink wild beast
or be obliged to lie unsheftered from the
dew. He cannot go much farther now. Why
not stop there and continue their pleasant
conversation? They take Him by the arm,
and they insist upon His coming In, address,
ing Him in the words, "Abide with US, for 1t
Is toward evening"
The candles arc lighted; the table is spread;
pleasant socialities are enkindled. They re-
| joice- in the presence OF the stranger guest.
He asks blessing upon the bread they eat,
and He hands piece Of 1t TO each. Suddenly
| and with overwhelming power the thought
flashes upon the astonshed people-it is the
Lord! And as they sit in breathless wonder,
looking upon the resurrected body of Jesus,
He vanished. The interview ended, He was
| gone.
With many Of us it is bright, sunshiny
day OF prosperity. There is not cloud in
the sky; not a leaf rustling in the forest; no
chill In the air. But we cannot expect all
this to last. He is not an intelligent man
who expects perpetual daylight of Joy. The
sun will after awhile near the horizon. The
shadows will lengtheD. While Ispeak many
of US stand in the very hour described in the
text, "for it is toward evening"" The re-
quest OF the text Is appropriate for some be-
| fore me, for with them it is toward the even
| ing Of old age. They have passed the meridian
| OF life. They are sometimes startled to think
how old they are. They do not ,howeys liketo
have others remark upon it. If others sug-
gest their approximation toward venerable
appearance, they say, ''Why, I'm not SO old,
after ALL" They DO. indeed, notice that they
cannot lift quite so much as once. They
cannot walk quite so fast. They cannot
read quite so well without spectacles. They
cannot so easily recover from cough or
any occasional ailment. They have lost
their taste for merriment. They are sur
prised at the quick passage of the year.
They say that it only seems little while ago
that they were boys. They are going a little
down hill. There is something in their
health, ,mething in their vision, something
in their walk, something in their changing
HSSOclhtiOnS, SOutlutuS dUON6, sOuicIniuE
beneath, something within, to remind them
that it is toward evening.
The great want of all such is to have Jesus
| abide with them. 1t Is a dismal thing to be
getting old without the rejuvenating infu-
eDce of religion. When we stepon the down
grade of life and see that it dips to the verge
OF the cold river, we want to behold some
one near who will help US across 1t. When
the sight loses its power TO glance and gather
up, we need the faith that can illuminate.
When we feel the failure of the ear, we need
the clear tones OF that voice which in olden
times broke up the silence of the deaf with
cadence of mercy. When the axmen of
death hew down whole forests of strength
and beauty around us and we are left in soli-
tude, We need the dove of divine mercy to
sing In our branches. When the shadows
begin to fall and we feel that the day is far
spent, we need most Of all to supplicate the
strong beneficent Jesus In the prayer of the
villagers, abide with US, for 1t is toward
evening""
The request Of the text is an appropriate
exclamation for all those who are approached
in the gloomy hour of temptation. There Is
nothing easier than to be good natured when
everything pleases, or to be humble when
:here is nothing to oppose US. or forgiving
when we have not been assailed, or honest
when we have no inducement to fraud. But
you have felt the grapple OF some tempta-
ttOu. AOuI uatuIo AZ SOue IlIuo QuakcQ ana
groaned under the internal force. You felt
that the devil was after you. You saw your
Christian graces retreating. You feared
that you would fall in the awful wrestle with
sin and be thrown into the dust. The gloom
thickened. The first indications of the night
were seen In all the trembling of your soul,
in all the internal suggestions of Satan, in
all the surging up of tumultuous passions
and excitements. You felt with awful en-
.phasis that it was toward evening. In the
tempted hour you need to ask Jesus TO
abide with you. You can beat back the mon
ster that would devour you. You can I'M
horse the sin that would ride you down.
You can sharpen the battleax with which
you split the head of helmeted abomination.
Who helped Paul shake the brazen gated
heart of Felix? Who acted like good sailor
when all the crew howled in the Mediter-
ranean shipwreck?. Who helped the martyrs
to be firm when one word of recanta-
ton would have unfastened the wiibes of
the stake and put out the kindlin8 fre2 When
the night OF the soul came on and all the
denizens OF darkness came riding upon the
winds OF perdition who gave strength to the
soulf Who gave oaimness to the heart?
Who broke the spell of internal enchant-
ment? He who heard the request Of the VII
layers, abide With US, for It Is toward even
ing"
One Of the forts of France was attacked,
aud the outworks were taken before night.
The besieging army lay down. thinking there
was but little to do in the morning, and that
the soldiery in the fort could be easily made
to surrender. But during the night, through
back stairs, they escaped into the country.
In the morning the besiegng army sprang
upon the battlements, but found that their
prey was gone. So. when we are assaulted
In temptation, there is always some secret
stair by which we might get of. God will
not allow US to be tempted above what we
are able. but with every temptation will
bring way of escape that we may be able to
bear ii.
The prayer of the text is appropriate for
all who are anticipating sorrow The great
est folly that ever grew on. this planet is the
tendency to borrow trouble, but there are
times when approaching sorrow Is so evident
that we need to be making special prepara-
ton for its coming.
One of your children has lately become a
favorite. The cry Of that child strikes deep
or into the heart than the cry of all the 9th
ers. You think more about it. You give il
more attention, not because 1t is any more of
treasure than the others, but because it is
becoming frail. There rs something in the
cheek, in the eye and In the walk that makes
you quite sure that the leaves Of the flower
are going to be scattered. The utmost nurs-
ing and medical attendance are Intellectual.
The pulse becomes feeble. the complexion
lighter, the step weaker, the laugh fainter.
No more romping for that one through hall
and parlor. The nursery is darkened by an
approaching calamity. The heart feels with
mournful anticipation that the sun is going
down. Night speeds on. 1t Is toward even
Ing.
Won ha va lopo ra;nicad In tho ooro 80 n