The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-08-06

iccuVn uncnanRehole. But you see that LIE
is ebbing 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. II Is toward evening.
You had considerable estate aud ielt in
dependent. In five minutes on one fair bal
ance shee, 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. A sudden crash OF
National misfortunes prostrated your credit.
You may to-day be going on In business, but
Won feel anxious about where you are stand
ing and fear that the next turning OF the
wheel will bring you PROSTATE. You foresee
what you consider certain defalcatiop. You
think OF the anguish OF telling your friends
you are not worth u dollar. You know not
how you will ever bring your children home
from school. You wonder how you will
stand the selling OF your library or the mov-
Ing into palmer house. The misiortunes
OF life have accumulated. You wonder what
makes the sky so dark. II IL toward even
ing.
Listen TO Paul's battle shout with misfor-
tune. Hark TO mounting Latimers fire song.
Look at the glory that has reft the dungeon
and filed the eatth aud heavens with the
crash OF the falling manaclcs OF despotism.
And then look nj 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 wis.
dom. Nothing can speak peace 10 the soul,
nothing can unstrap our crushing burdens,
nothing can overcome our spiritual foes,
nothing 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 nigh, at
Emmaus.
The words Of the text are pcrtinen, to us
AL, from the fact that we are nearing the
evening Of death. l have heard It said that
we ought 20 live rs though each moment
were TO be our last. | do not believe thnt
theory. As far as preparation Is 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 Ia selling goods. II is his bust.
ness to think OF the bargain he is making
When man is pleading in the courts. il Is
MS duty TO think OF the interests %. his
clients. When clerk is adding up his ac-
counts, It is his duty TO keep his mind uron
the column OF figures. He who ILLS up his
lie with thoughts OF death ia far from being
the highest style ot Christian | knew n
man who used To often say NJ night. II wish
might die before morning." He became an
inildcl
But there are times when we can and ought
10 give ourselves to the contemplation of
that solemn momcut when TO the soul time
ends and eternity begins. We must 10
through that one pass. There Is no round
about way. no bypath, no circuitous route.
Die we must; and II will te to Us a shameful
occurrence or a time Of admirable behavior.
Our friends may stretch out their hands 10
Keep us back, but no implorution on their
part can hinder us. They might offer large
retniners, but death would not take the fee.
Tho breath will fail aud 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 MI the house with the wailings OF
widowhocd and orphauage, does death mind
wceping2
This ought not TO be q depressing theme.
Who wants TO live here forever The world
has always treated me well. and every day
feel less and less like scolding ami complain
ing. But yet | would not want 10 make this
my eternal residence. | love TO watch the
clouds and lathe my soul in the blue sea Of
heaven, but | expect when tho ornament Is
rolled away rs a scroll to SEQ a now heaven,
grandcr, higher and more glorious. You
ought TO be willing TO exchange your body
~ has heStaches and sideaches aud weak
Doves, n. a. Tenor, Mljrru
1
ruptible body and an eye that .nks not be.
fore the jasper gates and the great white
throne. But be- sen thata this there Is an
hour about .ich no man should be- reckless
or foolhardy. l doubt not your courake. but
tell you that you will want something bet
ter than strong arm, n good aim and a
trusty sword when you come to your last
battle. You will need better robe than any
you have in your wardrobe 20 keep you
warm in that place
Circumstances do not make so much dii-
ference II may be- u bright day when you
push of the planet or IL may bp a dark
night and while She owl Is hooting from the
forest II may bs spring, and your soul may
90 out am0ug tho blossoms, apple orchards
swinging their censers in the way. II may
he winter and the earth In II snow shrOud.
1t may be autumn uni the forests set on fire
by the retreatinS vear-icai nature laid out
in state. II may be with your wic's hand IN
your hand, or you may be In u strange hotcI
with "A servant faithful 10 the last. II may be
in the rail train, shot of the switch and
tumbling In long rcycrD'rltion down
the embankment-'ra rash, crash! | know
not the time, | know not tho mode, but
the days of our life are being subtracted
away and we shall come down to the
time when we have but ten days left
then nine days. then eight days. then
seven days, six days, five days, four days,
three days, two days, ono day. Then hours
three hours, two hours, one hour. Then
only minutes eit-flve minutes, four min.
utes, three minutes,two minutes ,one minute.
Then only seconds leit-!our seconds. three
seconds. two seconds, one second. Gone!
The chapter OF life ended. The book closed.
The pulses a. rest. The feet through with
the Journey. The hands closed from all
work. No word on the lips. No breath in
the nostrils Hair combed back TO lie un.
disheyeled by any human hands. The mus
cles still. The nerves still. The lungs still.
The tongue still All still. You might put
the stethoscope to the breast and hear no
sound. You might put speaking trumpet
10 the ear but you could not wake the deaf.
ness. No motion, no throb, no life. Still
Sill!
SO death comes TO the disciplel What il
the sun Of life is about 10 set? Jesus Is the
day spring from on high. the perpetual morn.
ing OF every rnusomed spirit. What II the
darkness cOmrst Jesus is the light OF iEt
world aud OF heaven. What though this
earthly house does crumble? Jesus has pre-
pared a house OF many mansions. Jesus is
the anchor that always holds. Jesus is the
light that "a never ccipsed. Jesus II the
fOuntnin that Is mayer pNhuugtn1 Tagua IA