The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-08-12
AT THE CLOSE OF DAY.
The GOSPEL OF GOOD CHEER FOR
TIE sORROWlNG.

Rev Or. T.lmtSe Draws vivid Pictures OF
the Lenetheuing Shnduss OF When
Time Ends aud Eternity Eegin. Tie
Light OF Christ.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2. DR.. Tai
mage's subject today lights up tie sor-
rows of this life and sounds the COS.
pei OF good cheer for all who will re
ceiye it. His text was Luke xxiq, 90,
Abide with US, for it is toward eren
inc"
Two Villagers, having concluded
their errand in Jerusalem, having
started out at the city gate and are on
their way 10 Emmau2, the place Of
their residence. They go with sad
heart. Jesus, who had been their :td-
miration and their Joy, had been base,
ly massacred and entombed. AS with
sad face and broken heart they pass on
their way, i stranger accoSts them.
They tell him their anyieties and bit
terness of soul. He in turn talks to
them, nightly expounding the Scrip
lures. He throws over them the fas
cination Of intelligent conversation.
They forget the time and notice not
the objects they pass and before they
are aware have come up in front Of
their house They pause before the
entrance and attempt to persuade the
stranger 10 tarry with them. They
press upon him their hcspitalities.
Night is coming on, and he may meet
a prowling wild beast Or be obliged to
lie unsheltered from the dew. He
cannot 60 much farther now. Why
not stop here and continue their pleas
ant conversation? They take him by
the arm and they insist upon his COM
ing in. addressing him in these words.
ABIDE with us for II is toward even
ing"
The candles are lighted, the table is
spread, pleasant socialities are enkin-
died. They rejoice in the presence
Of the stranger guest. He asks bless
ing upon the bread they eat, and he
hands piece Of it to each. Suddenly
and with overwhelming power the
thought flashes upon the astonished
people-it is the Lord And as they
sit in breathless wonder, looking upon
the resurrected body of Jesus, he van
ished. Their interview ended He was
gone.
With many OF us it is bright, sun
shiny day OF prosperity. There is not
cloud in the sky, not 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 set after awhile near the horizon.
The shadows will lengthen. While
speak, many of us stand in the very
hour described in the text, 'for it is
toward evening" The request of the
text is appropriate for some before me.
For with them it is toward the even
ing CT old age. They have passed the
meridian OF life. They are sometimes
startled to think how old they are.
They do not. however, like to have
others remark upon it. If others sug-
gest their approximation toward ven
erable appearance, they say, why,
I'm not so old after all" They do, in.
deed, notice that they cannot lift quite
so much at once. They cannot walk
quite so fast. They cannot read quite
So well without spectacles. They can,
not so easily recover from . cou ugh or
any occasional ailment. They have
lost their taste for merriment. They
are surprised at the quick passage Of
the year. They say that it only seems
q little while ago that they were boys.
They are going little down hill !.
There is something in their health,
something in their vision, something
in their walk, something in their
changing associations. something
above, something beneath, something
within, to remind them that it IS to-
ward evening.
The great want of all such is to have
Jesus abide with them. 1t is disma
thing to be getting old without the re
iuvenating influence of religion.
When we step Oh the down grade OF
life and see that il dips to the verge OF
the cold river, we want to behold
some one near who will help us
across it. When the sight loses it:
power to- glance and gather up, We
need the faith that can illumine,
When we feel the failure of the ear
we need the clear tones of that voice
which in olden times broke up the 81
lence of the deaf with cadence of mer
cg. When the aXmen Of death heg
down whole forests of strength anc
beauty around US and we are left il
solitude, we need the dove Of divine
mercy to sing 10 our branches. Wter
the shadows begin to fall and we fee
that the dav is far spent, we need mos
of all to supplicate the strong, beneh
Gent Jesus in the prayer of the villag
ers, abide with US, for it is toward
evening" ;"
The request OF the text is an appro
pirate exclamation for all those wht
are approached in the gloomy hour o
temptation. There is nothing easle,
LuaN W DC SOOu AaLuIcQ WuCi CfCly
thing pleases, or to be humble when
there is nothing to oppose us, forglv
ing when we have not been assailed
or honest when we have no induce
ment to fraud. But you have felt thu
grapple OF some temptation. You
nature at scme time quaked ant
groaned under the Internal force. Yol
felt that the devil was after you. Iol
saw your Christian graces retreating
You feared that you would fail in th'
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 sa
tan, in allthe surging up OF tumultu
Gus passions and excitements, you fel
with awful emphasis that 1t was to
| ward evening. In the tempted lou
you need to ask Jesus to abide witt
you. You can beat back the monste
that would devour you. You can un
horse the sin that would ride you
lew, No,, GOV, ebo,,,o,, tho ho # loo