The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-01-13
DIR. TAI4MAGE's SERMON
The Eminent Divine's SUNDAY
Discourse.

Subject: "Dlnsrent Modes or Measuring
the Flight OF Tfne"-Life Should Not
BE Wholly q Span OF Years-The Curse
of wealth-The True Gauge.
TEXT: How old art thoua"-Genesis
xlvii., 8.
The Egyptian capital was tho focus of
the worlds wealth. In ships and barges
'frankincense and cinnamon and ivory and
diamonds; from the north, marble and
iron; from Syria, purple and silk; from
Greece. some OF the finest horses OF the
lots. and from all the earth that which
could best please the eye and charm the
ear and crafty the taste. There were tenn
pies ahame with red sandstone, entered by
the gateways that were guarded by pillars
bewildering with hieroglyphics and wound
with brazen serpents and adorned with
winged creatures, their eyes and beaks
and pintons glitterlng with precious stones;
there were marble columns blooming into
white flower beds; there were stone pillars,
Mt the top bursting into the shape Of the
lotus when in full bloom.
Along the avenues, lined with sphinx
and fame and obellsk. there were princes
who came In gsrgsously upholstered
let or elsewhere drawn by vehicles, the
snow-white horses, golden-bitted and
six abreast, dashinR at fun run. On Soors
OF mosaic the gioriss OF Pharaoh were
beryl and flame. There were ornaments
twisted from the wood Of tamar1sk. en-
bossed with silver breaking into foam.
There were footstools made out Of single
out of crouchsd lion In bronze. There
were chairs spotted with the sleek hides OF
leopards. There we're sofas footed with
the claws OF wild beasts and armed with
the beaks OF birds. AS you stand on the
level beach OF the sea on summer day
and look either way, and there are miles
OF breakers, white with the ocean foam,
dashing shoreward, so It seemed rs II the
sea of the worlds pomp and wealth in the
Egyptian capital for miles and miles flung
itself up Into white breakers of marble
temple mausoleum and obelisk.
1t was to this capital and tho palace OF
Pharaoh that jacob, the plain shepherd
came to meet his son Joseph, who had be-
ment Pharaoh and Jacob met, dignity
and rusticity the gracefnlness OF the court
and the plain manners OF the field. The
king, wanting to make the old country man
at ease and seeing how white his beard Is
and how feeble his step, looks familiarly
into his face and says to the aged man,
"How old art thou?"
On New Years night the gate OF eternity
opened to let In amid the great throng OF
departed centuries the soul of the dying
year Under the twelfth stroke Of the
brazen hammer OF the city clock the
patriarch fell dead, and the stars. Of the
night were the IunerAl tOrCl8S. 1t lS m OSt
fortunate that on this road OF life there are
so many miiestones, on which we can read
just how fast we are going toward the
journeys end. l feel that ii is not an In
appropriate question that l ask to-day
when / look into your faces and say, as
Pharaoh did 10 Jacob, the patriarch, "How
old art thou?"
People who are truthful on every other
subject lie about their ages, so that I do
not solicit from you any literal response 20
ln hnu mel lynH -N,rlI ,Nt,t, Va,
one under temptation, but I simply want
this morning to SEQ by what rod 1t is we
are measuring our earthly existence. There
is u right way and wrong way OF measur-
ing door, or q wall. or an arch, or u tower
and so there is 4 right way and wrong
way OF measuring our earthly existence.
1t is with reference to this higher meaning
that confront you this morning with the
stupendous question OF the text and ask
"How old art thou?"
There are many who estimate their life
by mere worldly qualification. When Lord
Dunias was wished a Happy New Year. he
said, i. Will to bo happier year than
tho past, for l hadn't one happy moment
in all the twelve months that have gone.'
But that has not been the experience OF
most of us. We have found that though
the world is blasted with sin it is very
bright and beautiful place to reside in
We have had joys innumerable. There is
no hostility between tho gospel and the
merriments and the festivities OF life. do
not think that we fully enough appreciate
the worldly pleasures God gives us. When
you recount your njoymentS you do not
go back to the time when you were an In.
FAINT in your mothers arms, looking up into
the heaven OF her smile; to those davs when
you filed the house with the upronr OF bois
ferrous merriment; when you shouted as
YOU pitched the ball on the playground
when on tho cold, sharp winter night
muified up. on skates YOU shot out over the
resounding ice OF the pond? Have you for
gotten all those good days that the Lord
gave you? We're you never u boy? Were
YOU never girl? Between those times and
this how many mercies the Lord has be
slowed upon you! How many joys have
breathed up to you from the flowers and
shone down to You from the stars and
chanted to you with the voice of soaring
bird and tumbling cascade and booming
sea and thunders that with bavonets Of fire
charged down the m ountain side! JOY! JOY
Joy! If there Is any one who las right tC
the enjoyments OF the world. 1t Is thu
Chris tian, for God has given him lease o
everything in the promise. CAN are yours.
But have to tell you that a man who esti
mates his life on earth by mere worldly
qualification is most unwise man. Oul
life is not to be game Of chess. It Is not
Il dance in lighted hall, to quick music. II
is not the froth OF an ale pitcher. 1t Is no,
the settings OF a wine cup. 1t Is not a ban
<>guet, With intoxication and roisterinR. II
is tie first step on ladder that mounts In
to the skies or the first step on road thai
plunges into a horrible abyss. "How old
art thou?" Toward what destiny are YOU
tending and how fast are you getting Oh
toward 1t?
Again, remark that there are many VIII,
estimate their life on earth by their sor
rows and misfortunes. Through grea
many of your lives the plow-sbare hatl
gone very deep, turning up terrible fur
row. You have been betrayed and mis-
represented, and set upon, and slapped o
impertinence, and pounded OF misfortune