Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-05-12

! great sheaf. and l call them up In your
memory with one loud harvest song,
such as the reapers sing Praise the
Lord. ye blood bought immortals on
earth Praise the Lord. ye crowned
spirits of heaven
But some Of you have not always had
a smooth life Some of you are now in
the shadow Others had their troubles
years ago; you are a mere wreck OF
what you once were. must gather up
the SORROWS Of your past life, but how
shall do itl You say that is impossi
BILE, as you have had so many troubles
and adversities Then | will just take
| two-the first trouble and the last trou-
ble AS when you are walking along
the street. and there has been music in
the distance. you unconsciously find
yourselves keeping step 10 the music, so
when you started life your very life
was musical time beat. The air was
full of JOY and hilarity; with the bright,
clear oar you made the boat skip You
went on, and life grew brighter until,
after awhile, suddenly a voice from
heaven said. Haiti" and quick as the
sunshine yo1 halted, you grew pale, you
confronted your first sorrow. You had
no idea that the flush on your child's
cheek was an unhealthy flush. You
said it cannot be anything serious
Death in slippered feet walked round
Gbout the cradle. You did not hear the
tread, but after awhile the truth flash
ed on you. You walked the floor. Oh,
if you could, with your strong, stout
hand. have wrenched that child from
the destroyer You went to your room
and You said; "God, save my child
God, save my childw The world SEEM
ed going ont in darkness. You said, Il
can't bear it, | can't bear it. " You felt
as If you could not put the long lashes
over the bright eyes. never TO see them
again sparkle If you could have taken
that little one in your arms and with
it leaped the grave, how gladly you
would have done itl If you could let
Your property 90. your houses 90, your
land and your storehouse 90, how glad
" you would have allowed them to de-
part if you could only have kept that
one treasured
Gods Consolation.
But one day there came mp a chill
blast that swept through the bedroom.
and instantly all the lights went out,
and there was darkness thick, murky'
impenetrable. shuddering darkness
But God did not leave you there. Mercy
spoke. As you took mp the bitter cup
10 put it to your lips God said, Let it
pass. " and forthwith, az 10y the hand
Of angels. another cup was put into
your hands IL was the cup Of God :
consolation. And as you have sometimes
lifted the head Of wounded soldier
and poured wine into his lips, so God
puts his left arm under your head and
with his right hand he pours into your
lips the wine of his comfort and his
consolation. and yen looked at the emp
tv cradle and looked at your broken
heart, and you looked at the Lord
chastisement. and you said, Even So
Father, for so it seemeth good in thy
sight.
Alb. it was your first trouble. How
did You get over it2 God comtorted
Won You have been better man ever
since. You have been better woman
ever since. In the Jar Of the closing
gate of the sepulcher you heard the
Changing Of the opening gate OF heaven
and YOU felt an irresistible drawing
beavenward. You have been spiritually
better ever since that night when the
little one for the last time put its arms
around your neck and said Good
night papa Good night mamma
Meet me in heayenV
But must come to yOur latest sor'
row What was itl Perhaps It was
sickness The child's tread on the stair
or the tick Of the watch on the stand
disturbed you Through the long weary
davs you counted the figures IN the
CARPET or the flowers in the wall paper
Oh the WEAKNESS Of exhaustion Oh.
the burning pangsl Would God 1t were
morningl Would God il were nlgntl
was your frequent cry But you are
2 better. or perhaps even well. Have you
thanked God that today you can come
p ont in the fresh air; that you are IN
your place TO near Gods name' and to
] sing Gods praise, and to implore God $
help. and to ask Gods forgiveness
Bless the Lord who healeth all our dis
eases and redeemeth our lives from de-
structionl
q Tears Wiped Away.
D perbons your last sorrow was finan-
! cial embarrassment. | congratulate
I some Of You on your lucrative protes'
sion or occupation, on ornate apparel
j on a commodious residence-eyerything
T Won put your hands on seems to turn tc
: gold But there are others Of you who
7 are like the ship on which Paul sailed
+ where two seas met, and you are bro
D ken by the violence Of the waves. by
i an unadyised Endorsement, or by con
/ iunetion of unforeseen events. or by hr'
r or storm. or a senseless panic. you have
e been flung headlong and where yor
D once dispensed great charities now yot
a have hard work to win your daily
; bread. Have you forgotten to THANH
t God for your days of prosperity. an(
IS that through your trials some OF yoV
have made investments which VIII con
tinue after the last bank of this worl(
, has exploded, and the silver and gol(
n are molten in the fires of burning
It world9 Have you. amid all your losse'
It and discouragements forgot that there
6 was bread on your table this morning
II and that there shall be a shelter tol
d vour head from the storm, and there Il
It air for your lungs, and blood for you
heart, and light for your eye. and I
II glad and glorious and triumphant reii
u gion for your soulr
e Perhaps your last trouble was a pc
3 reavement That heart which in child
e hood was your refuge the parenta
n heart. and which has been source o
p the quickest sympathy ever since ha
p suddenly become silent forever Ant
a ts. a