The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-10-17

4
hing to make her last days happy.
You have run with quick feet to wait
rpoa her every want. Her presence
ass been a perpetual blessing in the
household. But the fruit gatherers
arc looking wistfully at that tree.
Her soul is ripe for heaven. The gates
are ready to fash open for her entrance.
But your soul shriuks at the thought
Of SCI a7ation. You caunot bare to
think that soon you will be called to
take the last look at that face when
from the first hour has locked upon
YOU with Affection unchsngea0ie. nl'
YOU see that life is eobiog anc the
crave will soon hide ycu from your
s;sbt You sit quiet. iru feel heavy
bsa-tpd The light is fading from the
str the air is chill 1t is toward eve
Trouble is an apothecary that mixes
great many drafts, bitter and sour and
nauseous, and You must drink some
one Of them. Trouble puts up great
many packs, aud you must carry one
Of them. There is % scandal SO thick
and we'll adjust but some thorn will
strike through it. There is no sound
so sweet but the unier;aker's screw
driver CRATES through it. IN this
swift shuttle Of the heart some of the
threads must break. The journey from
Jerusalem to Emmaus will soon be
ended. Oar Bible, our common
sense, our observation, reiterate IN
tones that We canuot mistake and
ought not to disregard, it is toward
evening
On, then, for Jesus TO abide with Us
He sweetens the cup. He extracts
the thorn. He wipes the tear. He
bushes the tempest. Fl. soothes the
soul that flies to him for shelter. Let
the night ssoop and the Euroclydon
toss the seas. Let the thunders roll.
Soon all will be we'll Christ in the
ship to soothe his friends. Christ on
the sea to stop its tumut. Christ in
the grave to scatter the darkness.
Christ IN the heavens to lead the way.
BlessedaIl such. His arms will enclose
them, his grsce comfort them, his
light cheer them, his sacrifice free
them, his glory enchant them: Il
earthly estste take wings, he will be
an incorruptible treasure. If friends
die, he will be their resurrection:
Shading with us in the morning Of
cur JOY and in the noonday Of our
prosperity, he will not iorsake US when
the lustec has faded and it is toward
evening.
The words of the text are pertinent
tous all from the fact that We are near
ing the evening Of death. l have
heard it said that We ought to live as
though each moment was to be our
last. | do not believe that theory.
| As far as preparation is concerned, VIC
ought always to be ready. But We
cannot always be thinking Of death, for
we have duties in life that demsnd our
attention. When man is selling
goods, is his business to think of the
bargain he is m4kipg. When man
is pleading in the courts, it is his duty
TO think Of the interests Of his clients.
When clerk is adding up accounts, it
is MS duty to keep his mind upon his
figures. he who i,ls up his life with
thoughts # death IS far from being
the highest style Of Christian. knew
a man who used often to say at night,
u wish l might die b-fcre moIning!'
He is now an in6del. Bat there are
iines when We can and ought to give
ourselves to the contemplation Of that
solemn moment when to the soul time
ends and eternity begins. We must
90 through that one pass. There is no
roundabout way, DO hypath, no ciTcui-
tous route. Die we must, and it will
be to US a shameful occurauco or a
time os admirable behavior Our
friends may stretch out lheir hands to
keep Us back, bat no imploration on
their part can hinder Us. They might
offer large retain ors, but death would
not sccep, the fee. The breath will
fail, and the eyes will close, and the
heart will sop. You may hang the
couch with gorgeous tapestry, but
what does death care for bed curtains?
You may hang the room with the finest
works of art, but what does death care
for pictures? You may 6ll the house
with the wailiDgs of a Widowhood and
orpnanage-does desth mind weeping?
This ought not to be depressing
theme. Who wants to live here for.
ever? The world has always treated
ne we'll, and every day feel less and
less like scolding and complaining, but
yet | Sould not want to make this my
eternal residence. love to watch the
clouds and bathe my soul in the blue
sea of heaven, but / expect when the
armament is rolled away as scroll to
see new heaven, grader, higher and
more glorious. You ought to be will
irg to exchange your body that has
headaches aud side aches and weak
nesses iRnumerable. that limps with
the stone bruise or testers with the
thorn or flames on the funeral pyre of
fevers, for an incorruptib)e body and
al eye that bliuks not before the jasper
gates and the great white throne. But
betEeen that and this there is az hour
about which 20 man should be reckless
or foolhardy. l doubt not your cour-
sge, but | tell you that you will want
something better than strong arm, a
coed aim ard a rusty sword when you
come to your last battle You will need
a better robe than any you have in your
wardrobe to keep you warm in that
place.
Circumstances do not make SO much
difference. 1t may be bright day when
you push Of from the plante orit may
be dark night and while the owl is boot
| inn from he fnrnst Il may he snrin nc