Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-10-13

when clerk Is adding up accounts, l,
Is his duty to keep his mind upon the
column of figures. He who fills up his
life with thoughts OF death Is far from
being the highest style Of Christian.
knew man who used often to say al
night. II wish might die before morn
ingw He is now an infdel. But there
are times 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 20 through that one pass. There
is no roundabout way, no bypath, nc
circuitOus route Die we must, and II
will be to us a shameful occurrence or
a time Of admirable behavior. Our
friends may stretch out their hands to
keep us back, but 70 imploration on
their part can hinder us. They might
offer large retainers. but death would
not take the fee. The breath will fail,
and the eyes will close, and the heart
will stop. 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 pic
turesi You may oil the house with the
wallings of widowhood and orphanage.
Does death mind weeping?
This ought not to be depressing
theme. Who wants to live here forev-
err The world has always treated me
we'll, and every day feel less and less
like scoldlng and complaining. But yet
l would not want to make this my
eternal residence. love to watch the
clouds and to bathe my soul In the blue
sea Of heaven, but I expect when the
armament Is rolled away as a scroll to
see new heaven. grander, higher and
more glorious. You ought to be willing
to exchange your body that has head
aches and sideaches and weaknesses
innumerable, that limps with the stone
brulse or testers with the thorn or
flames on the funeral pyre OF fevers,
for an incorruptible body and an eye
that blinks not before tho jasper gates
and the great whlto throne. But be-
tween that and this there is an hour
about which no man should be reckless
or foolhardy. doubt not your courage
but tell you that you VIII want some
thing better than strong arm. good
aim and a trusty sword when you
come to your last battle. You will
need a better roDe than any you have
In your wardrobe to keep you warm In
that place.
Shortening Days.
circumstances do not make so much
difference. It may be bright day when
you push of from the planet, or It may
be dark night and while the owl Is
hooting from the forest II may be
spring, and your soul may go out
among the blossoms. apple orchards
swinging their censers In the way. II
may be winter and tho earth In snow
shroud 1t may be autumn and the
forests set on fire by the retreating
year-dead nature laid out In state. 1t
may be with your wife's hand IN your
hand, or you may be In strange hotel,
with servant faithful to the last 1t
may be In the rail train, shot off the
switch and tumbling In long reyerbera-
tion down the embankment-crash.
crashl know not the time, know
not the 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 nhe days,
then eight days, then seven days, six
days, five days, four days, three days, |
two days, one day. Then hours-three
hours, two hours, one hour Then only |
minutes left-five minutes, four min
utes, three minutes, two minutes, one
minute. Then only seconds left--four
seconds, three seconds. two seconds,
one second. Gone! The chapter Of
life ended. The book closed! The
pulses at rest! The feet through with
the journey! The hands closed from
all work! No word on the lips! No
breath In the nostrlls! Hair oombed
back to lie undisheveled by any human
hands. The muscles still. The nerves
still. The lungs still. The tongue still.
All still. You might put the stethoscope
to breast and hear no sound. You might
put a speaking trumpet to the ear, but
you could not wake the deafness. No
motion. No throb. No life. Still Still!
The Happiest Hour.
On earth with many Of you the even
ing is the happiest part Of the "a hours.
You gather about the stand. You talk
and laugh and sing. You recount the
day. You plan for the morrow. You
have games and repartees. Amid all
the toll OF the dag that is the goal for
which you run, and as you take out
your watch or look at the descending
sun you thrill with the thought that 1t
is toward evening. So death comes to
the disciple. What If the sun Of life Is
about to set? Jesus Is the dayspring
from on high. the perpetual morning OF
every ransomed spirit. What If the
darkness comes? Jesus Is the light of
the world and of heaven. What though
this earthly house does crumble? Je-
sus has prepared house Of many
mansions. Jesus Is the anchor that al
ways holds. Jesus Is the fountain that
II never exhausted. Jesus is the even
Ing star hung up amid the gloom Of the
gathering night.
You are almost through with the
abuse and backbiting Of enemies. They
will GU you no more by evil names.
Your good deeds will not longer be mis-
or your honor flched. The
troubles Of earth will end In the felici-
lies Of heaven Toward evening. The
bereavsments Of earth will soon be
lifted. You will not much longer stand
pouring your grief In the tomb like Ra-
,hel weeping for her children or David
mourning for Absalom. Broken hearts
bound up. Wounds healed. Tears
wiped away. Sorrows terminated. No
more sounding Of the dead march. To
ward evening. Death will come, sweet