The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-10-11

The words of the text are pertinent to
| us all from the fact that we are nearing
the evening Of death | have heard it
said that we ought to live as though each
moment were TO be our last ! do not be-
| lievc that theory. As far as preparation
is concerned we OUGHT always TO he ready.
but we cannot always I've thinking Of
death. for we have duties in life that de
mand our attention.
When a man is selling Goods it is his
business to think Of the bargain he is
ma king: when man is pleading in the
courts. il is his duty to thinl; of the ip
terests of his clients; when a clerk is add
ing up accounts it is his duty to keep his
mind upon the column of figures. He who
fills IN his life with thoughts of death is
far from being the highest style Of Chris
tian. | knew man who used often to
say at night. 'T wish ! might die before
morning." He is now an ntidel
But there are times when we can and
ought to give ourselves to the contempla'
tion Of that solemn moment when 10 the
soul time ends and eternity begins. Wemust
20 through that one pass. There is no
roundabout way, no bypath, no circuitous
route. Die we must. and it will be to us
a shameful occurrence or time of admir-
able behavior. Our friends may stretch
out their hands to keep us back. but no
| 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 VIII 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 pictures?
You may fill the house with the wailings
of widowhood and orphRnage Does death
mind weepinCg
Listen to Paul's battle shout with mis-
| fortune, bark TO mounting Iatimer's fire
song; look at the glory that hath reft the
| dungeon and filled the earth and heavens
with the crash of the falling manacles of
despotsm and then look at those who
have tried TO cure themselves by human
| prescriptions, attempting TO heal gan
creme with patch Of court plaster and TO
/ stop the plague of dying empires with the
quackery of earthly wisdom. Nothing can
| speak peace to the soul, nothing can un
| strap our crushing burdens, nothing can
overcome our spiritual foes, nothing can
open our eyes to see the surrounding
horses and chariots of salvation that fill
all the mountains but the voice and com
mand OF Him who stopped one night at
Emmaus.
You ought to be willing to exchange
your body that has headaches and side
aches and weaknesses innumerable, that
iimps with the stone hruse or testers with
OF fcvers. for an incorruptible body and an
eye that blinks not before the jasper gates
and the great white throne But between
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 will want something better than
strong arm, good aim and trusty
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 diff
ference 1t may be bright day when you
push off from the planet, or it may be
dark night and while the owl is hootinq
from the forest. 1t may be spring, and
your soul may go out among the blossoms,
apple orchards swinging their censers in
the way. 1t may be winter and the earth
in a 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 wifes hand in your
hand, on you may be in strange hotel
with a servant faithful to the last. II
may be in the rail train, shot off the
switch and tumbling in long reyerberation
down the embanl.ment-cras crash!
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 nine 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-hve minutes, fou
minutes, three minutes, two minutes, one
minute. Then only seconds left-four sec
onds, three seconds, two seconds, one sec
ond. Gone! The chapter of life ended!
! The book closed! The pulses at rest! The
feet through with the journey! The
3 l. Ill 4
| the lips No breath in the nostrlls! Han
combed 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 steth
1scope to breast and hear no sound. You
might put a speaking trumpet to the ear
but you could not wake the deafness. Nc
motion. No throb. No life, Still! Still!
On earth with many OF you the evening
is the happiest part of the twenty-foui
hours You gather about the stand. You
! talk and laugh and sing. You recount the
| day. You plan for the morrow Nou
have games and repartees. Amid all the
! toll of the day 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 it is toward even
| ing. 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 ol
heaven. What though this earthly house
! does crumble? Jesus has prepared house
of many mansions. Jesus is the anchor
| that always holds Jesus is the fountain
! that is never exhausted. Jesus is the
evening star hung up amid the gloom ol
| the gathering night.
| You are almost through with the abuse
and backbiting of enemies. They will cal
! you no more by evil names. Your good
| deeds will not longer be misinterpreted OF
your honor flched. The troubles of earth
| will end in the felicities of heaven TO
ward evening! The bereavements of earth
will soon be lifted. You will not much
longer stand pouring your grief in the
tomb like Rachel weeping for her chill
dren 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 as
slumber to the eyelids of the babe, as full
rations to a starving soldier, as evening
hour to the exhausted workman. The sky
will take on its sunset glow, every clouG
fire psalm, every lake a glossy mirror
the forests transhgured, delicate misti
climbing the air. Your friends will an
nounce it, your pulses will beat it, youI
joys will ring it, your lips will whisper it.
Toward evening"