The weekly intelligencer., 1900-10-13
EVENINGS SHADOWS.
Dr.. Talmage's Comforting Words
to Those in Declining Years.
Helpful Thoughts suEEested by the
Invitation 20 Christ Go Abide
overnight in an Orient
al village.


courses upon the imitation given TO
Christ TO stay over night in the oriental
village and makes some eonsolaiory
suggestions. The text is Luke "a. ss;
"Abide with US, for it is toward even
ing"
TwoTillagers, having concluded their
errand in Jerusalem have started out
at the city gate and are on their way |
TO Emmaus, the place of their resi-
dence. They go with sad heart
Jesus, who had been their admiration |
and their joy, had been basely massa-
cred and entombed. As with sad face
and broken heart they pass on their
way 4 stranger accosts them. They
tell Him their anxieties and bitterness
OF soul. He in turn talks to them,
nightly expounding the Scriptures. He
throws over them the fascination Of in
telligent conversation. They forgot the
time and notice not the objects they
pass, and before they are aware have
come up in front of their house. They
pause before the entrance and attempt
TO persuade the stranger to tarry with
them. They press upon Him their hos
pitalities. Night is coming on and He
may meet a prowling wild beast or be
obliged to lie unsheltered from the
dew. He cannot 90 much farther now.
Why not stop there and continue their
pleasant conversation? They take Him
by the arm. and they insist upon His
coming in, addressing Him in the
words; abide with US, for 1t is toward
evening" The lamps are lighted, the
table is spread, pleasant soeiabilities
are enkindled. They rejoice in the pres
ence Of the stranger guest. He asks
a blessing upon the bread they eat, and
He hands q piece 10 each. Suddenly,
and with overwhelming power. the
thought flashes upon the astonished
people II Is the Lord. And as they sit
in breathless wonder, looking upon the
resurrected body OF Jesus, He vanished.
The interview ended. He was gone.
With many OF us Il is a bright, sun
shiny day of prosperity. There is not
cloud in the sky, not a leaf rustling
In the forest. No chill in the air. But
we cannot expect all this to last. He
Il not an intelligent man who expects
perpetual daylight Of JOY. The sun
will after awhile near the horizon. The
shadows will lengthen. While speak
many OF Us stand In the very hour de-
scribed in the text: For II is toward
evening" The request of the text
is appropriate for some in every com
munity. For with them It is toward
the evening Of old age. They have
passed the meridian Of life. They are
sometimes startled 10 think how old
they are. They do not, however, like
others to remark upon it. II others
suggest their approximation toward
venerable appearance, they say; "Why,
I'm not so old after ALL" They do in
deed notice that they cannot lift quite
a. much as once. They cannot walk
quite 80 fast. They cannot read quite
30 well without speetacles. They can
not so easily recover from a cough oil
any occasional ailment. They have lost
their taste for merriment. They ar,
surprised at the quick passage Of tn,
year. They say that 1t only seems bui
little while ago that they were boys
ms. az soins ii''is uo"n mn -
n. 'nii.s ~ '".n nsai,n' 'oni' ~ IN
= ,As ,'Jn, - .As.
..,s % n,. ~ me-. Ia :.
- S.S .e",h,. | 80 '',,s,,. .o-s
rirS thsA th,t a, /. toward evsn;no
m. gre.t want n, all spch is to bsv
J..p. sbid. with them II IL a dism.
,hino ~ he setting ola wi,hout IN. rs
iuvsna,ing IN suenc. ~ religion Wbs,
, -. .ton on the down grade of life an
,.s that n aims to The verge Of the col
,5v.r w. want to b.bold some ons ne,
4 who viii b,Ip n, asros, n WHEN ~
.,gbt lose, i,.nower ~ glanoe and g.,l
,rup w, need the faith that can iIluu
} IN. when wa feel the failure NJ m
ear ~. need IN. clear tones ~ ,hs
vo,cs witch IN oldsn ,imsx hroLs nm ~
silence Of the deaf with cadences :
mercy when tbe axmen ~ de.tb bs,
/, aowr wbols forest, of ,trsngth an
h,.ptv around N. and ". are le9t In so
find. w, n.ed the dovs NJ divine m.rc
:. IN sing an our branches when N
II shadow. be0in 10 fail and we feel IN,
n the d.v 1, FAR spent we need most ,
ali 70 sunnlicate IN. bene6eient les,
i ip IN. praver Of the villagers, "Abid
With us for a IL toward evening"
IT. ,., =, ,h. -, -
.,.,. .roIaa,,o,, o. nj ha.a -,
= an-o.ohina ,ha oioanv ~,
..atation Th.ra e. uothion .,,,
,han ,o h. GOOD ns,nr.d wbsn ev.r,
.h,. oi.ass A. 10 hnrhIa -,
= 49, q. no,hina % n,G o. .ora;
= ,. - 80. e.. na, h.d. - assaIs,.
n, or honest when we have no Undue
y. ment 70 fraud But Won have felt n
e. 1rapple Of some temptation. Your n
u ture NJ some time ouaked and 0roan,
or under the internal force. You felt IN
"a the devil was after YOU. You sa
" your Christian graces retreating. W
: feared that you would fail In the a,
"a full vrsstle with sin and be throw
! into the dust. The gloom thickene
The hrst indications Of the night we
to seen. In all the trembling Of your sol
ic IN all the internal suggestions Of sata
10 In all the surginR up Of tumultuoi
g passions and excitements. you felt wi
u awful emphasis that It was towai
+. evening. In the tempted hour you ne,
:, . 10 ask Jesus to abide with you. "
ID can beat back the monster that wou
dsyour. You can unhorse the sin tb
iy would ride you down. You can sharp'
the battiesx with which you split Il
a. head Of helmeted abomination, WI
helped Paul shake the brazen gat
heart of Felix? Who acted like 90,
,ailor whom all the crew bowled In 4
o Mediterranean shipwreek? Who help
The martyrs 10 be firm when ore wo