The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1900-10-19

ENIN.G SHADOWS.
STalif,age Comforting Words 70
Those In DecIarlng Years. n
49, .--- - -. : 4 (. Ss. NJ.
!. Ct EKNAL a RESTING PLACE.
! SHeipfui Thoughts Suggested
's by the Invitation TO Abide
overnightlnan an orien-
s8S5:s tai Village.
ETERNAL RESTING PLACE,

Christ to stay overnight IN tho oriental
village and makes somo consolatory
suggestions. The toxt is Luke xiv,
5S29, Abide with US, for it is toward
evening"
Two villagers, having concluded
their errand in Jerusalem, nave started
out at the oity cato and are on thoil
way to Emmaus, tho plaoo Of thoir resi-
denoo. They 60 with q sad heart.
Jesus, who had boon their admiration
/ and their Joy, had boon basely massa,
ored and ontombcd AS with sad face
and brokon heart thoy pass on their
way stranger aecosts them. They
tell him their anxieties and bitterness
Of soul. He in turn talks to thom,
nightly expounding tho Scriptures
Y He throws over thom the fascination OF
Intelligent oonvorsation. They forget
the timo aud notioo not tho objoots
thoy pass and before they arc aware
hare como up in front Of their house.
4 They pause before the entrance and
attempt to persuade tho stranger to
tarry with them. They pross upon him
their hospitalities. Night is coming
on, and no may meet prowling wild
beast or DC obliged to lio unsheltorod
from the dew. Ho cannot go much
farther now. Why not stop there and
continue their pleasant oonvoraation? {?
They take him by the arm. and they
insist upon his coming in, addressing
him in the words abide with us, for
it is toward ovoning." The lamps arc
lighted, tho table is spread, pleasant
Booialitios arc enkindlcd. Thoy ro-
joioo in the presonco Of tho stranger
guest. He asks a blessing upon tho
bread thsT eat, and he hands u picoo Of
it to each. Suddenly and with over
whelmine power tho thought nashos
upon the astounded peoplo-it is the
Lord And as they sit in breathlcss
wonder, looking upon tho rcsurrcctod
body of jesus, he vanished. Tho in,
teryiew onded. He was gono.
With many Of US it Is bright, sun
shiny dav of prosperity. There is not
cloud in the sky, not leaf rustling
in tho forest. No chill in the air. But
we cannot oxpaot all this to last. Flo
is not an Intelligent man who expects
s perpetual daylight Of Joy. The sun
will after awhile near the horizon. The
shadows will lengthen. While speak
\ many Of us stand in tho worry hour do
soribed in tho text, 'For it is toward
evening" The request of tho text il
appropriate for como in every com
munity For with them it is toward
the evening Of old ago. They h.vt
passed the meridian Of lifo.J Yhey arr
they aro. they as ss!S. however, @ likt Ike
others to remark upon it. If other,
Y suggest thoir approximation toward
venerable y, appearance, they say, "Why
+. I'm not 80 old after all" They do in
decd notice that they cannot quito az
!. much as oace. tS, They cannot. walk quite
+ so fast. They oanpot read Quito 81
we'll without speotaolcs. Thoy canno
80 easily recover from cough or an,
\ occasional ailment. Thoy have los
their taste for merrimont They art
surprised at the quick passage Of Tho
K year. They say that it only seems bu
9 little while ago that they were boys
They arc going littlo down hill.
There is something in their health,
something in their vision, something in
their walk, something in their chang.
Ing associations, something above.
something beneath, something within
to remind them that it is toward even.
ing.
The great want Of ell suoh is to have
Jesus abido with thom. 1t is dismal
thing to. be getting old without the re-
1uvenating influence Of religion. When
Wo stop on Tho down grade Of life and
SEQ that it dips to the verge Of the cold
river, we want to behold s0mo one near
who will help us across it. When the
hght ioses its power to glanco and
gather up, @o neod the faith that can
illumine. Whom wo fool tho failure Of
the ear, we need the oloar tones of that
voice which in olden tiulos broke IN
tho silence of tho deaf with cadonoes
OF mercy. Whom tho axmen Of death
hew down whole forests Of strength and
beauty around us and We are loft in
solitude, wo need tho dovo divine mercy
to sing in our branches. When tho
shadows begin to fall and wo feel that
tho day ls lar spent, wo mood most of
ell to eupplioate tho boncfoiont Jesus
in tho prayer of tho villagers, "Abido
with us, for it is toward evening"
Whom tho night Of tho soul camo on
and all tho denizons Of darknos came
riding upon tho winds of pcrdi,ion, who
gave strength to tho aoul2 Who gavo
calmness to tho heart? Who broke the
spell of internal onohantmon,2 He
who heard the request OF tho villagers,
Abide with US, for it is toward even.
ing" Ono Of the forts Of Franco was
attacked and the outwolls wcro taken
before night. Tho bosicging army lsy
down. thinking there was but littio to
do in tho morning and that the soldicry
in tho fort could DO easily made TO sur.
render. But during the night, through
back stairs, they escaped into the
country. In the morning tho bcsieg-
ing army sprang upon tho battlements,
but found that their proy was gone.
80 when we are assaulted by tempta
tion, there is always somo secret stair
by which wo might get of. God will
not allow us to be tempted above what
we are ablo, but with ovory temptation
Will bring q way Of escape that wo may
y be ablo to bear it.
The prayer Of tho text is appropriate
for ell who arc anticipating sorrow.
Tho greatest folly ever known on tho
earth ig the tondoncy to borrow trou.
bio. But thoro arc timos whom ap.
y proaohing sorrow is so evident that wo
need to 20 making special preparations
for it's coming. Ono Of your ohildron
has latoly become favorito. Tho cry
OF that child strikoa dooper into tho
heart than the ory of all the othors.
Ynn th}nk ,nora oho,,t - 81 W.. :.