The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-11-15
EVENINGS SHADOWS,
DR.. Talmage's Comforting Words
to Those in Declining Years.
Helpful Thoughts Suggested by the
Invitation to Christ to Abide
Overnight In an Orient
nj village.
Copyright, 1900, by Louis Klopsch.1
WaShinUfnn

copyright, 1900, by Louis Klopsch1
Washington,
In this sermon DR.. Talmage dis
courses upon the invitation given to
Christ to stay over night in the oriental |
village and makes some consolatory |
suggestions. The text is Luke "a, 30: I
abide with US, for it is toward even
ing"
Two villagers, 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 a 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
ttlligent 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 prowling wild beast or be
obliged to lie unsheltered from the
dew. He cannot go 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: "Abhle with US, for it is toward
evening" The lamps are lighted, the
table is spread, pleasant sociabilities
are enkindled. They rejoice in the pres
enee of the stranger guest. He asks
blessing upon the bread they eat. and
He hands piece to each. Suddenly,
and with overwhelming power, the
thought flashes upon the astonished
people it 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 u it is bright, sun
shiny day of prosperity. There is not
a cloud in the sky, not leaf rustling
in the forest. No chill in the air. But
we cannot expect all this to last. He
is not an intelligent man who expects
perpetual daylight of JOY. The sun
| will after awhile near the horizon. The
shadows will lengthen. While I speak
many of US stand in the very hour de-
scribed in the text: "For it 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 to think how old
they are. They do not, however, like
others to remark upon it. If 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
as much as once. They cannot walk
quite so fast. They cannot read quite
SO well without spectacles. They can
not SO easily recover from a cough OF
any occasional ailment. They have lost
/ their taste for merriment. They are
| surprised at the quick passage of the
year. They say that it only seems but
q little while ago that they were boys
They are going little down hill. There
is something in their health, something
in their vision, something in their
walk, something in their changing as.
sociations, something above, some.
thing beneath, something within to re-
mind them that it is toward evening.
i The great want Of all such is to have
Jesus abide with them. It is disma
thing to be getting old without the re
juvenating influence of religion. Wher
we stop on the down grade Of life ant
sec that it dips to the verge Of the colo
river, we want to behold some one nea,
who will help us across it. When tn.
sight Loses its power to glance and gath
er up, we need the faith that can illum
inc. When we feel the failure of tn,
ear, we need the clear tones Of tha
|. voice which in olden times broke up tn,
silence of the deaf with cadences O
mercy. When the axmen of death hev
down whole forests of strength ant
; beauty around us and we are left in sol
itude, we need the dove Of divine mere,
!. to sing in our branches. When tn
shadows begin to fall and we feel tina
the day is far spent, we need most Q
all to supplicate the benefcient Jesu
in the prayer Of the villagers: "Abid
with US. for it is toward evening"
The request of the text is an appre
pirate exclamation for all those VIII
are approaching the gloomy hour Q
temptation. There is nothing easie
than to be good natured when every
thing pleases or to be humble whe
there is nothing to puff us up or forgi,
ing when we have not been assailet
or honest when we have no Undue,
ment to fraud. But you have felt th
? grapple of some temptation. Your n,
ture at some time quaked and groane
under the Internal force. You felt ths
. the devil was after you. You sa
I your Christian graces retreating. 70
!, feared that you would fail in the az
full wrestle with sin and be throw