Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-10-13
THICKENING GLOOM.
GROWING OLD WITHOUT RELIGION A
DISMAL PROSPECT.
DIR. TalmnRe Offers Consoling sug-
gestions 10 Those Who Have Pass
ed Life's Meridian-Jesus Briwhtens
tho shadows of Evening.

ed Life's Meridian-Jesus Briwhtens
tho shadows of Evening.
WASHINGTON, Oct. Tin this sermon
DR.. Talmage discourses upon the invi-
tation given to Christ to stay overnight
In the oriental village and makes som0
consolatory suggestions. The text is
Luke xiv, 20, abide with us. for 1t Is
toward evening"
Two villagers. having concluded their
errsnd In Jerusalem, have started out
ut the city gate and are on their way
to Emmaus. the place Of their resi-.
denca They 60 with a sad heart Je-
sus. 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 stranger aceosts them. They
tell him their anxieties and bitterness
Of soul He in turn talks to them,
nightly expoundlng the Scriptures.
Hs throws over them the fascination
| OF intelligent conversation- They for
| get the time and notice not the objects
they pass and before they are aware
have como up In front Of their house.
They pause before the entrance and at
tempt to persuade the stranger to tar
~ with them. They press upon him
their hospitallties. Night Is coming on,
and he may meet a prowling wild
beast or be obliged to be unsheltered
from the dew. He cannot 60 much far
ther now. Why not stop there and
continue their pleasant conversationf ?
They take him by tho 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
socialities are enhindled. They re-
joice In the presence Of the stranger
guest He asks a blessing upon the
bread they eat, and he hands piece
Of II TO each. Suddenly and with over
whelmlng power the thought flashes
upon the astounded people-!t ls the
Lord! And as they slt In breathlsss
wonder, looking upon the resurrected
body of Jesus. he vanished. The In.
terview ended. lie was gone.
On tho Down Grade of Life.
With many OF us 1t Is a bright sun
shiny day Of prosperity. There Is not
q 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 speak |
many Of us stand In the very hour de-
scribed in the text. For 1t Is toward |
evening" The request of the text Is |
appropriate for some In every commu-
nifty, for with them It Is toward the |
evening of old age. They have passed |
the meridian of life. They are some
times startled to think how old the. /
are. They do not, however. like others
to remark upon IT, If others suggest
their approximation toward venerable
appearance, they say, why, am not
SO old after ALL" They do, indeed no
tice that they cannot lift quite as much
as once; they cannot walk quite so
fast; they cannot read quite 80 well
without spectacles; they cannot so cas-
lily recover from cough or any occa-
slonal ailment; they have lost their
taste for merriment; they are surprised
at the quick passage Of the year, they
say that 1t only seems but little while
ago that they were boys; they are go
ing a little down hill; there is some
thing in their health, something In
their vision, something In their walk,
something In their changing associa-
tions, something above, something be-
meath, something within to remind
them that 1t Is toward evening
The great want Of all such is to have
Jesus abide with them. 1t Is dismal
thing to be getting old without the re-
juvenatlng influence Of religion. When
we stop OIL the down grade Of life and
see that It dips to the verge Of the cold
river, we want to behold some one
near who will help us across 1t. When
the sight loses Its power to glance and
gather up. we need the faith that can
illumine, When we feel the failure Of
the ear. we need the clear tones Of that
voice which In olden times broke up
the silence Of the deaf with cadences
of mercy. When the axmen Of death
hew down whole forests Of strength
and beauty around US and we are left
in solitude, we need the dove Of divine
mercy to sing in our branches. When
the shadows begin to fall and we feel
that the day ls far spent, we need
most Of all to supplicate the beneficent
Jesus In the prayer Of the villagers,
abide with us, for 1t Ia toward even
Ing"
Indications of Night.
The request Of the text Is an appro-
pirate exclamation for oil those who )
are approaching the gloomy hour OF
There ls nothing easie
than to be good natured when every
thing pleases. or to be humble when
thprp is nothing to Dvfr us I'M or for |