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

,1s s
Yoahsso sloggs fegoiasa III .llo oare
ofA 1itdthef 4, q hAv6 don6 0vofy.'
thing to mako her last days happy.
You have ruin withYluiok feet to wait
npons her every want. Her pfesenoo
has boon q perpetual blessing in tho
household. But tho fruit gatherors
gro looking Wistfully2 at that trees
Her soulSis ripo for hoayon. The gates
are road y to flash open for her entrance.
But your soul shrinks at tho thought
of A sol aration, You caunot baro to
think that BoonJyou will be called to
take the last look at that face which
from tho fret hour hae looked upon
you with afootion Interchangeable. But
you 500 that life is obbing and the
grave will soon hide you from your
sight. You sit quiet. You feel heavy
hearted. The light is fading from tho
sky, tho air is chill, It 10 toward eve
ming.
Trouble is an apothecary that mixes a
great many drafts, bitter and sour and
nauseous, and you must drink some
ono Of them. Trouble puts up q great
many packs, and you must carry one
Of thchl, The re ia no scandal 30 thick
and well adjust but Romo thorn will
strike through it. There is no sound
30 swoot but tho undortakor's sorrow.
driver. grates through it. In this
swift shuttle Of the heart somo Of tho
threads must break. The journey from
Jerysalem to Emmaua will soon be
ondod. Oar Bible, our common
sonse, our observation, roitorato in
tones that We cannot mistake and
ought not to disregard, it is toward
evening
Oh, thon, for Jesus to abide with us |
He swcotons tho CUP. Flo extracts
tho thorn. He wipes tho toar. He
bushes tho tempest. He soothcs tho
soul that flies to him for shelter. Let
tho night swoop and tho Euroolydon
toss the seas. Lot tho thunders roll.
Soon sll will bo woll. Christ in the
ship TO soothe his friends. Christ on
the scato stop its tumult. Christ in
the grave to scatter tho darkness
Christ in tho heavens to lead the way.
Blossodall such. His arms will onolosc
thom, his graoo comfort them, his
light ohoor them, his aaori6oe FREQ
thom, his glory onohant them. Ii
earthly estate tako wings, no will bo
an inoorruptiblo treasure. Ii friends
die, he will bo thoir resurrection.
Standing with us in the morning Of
our joy aud in the MONDAY of our
prosperity, ho will not forsako us whom
the lustor has faded end it is :oHard
evening.
The words Of tho text arc pertinent
tous all from tho fact that we arc near.
ing the evening Of death. have
hoard it said that wo ought to live as
though each moment was to be our
last, | do not believe that theory.
AS far as preparation is concerned, wo
ought always to be ready. But wo
cannot always bo thinking Of doath, for
wo havo duties in life that demand our
attention. Whom man is solling
goods, it is his business to think Of the
bargain ho is making. Whom man
is pleading in tho courts, it is his duty
to think Of tho intorosts Of his olients.
Whom clerk is adding up accounts, it
is his duty to keep his mind upon his
figures. He who ills up his life with
thoughts Of death is far from boing
the highoststylo OF Christian. knew
man who used often to say at night,
II wish | might die b,foro moiningi''
He 10 now an inidel. But thcr6 ara
timcs when wc can and ought to giv6
ourselves to tho contemplation of that
SOLEMN momont whom to the soul timo
ends and eternity begins. We mu 81
30 through that ono pass. Thoro is no
roundabout way, no typath, no circuit
tous route. ,Dio We must, and ;t will
DO to US a shameful ooouranoo or a
time Of admirable behavior. Oar
tricnds may stretch out thsir hands to
keep us back, but no imploration on
their part can hlndor u.s. They might
offer large rotainors, but death would
not aocept tho fec. Tho breath will
tail, and tho oyos will close, and tho
heart will stop. You may hang the
couch with gorgeous tapestry, but
what docs doath care for bed curtains? !?
You nay hang tho room with tho tinost
works OF art but what does doath care
for piotures2 You may gil the house
with the wailings of widowhood and
orphanage- -docs death mind weeping?
This ought not to be depressing
thomo. Who wants to live here for,
over? Tho world has always troatcd
mo we'll, and every day fool loss and
less like scoldiDg and complaining, but
yet | would not want 10 mako this my
eternal residence, I love to watch tho
clouds and battle my soul in the blue
sea OF hcaven, but | expect when the
firmamont ia rolled awav as n aorojl tn
SEQ new heaven, grandor, higher and
moro glorious. You ought to be will
ing to exchange your body that has
headaches and sido aches and weak
nosscs ihnumcrable, that limps With
tho stone bruiso or fosters with the
thorn or flames on tho funeral pyro Of
fcvcrs, for an incorruptibIe body and
an cyo that blinks not before the jaspor
gates and tho great white throne. Rut
between that and this thero is on hour
abouJ which no man should bo reckless
or foolhardy. | doubt not your oour.
age, but toll you that you will want
something bottcr than strong arm. a
good aim and q trusty sword when YOU
como to your last battle. You will mood
q better robo than any you havo in your
wardrobe to keep you warm in that
plaoo.
circumstances do not mako so much
difference 1t may bo bright day whom
you push off from tho planto or it may
bo dark night and whilo the owl is hoot
ing from tho forest. 1t may be sp,ing,
and your soul may 60 out among tho bios
aOms onpIo nrnhnrd q n IL N nv, a, ( [,