Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-10-12
n,nnurirht 1900. by Louis KlopschO

night in the oriental village AMI
makes some consolatory suggestions.
The text is Luke xiv, 90, Abide with
US. for it is toward evening.
Two villagers, having concluded
their errand in Jerusalem. have started
out ar the city gate and are on their
way to Emmaus. the place of their
residence. They go with a sad heart
Jesus. who had been their admiration
and their joy, has been basely massa-
cred and entombed. As with sad face
and broken heart they pass on their
way a stranger accoSts them. The
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 intelligent conversation. They for
get 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 hospitalities Night is coming
on and he may meet a prowling wild
beast or be Obliged to lie unsheltered
from the dew. He cannot go much
further now. Why not stop there and
continue their pleasant conversation?
They take him by the arm ard they
insist upon his coming in, addressing
him in the words, abide vith us. for
IL l. hn 10
lighted. the table is spread. pleasant
soc;alities are enkindled. They rejoice
in the presence Of the stranger guest.
He asks a blessing upon the bread
they eat. ana he hands a piece of it
10 each Suddenly. and with over
wheIming power the thought flashes
upon the astounded people-it is the
Lord, And IS they sit in breathless
wonder. looking upon the resurrected
body OF Jesus. he vanished. The in
terview ended. He was gone.
Our Greatest Need.
The great want of all is to have Je-
sus abide with them. 1t is a dismal
thing to he getting old without the re-
juvenating influence of religion. When
We stop on the down grade OF life and
see that it dips % the cold verge of the
cold river, we want to behold some
one near who will help US across it.
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
oiden times broke up the silence of
the deaf with cadence 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 be-
gin 10 fall and we feel that the day is
far spent. We need most of all to sup
plicate the beneficient Jesus in the
prayer of the villagers, Abide with
us. for it is toward evening""
The request OF the text is an appro-
pirate exclamation for all those who
are approaching the gloomy hour OF
temptation There is nothing easier
than 10 be good natured when every
thing pleaseS. or to be humble when
there is nothing to puff us up or for
giving when we have not been assailed
or honest when we have no induce
ment to fraud. But you have felt the
grapple OF some temptation. Your ma
ture at some time quaked and groaned
under the Internal force You felt
~
your Christian forces retreating. You
feared that you would fail in the awful
wreStle with sin and be thrown into
the dust. The gloom thickened. The
first Indications of the night were
seen
the source OF Strength.
When the night of the soul came on
and all the denizens of darkness came
riding upon the winds of perdition.
who gave strength to the soul? Who
gave calmneSS to the heart? Who
broke the spell of Internal enchant-
nent, He who heard the request of
the villagers, Abide with us, for it
is toward evening" One of the forts
works were taken before night. The
besieging army lay down. thinking
that there was but little to do in the
morning and that the sOldiery in the
fort could be easily made to surrender.
But during the night, through a back
stairs. they escaped into the country.
In the morning the besieging army
sprang upon the battlements. but
found that their prey was gone. So
when we are assaulted by temptation.
there Is always some secret stair by
which we might get off. God will not
allow us to be tempted above what
we are able. but with every temptation
will bring a way of escape that we
may be able to bear It,
The prayer OF the text Is appropriate
for all who are anticipating sorrow.
The greatest folly that ever grew on
this planet Is the tendency to borrow
trouble. But there are times when ap-
preaching sorrow Is SO evident that
We need to be making especial prepa-
ratioas for Its coming. One of your
children has lately become a favorite.
The cry of that child strikes deeper
into the heart than the cry Of all the
others. You think more about II. You
give 1t more attention not because 1t
is any more OF treasure than the
others, but because 1t Is becoming
fraiI. There Is something In the cheek
in the eye and in the walk that makes
you quite sure that the leaves of the
N>,uo. o.a pOinp To he scattered The