Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-02-22

all. that annual pulling down and TAX
Ing on and shriveling were prepara-
ton FOR new wings. II would not sit
moping In its nest. But you. o son
and daughter OF God. ought TO be- wise
enough to know that all this process
you are going through Is to prepare
You for wings-substitution OF heaven
ly speed and power for earthly lethar-
gy and faltering. David felt the need
or wings when he cried out, "Oh, that |
had the wings OF dove. that l might
hy away and be at restr'
| My text suggests that heaven Is an
eternal youth. A cycle of years will
not leave any mark upon the immortal
nature. Eternity will not work upon
the soul In heaven any change unless II
be more radiance aud more wisdom
and more rapture. A rolling on from
glory to gloryi In anticipation of that
some Of the happiest people on earth
are aged Christians. The mightiest tes
timonies have been given by the yeter.
ans in the gospel army. While some
or the aged have allowed themselves to
become morose and cynical and impa.
tient with youth and pessimistic about
the world and have become possessed
with the spirit of scold aud fault find.
Ing and are fearful of being crowded
out of their sphere many of the aged
have been glad to step aside that others
may have chance and are hopeful
about the world, expecting it's redemp-
ton instead of its demolition. and they
are inspiration and comfort and help
fuiness 10 the household and to the
neighborhood and to the church The
children hail the good old man as he
romes down the road. His smile, his
words, bis manner, his whole life.
make the world think better of reli-
gion.
Noah Webster. the greatest of Iexl-
cographers, departing this life ut 81
years of age. exclaimed: 81 know
whom have believed and am persuad-
ed that be Is able TO keep that which I
have committed to him against that
day." The venerable Daniel Webster.
the greatest of American lawyers and
statesmen, In his last hours said: 81
had Intended TO prepare a work for the
press to bear my testimony to Christi
anity, but IL Is now too late. Still. I
would like to bear witness to the Cos.
pei before I die" Being too weak to
bold pen, he dictated to a scribe his
words of triumphant faith
! congratulate all aged Christians
that the melting season will soon be
over, and you will mount higher than
eagle ever assembled. What n good
thing that You are soon to get rid of
winters cold and summers heat and
drenching rain and lowering clouds
and live in superbest climate of the
universe, whether IL be this world
made over as TO atmosphere and con
tour or in some star which mighty tele
scope halls from the observatory or in
some center around which all worlds
wheel. 1t is all ready and has been
ready, as near as can calculate. since
1871 years ago, when Christ went up
after saying. II go TO prepare a place
for you" What good thing to get rid
OF this worlds vicissitudes and to have
no surprises except those that are ex-
hilarant. as when Milton may ring q
new cauto or Chrysostom may speak
with new eloQuence or Handel may
render new symphony, for do not
suppose that those who were mighty on
earth are going TO be idlers i'm heaven.
What good thing IL Is, all We aged
Christians. that you can soon get rid of
dulled car and sight that requires
strong eyeglasses and infirmities which
make you hold on 10 the banister. leav-
ing you painting at the head of the
stairs. and enter n land of eternal
health, where the most rubicuud check
or robust life on earth would be enact
alton compared with the vigor of the
immortals. What n good thing to get
beyond being misunderstood and blam
ed for what you could not help and
picked at by hard world and then
pass into. heavenly society where all
think well OF each other and friend.
ships are eternal depreciation and
SANDER and backbiting unknown, for
tho gate OF heaven was shut against
them in the statement. without are
dogs" What good thing TO have sat
isfying and glorious explanation of
things that puzzled you 20 or 40 or so
years. to have the Interrogation point
abolished and all mystery solved and
Gods government indicated. and you
will see why he allowed sin and sorrow
TO CONC into the world, and why the
bad were permitted TO live so long and
the good were cut of In the time Of
their greatest usefulness and why so
many or the consecrated find life q
struggle, while many OF the Infamous
ride prosperously, princes afoot and
beggars a-horseback, and the last hon.
est question shall have been answered.
Gibbon in his history says that Mo-
manned had dream in which he
thought that, mounted on the horse
Borak, he assembled the seven heavens
and approached within two bow shots
or the throne and felt cold that pierre
ed him to the heart when his shoulder
was touched by the hand of God. That
might do for Mohammed's heaven, but
not for n Christian heaven. No cold
hand put upon your shoulder there, no
cold hand Of repulse or doubt, but the
warm hand OF welcome, the warm
hand OF sanity communion, the warm
hand OF God.
Youth Renewed
congratulate all Christians who are
In the eventide. Good cheer to all of
you. Your best days are yet to come.
You are yet to hear the best songs, see
the grandest sights. take the most de-
lightful journeys, form the most ele-
waiting friendships. and after 10000
years OF transport you will be no near
er the last rapture than when you
were thrilled with the first.
In heaven you will have what most
pieases you. Archbishop Leighton's
desire for heaven was n longing for
Christ and purity and love, aud he has
found there what he wanted. John
Foster rejoiced at the thought of heav-
en-. because there he could study the
secrets or the universe without re-
stralnt. and he has been regaIing him.
self in that research. Southey thought
OF heaven as place where he would
meet with the learned and the great
Chaucer and Dante and Shakespeare.
He no doubt has found that style of
communion. That great and good DIR.