Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1901-12-13

This ace no more characterized by won
ders of disaster than by wonders of bless:
ing~blessing of longevity; the average OF
human life rapidly increasing Forty years
now worth 400 years once.
Now I can travel from Manitoba to New
York in less than three days. In other
times it would have taken three months.
In other words, three days now are worth
three months Of other DAYS. The AVERAGE
Of human life practically greater now than
when Noah lived, with his $50 years, ana
Methuselah lived his 500 years. -
Blessings of intelligence: The; Salmon Z.
Chases and the Abraham Lincolns ana and the
Henry Wilson's of the coming time VIII not
be required to learn to read by pine Knot
lirhts or seated on shoemaker 8 bench, nor
will the Fergusons have to study astIo1o,
my while watching the cattle. Ano,wieuge
rolls it's tides along every poor mans door,
and his children may 60 down ana pathe
in them.
If the philosophers Of hundred years
ago were called up to recte in class with
our boys and girls, those old philosophers
would be sent down to the foot OF the
class because they failed to answer the
questions!
Free libraries in all the important towns
and cities of the land. Historical alcoyes
and poetical shelves and magazine tables
for all who desire to walk through them
or sit down at them.
So I rejoice day BY day. Work for all
to do, and we may turn the crank OF the
Christian machinery this way or that, Tor
we are free agents. But there Is the track
laid so long ago no one remembers lt-laid
by the hand of the Almighty God in sock
cts that no terrestrial or satanic pressure
can ever affect
And along the track the car of the
worlds redemption will roll aud roll to
the Grand Central depot Of the mlllen-
mum. | have no anxiety about the track.
/ am only afraid that for our Incidence
and unfaithfulness God will discharge us
and get some other stoker and some other
engineer. The train is going through with
us or without us.
There is a house in London where Peter
the Great Of Russia lived awhile when he
was moving through the land incognito
and in workman's dress, that he might
learn ship carpentry, by which he could
supply the needs Of his people. A stran-
ger was visiting at that house, whats
In that box" The owner said: II don't
know. That box was there when | got the
house, and it was there when my father
got it. We havn't had any curiosity to
look at it. I guess there's nothing in it"
"Wen," said the stranger, ON give you
e. for it." "Well, done" The So was
paid, and the contents of that box were
sold to the Gar of Russia for $4,000 In
it the lathing machine Of Peter the Great,
his private letters and documents of value
beyond all monetary consideration. And
here are the events that seem very lnsig-
nifcant and unimportant, but they incase
treasures of Divine Providence and eterni-
ties of meaning which after awhile God
will demonstrate before the ages as being
of stupendous value.
When Titans play quoits they pitch
mountains, but who owns these gigantic
natural forces we are constantly reading
about? Whose hand is on the throttle
valve of the volcanoes? Whose foot, sud
denly planted on the footstool, makes the
continents culver? God! l must be at
peace with Him.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ this God
is mine and He is yours. L put the earth
quake that shook Palestine at the cruel
fxion against all the down BOOKINGS of the
centuries. This God On our side, we may
challenge all the centuries of time and all
the cycles of eternity.
Those of you who are in midllfe may well
thank God that you have seen so many
wondrous things, but there are people
alive to-day who may live to see the SHIN
mering veil between the material and the
spiritual world lifted.
Magnetism, word with which we cover
up our ignorance, will yet be an explored
realm. Electricity, the fiery courser of
the sky, that Benjamin Franklin lassoed
and Morse and Bell and Edison have
brought under complete control, has
greater wonders to reveal.
Whether here or departed this life, we
will see these things. 1t does not make
much difference where we stand, but the
higher the standpoint the larger the pros.
pect. We will see them from heaven il
we do not see them from earth.
Years ago | was at Fire Island, Long
Island, and 1 went up in the cupola from
which they telegraph to New York the
approach of vessels hours before they come
into port There is an opening in the wall,
and the operator puts his telescope through
that opening and looks out and sees YES.
sells far out at sea. While / was talking
with him he went up and looked out. He
said, eve are expecting the Arizona to-
night" 1 said: ''Is it possible you know
all those vessels? DO you know them as
you know a mans face" He said: Eyes.
never make mistake. Before | see the
hulls l often know them by the masts.
know them ALL have watched them so
long"
Oh, what a grand thing it is to have
ships telegraphed and heralded long before
they come to port, that friends may come
down to the wharf and welcome their long
absent ones! So to-day we take our stand
in the watch tower, and through the glass
of inspiration we look off and see whole
feet of ships coming in. That is the ship
of peace, flag with one star of Bethlehem
floating above the topgallants. That IL
the ship of the church, mark OF salt water
high upon the smokestack, showing she
has had rough weather, but the Captain
of Salvation commands her, and all is well
with her. The ship of heaven, mightiest
craft ever launched, millions OF passengers
waiting for millions more, prophets and
apostles and martyrs in the cabin, con-
querors at the foot of the mast, while from
the rigging hands are waving this, way as
if they knew us, and we wave back again,
for they are ours. They went out from
our own households. Ours! Hail, hail!
Put off the black and put on the white
Stop tolling the funeral bell and ring the
wedding anthem. Shut up the hearse and
take the chariot.
Now the ship comes around The great
hcadland. Soon she will strike the wharf
and we will 60 aboard her. Tears for
ships going out. Laughter for ships com
ing in. Now she touches the wharf.
Throw out the planlss. Block not up that
with embracing long lost friends.
Tor you will have eternity of reunion.
Stand back and give way until other mill
ions come aboard her Farewell to si.!
Farewell to struggle! Farewell to SICK
ness. Farewell TO death! blessed are
all who enter in through the gates into
the city"
Copyright 1901. L. Klopsch.l