The Penn's Grove record., 1901-02-22

wind instruments do not watch each other.
The cornetist does not look to see how
the sviolinist is drawing the bow over the
strings, nor does the flute player %serutin-
ize the drum. They all watch the baton
of the leader. And we are all carrying
our part, however insignificant it may be,
in the great harmony.
The closing years of lite ought to be the
best part of it.. as an arrival in port ought
to be happier than embarkation. 1t is bet
ter to have the cyclones behind you than
before you. Some one will say, David
might renew his youth, but ] have been
through SO much there is no such thing
for me as revivification," You are wrong.
You have not gone through as much as
David went through. He had all the ex-
periences Of shepherd boy, armor bearer,
kings ~bodyguard, hunter of wild beasts,
warrior and monarch. He was forty years
on a rocking throne. He was the Oriental
hero in many a battle, made moral mis-
takes enough to destroy him, Frustrated a
giant with one stroke, was the father of
Hebrew poetry and wrote poems which all
the subsequent centuries have been chant
ing, dramatized dementia to escape assas-
sination, ran against Ahithophels betray-
al and SauTs jealousy and Absalom's in.
surrection. and made Jerusalem the reli.
gious capital of the world. If after all that
he could renew his youth, you ought to
DE dDle TO 40 Jne same.
Again, | remark: Going out of this life
to the Christian is rejuvenescence. What
a holy glee it must be for those who in
this world had the aches and pains and
limitations of old age, the hating gait of
the rheumatic or intirm foot exchanged
for wing of celestial velocity, the dimmed
vision OF worn-out optic nerve exchanged
for a sight that takes all HEAVIER at a
glance, the mental depression that comes
from ganSa of lacay ayahannad for tho "
hilaration of faculties l~ustrous and ever
Strengthening, sad Renaissance exchanged
for glowing anticipation? How CHEEKY for
the aged who love and trust the Lord to
think that their last years of taking off
and decreptitude are the melting season
referred to in the text Shedding Of all
weaknesses, shedding OF all unholy ambi-
all hindrances. II the eagle knew that all
that annual pulling down and taking off
and shriveling were preparation for new
wings it would not sit moping in its nest.
But you, 0 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 NATURALIZATION Of
argy and faltering. David felt the need
of wings when he cried out, "Oh, that l
had the wings of a dove, that | might fifty
away and be at rest!"
My text suggests that heaven is an eter-
nal 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 it be more ra-
dance and more wisdom and more rap
ture. A rolling on from glory to gloryi
In anticipation of that some of the hap
piest people on earth are aged Christians.
The mightiest testimonies have been given
by the veterans in the gospel army. While
some Of the aged have allowed themselves
to become morose and cynical and impa-
tient with youth aud pessimistic about the
world and have become possessed with
the spirit of scold and fault finding, and
are fearful of being crowded out of their
sphere many of the aged have been glad
to step aside that others may have a
chance and are hopeful about the world,
expecting its redemption instead OF its
demolition. and they are inspiration and
comfort and h%elpfulness to the household
and to the neighborhood and to the
church. The children hail the good old
man as he down the road. His
smile, his words. his name his whole
life, make the world think better Of reli-
gion.
l congratulate all aged Christians that
the melting season will soon be over, and
you will mount higher than eagle ever as
cended. What a good thing that you are
soon to get rid of winters cold and sum
mer's neat and drenching rain and hover
ing clouds. and live in superbest climate OF
the universe, whether it be this world
made over as to atmosphere and contour
or in some star which mighty telescope
halls from the observatory or in some cen
tire 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, Il go to pre-
pare a place for you" What a good thing
to get rid of this worlds vicissitudes and
to have no surprises except those that are
eXhilarant, as when Milton may ring a
new canto OF Chrysostom may speak with
a new ~eloquence or Handel may render a
new symphony, for ] do not suppose that
those who were mighty on earth are gong
to be idlers in heaven.
What a good thing it is, all We aged
Christians, that you can soon get rid OF
dulled ear and sight that requires strong
eyeglasses and intirmities which make you
hold on to the banister, leaving you pant
ing at the head of the. stairs, and enter a
land of eternal health, where the most ru-
bicund cheek of robust life on earth
would be emaciation compared with the
vigor OF the immortals. What u good
thing to get beyond being misunderstood
and blamed for what you could not help,
and picked at by a hard world, and then
ltoo INV u ' 1o1iNtt So
think well OF each other, and friendships
are eternal, depreciation and SANDER and
.backbiting unknown, for the gate of heav-
en- was shut against them in the state
ment, Without are dogs" What a good
thing to have satisfying and glorious ex-
PLANTATION of things that puzzled you
twenty or forty or eighty years, to have
the interrogation point abolished and all
mystery solved and Gods government vim.
dicated, and you will see why He allowed
sin and sorrow to come into the world,
and why the bad were permitted to live
so long and the good were cut oil in the
time of their greatest usefulness, and why
so many OF the consecrated find life a
struggle, while many of the infamous ride
prosperously, princes afoot and beggars
s~-horseback, and the last honest question
shall have been answered.
Gibbon in his history says that Moham-
med had a dream in which he thought
that, mounted OIL the horse Borak, he as.
eended the seven heavens and approached
within two bow shots of the throne and
felt a cold hat pierced him to the heart
when his shoulder was touched by the
hand OF God. That might do for Moham'
med's heaven, but not for a 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.
/ congratulate all Christians who are in
the eventide. Good cheer to all Of you.
Your best days are yet to m You are
yet to hear the best songs, see the grand
est sights, take the most delightful jour
neys, form the most ~elevating friendships,
and after 10000 years of transport you
will be no nearer the last rapture than
when you were thrilled with the first.
In heaven you will have what most
pleases you. Archbishop Leighton's de
Sire for heaven was a desire for Christ and
purity and love, and he has found there
what he wanted. John Foster rejoiced at
the thought of heaven, because there he
could study the secrets OF the universe
without restraint, and he has been regal
ing himself in that search. Southey
thought of heaven as a place where he
would meet with the learned and the
great-Chaucer and Dante and Shakes
peare. He no doubt has found that style
OF communion. That great and good DR..
Dick was fond OF mathematics, and he said
he thought much of the time in heaven
would be given to that study, and | have
no doubt that since ascension he has made
Advancement in that science. The twelve
manner of fruits spoken OF in Revela-
ton means all kinds OF enjoyment in heay-
en-. for twelve manner OF fruits includes
all Tho chief fruita that are grown on