The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-05

MT. Beeeher hurfiedIy looked around to find out what old man was in danger To his surprise and chagrin he found that the drayman was shouting to him and that he and no other was the .old man." t Is not hard struggle to physi- caliy de. Dying is just as natural an act for the body as is the act of being born. But it is hard to grow old, to feel that you have to ride when once 1t was an exhillration to walk. to know that the mind Is failing. that the heart has not the old vigor. that the hand which once grasped and welded the hilt of sword must now do the small chores around the old homestead. t is hard to know that upon the trembling shoulders of old age even the weight of a small grass hopper's body can become a burden. heavy, crushing burden.
 The Great Burden Bearer.
 Yet, my friends. amid the deeaying fac ulties of old age the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient to overcome the burden of the buzzing loousts. What was the testimony of the aged Thomas Guthrie, the great Christian warrior of old Scotland? Standing before a large assemblage of little children, he said; Don't call me an old man, as some peo-
 
 as any child sitting before me today My limbs may not be as strong as they once were. One of my feet may be in the grave, but the other foot is planted upon the earth so firmly that Its leg has sunk en knee deep In the clover tops. My hear ing may not be as accurate as 1t once was, but my ears are continually hear ing the sounds of sweetest music. My eye may not be as keen to read book, but my eyesight Is continually becoming more inspired to see the beauties of heaven I am not an old man. As I ap- proach my second childhood l have be- gun to live a life of eternal happiness and of never ending joys Study the faces. the beautiful happy faces, of the aged Christian men and women about, and you will learn as never before that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient, even amid the decaying physi- cal and mental faculties, to lift the bur den of the buzzing locust. Oh, my young brother and sister, while you are yet physically strong will you not take into your life this divine power that will be such a mighty help to you, when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders cease because they are | few?'
 | Thus the burden of the locust is a very practical theme. The text teaches that though the gospel of Jesus Christ Is a good religion to die by, yet 1t Is just as good a religion to live by. It means that we should take Christ with Us to sing the lullaby to the baby and to get the early breakfast. It means that we should take Christ with us to help harness up the horse and shuck the corn. It means we should ask vhrist to go into partnership with us in business and not have him to be a silent partner, either. It simply means that we should have Christ a practical helpmate during the week day as well as a Sabbath companion on our way to church.
 When the great founder of Methodism was asked what he should do in the in- term If he knew that he was going to die at the end of the next thirty-six hours, John Wesley replied: 'I would do just as I intended to do. I would ask Christ to go with me when I preached me when 1 meet my three different preaching appointments tomorrow, one in the morning, one at noon and one in the cycling. I would ask Christ to sit down with me when I eat my meals I would ask Christ to guard me when I sleep both tonight and tomorrow night, and then would wake up in glory" Like John Wesley, in the everyday duties of life, in the eating and work and sleeping as we'll as in the prayer meeting will you ask the dear Christ to help you lift the different infinitesimal burdens of a swarm of irritating, buzzing, nagging, troubling locusts?