Connecticut western news., 1902-02-13
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 are usually thought to be somewhat gloomy; text, zechariah xiv, ', At evening time 1t shall be light"
 While night" in all languages Is the symbol for gloom and suffering, 1t Is often really cheerful, bright and i'm pressive. I speak not of such nights as come down with no star pouring light from above or silvered wave tossing up light from beneath-murky, hur- tling, portentous, but such as you often zee when the pomp and magntficence of heaven turn out on night parade, and 1t seems as though the song which the morning stars began 80 long ago were chiming yet among the constella tons and the sons of God were shout ing for joy. Such nights the sailor blesses from the forecastle, and the trapper on vast prairie, and the belated traveller by the roadside, and the sol dier from the tent, earthly hosts gazing upon heavenly and shepherds guarding their locks afield, while angel hands above them set the silver bells airing int, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace; good will toward men,"
 What a solemn and glorious thing is night In the wildernessl Night among the mountains! Night on the ocean! Fragrant night among tropical groves! Flashing night amid arctic severitiesl Calm night on Roman campagna! Aw- full night among the cordillerasl Glori- ous night mid sea after a tempest. Thank God for the nightl The moon and the stars which rule 1t are light houses on the coast toward which I hope we are all sailing, and blind mariners are we If, with so many beam- ing. burning, flaming glories to guide us, we cannot find our way into the harbor. #-r-
 My text may well suggest that, as the natural evening Is often luminous, so 1t shall be light in the evening of our sorrows, of old age, of the worlds his tory, of the Christian life. At even- time 1t shall be light"
 When the Sun Sets.
 This prophecy will be fulfilled in the evening of Christian sorrow. For a long time 1t Is broad daylight The sun rides high. InnumerabIe activities go ahead with thousand feet and work with a thousand arms, and the pickax struck a mine, and the battery made a discovery, and the investment yielded its 20 per cent, and the book came to its twentieth edition. and the farm quadrupled in value, and sudden fortune hoisted to high position, and children were praised, and friends without number swarmed into the fam fly hive, and prosperity sang in the music and stepped in the dance and glowed in the wine and ate at the ban Quet, and all the gods of music and ease and eradication gathered around thiS Jupiter holding in his hands so many thunderbolts of power. But ev- cry sun must set. and the brightest day must have its twilight. Suddenly the sky was overcast. The fountain dried up. The song hushed. The wolf broke Into the family fold and carried off the best lamb. A deep howl of woe came crashing down through the joyous symphonies. At one rough twang of the hand of disaster the harpstrings all broke. Down went the strong busi- ness flrml Away went long established credit! Up flew flock of calumnies! The new book would not sell A patent could not be secured for the invention! l! Stocks sank like lead! The insurance company explodedl How much." says the sheriff, will you bid for this pi- ano? How much for this library? How much for this family picture? How much? Will you let it go at less than half price? ng-going-goneP'
 Will the grace of God hold one up in such circumstances? What has become of the great multitude of Gods chil- dren who have been pounded of the fall and crushed under the wheel and trampled under the hoof? Did they lie down in the dust, weeping, wailing and gnashing their teeth? Did they when they were afflicted like Job curse God and want to die? When the rod of fatherly chastisement struck them, did they strike back? Because they found one bitter cup on the table of Gods supply, did they upset the whole table? Dad they kneel down at their empty money vault and say. "An my treasures are gone1" Did they stand by the grave of their dead, say ing, There never will be a resurrec- tionT
 Dfd they bemoan their thwarted plans and say. '"rhe stocks are down; would God I were dead" Did the night of their disaster come upon them moonless, starless, dank and bowling, smothering and choking their life out No. no! At eventide it was light. The swift promises overlook them. The eternal cancellations, from their cir cult about Gods throne, poured down
 fnAy fkA ,okn Tvadn kIot,- tyf, the pillows of trouble took on crests and plumes of gold and jasper and am. ethyst and flame. All the trees of life rustled in the midsummer of Gods love. The night blooming assurancea of Christ's sympathy filled all the at mosphere with heaven. The soul al every step seemed to start up from itl feet bright winged joys, warbling heav onward. Tt is good that I have beer anlictedy' cried David. "The Lort save, and the Lord hath taken awayr sxclaims Job. "Sorrowful, yet always Eejoicing," says St. Paul. And Goo ahall wipe away all tears from theil oyesr' exclaims John in apocalyptic vi sion. At eventime 1t was light. Ligh from the crossl Light from the prom AOCcb AA6Ah AAOA LAC LAAOAC1 Ing, joyous, outgushing, everlasting light!
 The Glory. of Old Age.
 Again, the text shall find fulfllment In the time of old age. It is a grand thing to be young, to have the sight clear and the hearing acute and the step elastic and all our pulses march Ing on to the drumming Of stout heart. Midlife and old age will be de nied many of us, but youth-we all know what that Is. Those wrinkles were not always on your brow; that snow was not always on your head; that brawny muscle did not always bunch your arm; you have not always worn spectHcfeS, Grave and diRnihed