The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-11

ooiefs haNe cOme from the neiQ. the
heavens are glowing with an indescrib-
able ehulgence. as though the sun in
departing had forgotten to shut the
gate after 1t. All the beauty Of cloud
n leaf swims In the lake. For a star
In b sky, q star in the water; heaven
o and heaven beneath. Not a leaf
rustling or a bee cumming or a grass
hopper chirping. Silence in the mead
ow, silence among the hills Thus
bright and beautiful shall be the even
Ing of the world. The heats Of earthly
conflict are cool; the glory Of heaven
fills all the scene with love, Joy and
peace. At eventime 1t is light-light,
FuIflIment at the End.
Finally. my text shall find fulfIlment
at the end CO the Christians life. You
know how short a winters day Is and
how little work you can do. Now. my
friends. life is a short winters day.
The sun rises al s and sets at 4. The
birth angel and the death angel fy
only a little way apart. Baptism and
burial are near together. With one
hand the mother rocks the cradle and
with the other she touches a grave
/ went into the house of one of my
pensioners on Thanksgiving day. The
little child Of the household was bright
and glad. and with it I bounded up
and down the hall. Christmas day
came, and the light of that household
had persisted. We stood, with black
book. reading over the rave. ashes
to ashes. dust to dust"
But l hurl away this darkness. l
cannot have you weep. Thanks be
unto God, who giveth us the victory.
at eventime ii shall be light! / have
seen many Christians die. never saw
any Of them die in darkness. What
If the pillows of death do rise above
our girdle. who does not love to battle?
What though other lights do go out in
the blast, what do we want of them
when all the gates of glory swing open
before us and from a myriad voices. a
myriad harps. a myriad thrones, q myr-
lad palaces there daShes upon US "Ho-
sanna! HoSannaI" Throw back the
shutters and let the sun in" said dying
Scoville McCullum. one of my Sabbath
S(uOOl uOyS. 1uIO" DdCh III SAullcI
and let the sun in" You can see Paul
putting on robes and wings of ascen-
sion as he eXclaims: 81 have fought the
good fight. | have finished ny course!
I have kept the faithr
Hugh McKail went to n side of the
scaffold of martyrdom and cried!
Farewell sun. noon and stars! Fare
well all earthly delights" then ven to
the other side Of the scaffold and cried:
Welcome, God and Father! Welcome.
sweet Jesus Christ. the Mediator of the
covenant! Welcome. death! Welcome.
glory!! A minister of Christ in Phila-
delphia, dying. said in his last mo-
ments, 81 move into the light They
did not go down doubling and fearing
and shivering, but their battlecry rang
through all the caverns Of the sepul-
cher AND was echoed back from all the
thrones of heaven: 20 death, where is
thy sting? o grave, where is thy vic
tory?" Sing. my soul. of joys to come.
/ saw a beautiful being wandering
up and down the earth. She touched
the aged. and they became young; she
touched the poor. and they became
| rich. l said, "Who is this beautiful
being wandering up and down the
| earth?" They told me that her name
| was Death. What q strange thrill of
! Joy when the palsied Christian begins
to use his arm again, when the blind
| Christian begins to see again. when
the deaf Christian begins to hear again,
when the poor pilgrim puts his feet on
such pavement and joins in such com
pany and has a free seat in such a
great temple! Hungry men no more
to hunger, thirsty men no more to
thirst, weeping men no more to weep
dying men no more to die. Gather uI
all sweet words, oil jubilant expires.
sions, all rapturous EXPLANATIONS; bring
them to me. and / will pour upon them
this ~stupendous theme Of the souls
disenthrallment! Oh, the Joy Of the
spirit as it shall mount up toward the
throne Of God. shouting: Free! Free!'
Your eye has gazed upon the garni
ture Of earth and heaven, but eye haiti
not seen it; your ear has caught har
monies uncounted and indescribable-
caught them from harp's trill and
birds carol and waterfalls dash anG
oceans doxology - but ear hath no
heard it. How did those blessed one:
get up into the light? What hammer
knocked off their chains? What loon
WOW their robes Of light? Who gave
them wings? All. eternity Is not Ions
enough to tell it. seraphim have no
capacity enough to realize 1.-THE mar
vels Of redeeming love! Let the palm!
wave: let the crowns glitter: let the
anthems ascend: let the trees Of Leba
non clap their hands-they cannot tel
the half of it Archangel before the
throne. thou failest. Sing on. praise
on. ye hosts OF the glorified. and II
with your scepters you cannot reacl
1t and with your songs you cannot ex
press 1t then let all the myriads of th,
saved unite in the exclamation: ale
sus! Jesus! JesusI"
The Light Of Eventide.
There will be a password at the gat,
o- --oo% ,,rt;tl -,