The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-02-26

s o'clock, 6 o'clock! The shadows fall long
er and thicker and faster. Seven o'clock,
s o'clock! The sun has dipped below the
horizon; the warmth has gone out of the
air. Nine o'clock, 10 o'clock! The heavy
dews are falling; the activities Of life's day
are all hushed; it is time to 60 to bed.
Eleven o'clock, IL o'clock The patriarch
sleeps the blessed sleep, the cool sleep, the
long sleep. Heavens messengers of light
have kindled bonfres of victory all over the
heavens. At eventime it is light. Light.
Again, my text shall find fulfillmcnt in
the latter day of the church. Only few
missionaries, a few churches, few good
men, compared with the institutions lep.
rous and purified. 1t is early yet in the
history of everything good. Civilization and
Christianity are just getting out of the
cradle. The light of martyr stakes, flash.
ing of the morning, but when the evening
of the world shall come, glory to Gods
conquering truth, it shall be light.
Wars sword changing back in the scab-
bard; intemperance buried under ten thou.
sand broken decanters; the worlds impur.
ity turning its brow heavenward for the
benediction, blessed are the pure in
heart" the last vestige of selfshness sub.
merged in heaven descending charities and
China worshiping DR.. Abeeps Saviour; ali
India believing in Henry Martyrs Bible;
aboriginal superstition acknowledging
David Brainerd's piety; human bondage
delivered through Thomas Clarkson's
Christianity; vagrancy coming back from
its pollution at the call of Elizabeth Fry's
Redeemer; the mountains coming down;
the valleys going up; holiness" inscribed
on horses bell and silkworm's thread, and
brown thrasher's wing, and shells tinge
and manufacturers shuttle, and, chemists
laboratory, and kings sceptre, and ma
TONS Magma Charta. Not hospital, for
there are no wounds; not an asylum, for
there are no orphans; not prison, for
there are no criminals; not an almshouse,
for there are no paupers; not tear, ion
there are no sorrows.
You have watched the calmness and the
glory of the evening hour. The laborers
have come from the field; the heavens are
glowing with an indescribable effulgenoe,
as though the sun in departing had forgot.
ten to shut the gate after it. All the
beauty of cloud and leaf swims in the lake
For star in the sky, star in the water;
heaven above and heaven beneath. Not a
hopper chirping. Silence in the meadow,
silence among the hills. Thus bright and
beautiful shall be the evening 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 it is light
light!
Finally, my text shall fnd ful6llment at
the end of the Christians life. You know
how snort winters day is and how little
work you can do. Now, my friends, life lie
short winters day. The sun rises at 8
and sets at I. The birth angel and the
death angel fly only little way apart.
Baptism and burial are near together.
With one hand the mother rocks the era.
die and with the other she touches grave.
I went into the house of one of my pa.
rishioners on Thanksgiving Day. The lit,
tie child Of the household was bright and
glad, and with it 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
grave, "Ashes to ashes. dust to dust"
"Throw back the shutters and let the
sun in," said dying Scoville McCullum, one
of my Sabbath-school boys. "Throw back
the shutters and let the sun in" You can
see Paul putting on robes and wings of as
cension as he exclains: II have fought the
good fight! 1 have finished my course! ]
nave kept Cne 1alCn!
Hugh McKall went to one side of the
scaffold of martyrdom and cried: Fare;
well sun, moon and stars! Farewell all
earthly dehghts!" then went on the othe.
side Of the scaffold and cried: "WelcomG,
God and Father! Welcome, sweet Jesus
Christ, the Mediator of the covenant!
Welcome, death! Welcome, gloTy!"
A minister of Christ in Philadelphia,
dying, said in his last moments, II move
into the light!' They did not go down
doubling and fearing and shivnering, but
erns @ Of the sepulchere and was echoed back
from all the thrones of heaven: 20 death,
where is thy sting? o grave, where is thy
victory!" Sing, my soul, of joys to come.
I saw a beautiful being wandering up
and down the earth. She touched the aged
poor and they became rich. I said, "Who
ia this beautiful being wandering up and
down the earth" They told me that her
name was Death. What a strange thrill
of Joy when the palsied Christian begin
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 pave
ment and joins in such company and has q
free seat in such 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 up all sweet words, all jubiiant ex-
pressions, 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 garniture of earth and heaven, but eye
hath not seen it; your ear has caught har.
monies uncoanted and indescribable-
caught them from harp's trill and birds
carol and waterfalls dash and oceans dox.
ology-but ear hath not heard it.
How did those blessed ones get up into
the light? What hammer knocked off their
chains? What loom wove their robes OF
light? Who gave them wings? Ah, eter-
nifty is not long enough to tell it, seraphim
have not capacity enough to realize it
the marvels Of redeeming love!
Let the palms wave; let the crowns gilt
ter; let the anthems ascend; let the trees
of Lebanon clap their hands-they cannot
throne, thou failest!
Slng Oh, prdisc oH, ye @osle Va 'he Sioit
fed, and if with your scepters you cannot
reach it and with your songs you cannot
express it then let all the myriads of the
saved unite in the exclamation: Jesus!
Jesus! Jesus!"
There will be q password at the gate of
heaven. A great multitude come up and
knock at the gate. The gatekeeper says,
"The password" They say: I'VE have no
We were great on earth, and
now we come up to be great in heaven"
A voice from within answers, Il never
knew you" Another group come up to
the gate OF heaven and knock. The gate.
keeper says, "The password" They soy,