Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-02-14

pen IN band. amid the scenes himself
had made classical: OF John Angel
James. to the last proclaIming the Cos.
pei TO the masses OF Birmingham; OF
Theodore Frelinghuysen. down to fee
bieness and emaciation deyoting bis
iuustrlous faculties to the kingdom OF
God. At eventide IL was light
See that you do honor to the aged. A
philosopher stood at the corner OF the
street day after day, saying to the
passersby: You win be an old man;
you will be an old man. You will be
an oid-woman; you will be an old wom-
an" People thought that he was crazy.
do not think that be was. Smooth
the way for that mothers feet; they
have not many more steps to take.
Steady those tottering limbs; they will
soon be at rest Plow not up that face
with any more wrinkles; trouble and
care have marked It full enough.
Thrust no thorn into that old heart; it
will soon cease to beat. ''The eye that
mocketh its father and refrseth to obey
its mother the ravens of the valley
shall pick 1t out. and the. young eagles
shall eat IT," The bright morning and
bot monday Of life have passed with
many. 1t is o'clock, 8 o'clock, 6
o'clock The shadows fall longer and
thicker and faster. Seven O'Clock. 8
O'Clock! The sun has dipped below the
horizon: the warmth has gone out Of
the air. Nine o'clock. 10 o'clocki The
heavy dews are falling; the activities
OF life's day are all hushed; 1t is time
N 90 IN ~. -.
The patriarch sleeps the blessed sleep,
the cool sleep. the long sleep. Heavens
messengers of light have kindled bon
fires of victory all over the heavens.
At eventime II is light Light.
The Latter Day of the Church.
Again. my text shall find fuifillment
in the latter day of the church. Only q
few missionaries, n few churches, a
few good men, compared with the In
stitutions leprous 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, flashing ND and
down the sky, Is but the flaming OF the
morning, but when the evening OF the
world shall come, glory to Gods con-
quering truth, 1t shall be light. Wars
sword Changing back in the scabbard;
intemperance buried under ten thou
sand broken decanters; the worlds im-
purity turning its brow heavenward for
the benediction, blessed are the pure
In heart" the last vestige OF selfshness
submerged in heaven descending chnri-
ties and China worshiping DIR. Abeers
Saviour; all India believing in Henry
Martyrs Bible; aboriginal superstition
acknowledging David Brainerd's piety;
human bondage delivered through
Thomas Clarkson's Christianity; va
grancy coming back from it's pollution
at the call Of Elizabeth Fry's Redeem
or; the mountains coming down; the
valleys going up; holiness inscribed
on horses bell, and silkworm's thread,
and brown thrasher's wing. and shells
tnge, and manufacturers shuttle, and
chemists laboratory. and kings scep-
ter. md nations Magma Charta. Not a
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 n tear, for there are no
sorrows. The long dirge OF earth's
lamentation has ended In the triumph
al march Of redeemed empires. the for
csts harping II on vine strung branch
es. the water chanting II among the
gorges. the thunders drumming II
among the hills. the ocean giving II
forth with its organs. trade winds
touching the keys and Euroclydon's
foot on the pedal.
want TO see John Howard when
the last prisoner Is reformed: want
to see Florence Nightingale when the
last saber wound has stopped hurting:
l want TO see William Penn when the
last Indian has been civilized; I want
to see John Huss when the last fame
or persecution has been extinguished:
| want to see John Bunyan after the
last pilgrim has ceme to the gate of
the celestial city-above all. I want to
sec Jesus after the last saint has his
throne aud has begun TO sing his tri-
umph.
You have watched the calmness and
the glory OF the evening hour. THETA
borers have come from the field: the
heavens are glowing with an indescrib-
able effulgence, as though the sun In
departing had forgotten to shut the
gate after 1t. All the beauty OF cloud
and leaf swims In the lake. For n star
In the sky, star in the water; heaven
above and heaven beneath. Not n leaf
rustlinS ora bee humming or a grass
hopper chirping. Silence In the mead
ow, silence among the hills. Thus
bright and beautiful shall be the even
Ing or the world. The heats of earthly
conflict are cool; the glory of heaven
fills all the scene with love, ioy and
peace. AT eyentime 1t is light-llght!
Fuihllmens NJ the End.
Finally, my text shall find fulfillment
at the end OF the Christians life. You
Know how short n winters day is and
how little work you can do. Now. nv
friends. life Is a short winters day.
The sun rises at 8 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 grave.
went into the house of one of nv
parishioners on Thanksgiving day. The
little 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
DOCK. reading over the grave. Ashes
to ashes. dust to dust"
But ! hurl away this darkness. 1
cannot have yoa weep. Thanks be
unto God. who giveth us the victory.
at eventime it shall be light! l have
seen many Christians die. never saw
any or them die in darkness. What |
II 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 myriad voices, a
myriad harps, myriad thrones, q myr-
n