The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-11
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Dr.. Talmage puts a glow of gladness
and triumph upon passages OF life that
are usually thought to be somewhat
gloomy: text. Zechariah xiv. Z, AT
evening time 1t shall be light"
While might" In all languages is the
symbol for gloom and suffering. II Is
often really cheerful. bright and i'm
pressive. ! speak not OF such nights as
come down with no star pouring light
from above or silvered wave tossing
up light from beneath-murky, bur-
ting. portentous. but such as you often
see when the pomp and magniicence
or heaven turn u on night parade,
and 1t seems as though the song which
the morning stars began SO long
were Ginning yet among the constella-
tons and the sons Of God were shout
Ing for Joy. Such nights the sailor
blesses from the f~orecastle, and the
trapper on vast prairie, and the belated
6aveler by the roadside, and the SOL
Ndier from the tent, earthly hosts gazing
upt heavenly and shepherds guarding
their 1ocks afield, while angel hands
above them set the silver bells airing
ing. GLORY to God in the highest and
on earth peace; good will toward men,"
What q solemn and glorious thing is
night in the Wilderness, Night among
the mountains. Night on the ocean!
Fragrant night among tropical groves!
Flashing night amid arctic seventies!
Calm night on Roman campagna! Aw-
full night among the cordillerasi Glori-
Gus night mid sea after a TEMPEST!
Thank God for the night, The moon
and the stars which rule 1t are light
houses on the coast toward which !
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.
My text may well suggest that. as the
natural evening is often luminous. SO
it shall be light in the evening of u
SORROWS. OF old age. OF the worlds his
tory. OF the Christian life. A even
time it shall be light"
When the SUN Sets.
This prophecy will be fulfilled In the
evening OF Christian sorrow. For a
long time it is broad daylight. The
sun rides high. Innumerable activities
go ahead with a thousand feet and
work with a thousand arms, and the
pickax struck a mine, and the battery
made q discovery, and the investment
yielded its 20 per cent, and the book
Acame 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
lily hive. and prosperity sang in the
music and stepped in the dance and
gloTed in the wine and ate at the BAN
Quet. and all the gods of music and
ease and qualification gathered around
this Jupiter holding in his hands so
Hmany 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 firm! Away went long established
credit! Up few a flock Of calumnies!
The new book would not sell! A patent
could not be secured for the invention!
Stocks sank like lead! The insurance
company exploded! How much" says
he sheriff. will you bid for this pi-
ano? How much for this library? How
mnnh for this fonifu niof,rao How
much? Will you let 1t go at less than
half price? Going-going-goney
Will the grace Of God hold one up in
such circumstances? What has become
Of the great multitude Of Gods chill
dren who have been pounded of the
fail 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 fatherIy 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? Did they kneel down at
their empty money vault and say. All
my treasures are gomez" Did they
stand by the grave of their dead. say
ing. There never will be n resurrec-
tion?"
Did they bemoan their thwarted
plans and say. The stocks are down:
would God I We're deadg'' Did the
night of their disaster come upon them
moonless. stariess. dank and bowling,
H. &h-:- rr -.
No. no. AT eventide it was light. The
swift promises overlook them. The
eternal consultations. from their cir,
cult about Gods throne. poured down
an infinite iuster. Under their shining
the pillows 80 trouble took on crests
and plumes of gold and jasper and am,
ethyst and fame. All the trees of life
rustled in the midsummer OF Gods
love. The night blooming assurances
Of Christ's sympathy filed all the at