Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-02-13

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WASHINGTON, Feb. ON this subject
DR.. Talmage puts 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, 1t 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, hur
Ting. portentous. but such as you often
see when the pomp and magniflcence
OF heaven turn out on night parade,
and it seems as though the song which
the morning stars began so long ago
were Ginning 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 belat ted
traveller by the roadside, and the sol
dier from the tent, earthly hosts gazing
upon heavenly and shepherds guarding
their fiocks aHeld, while angel hands
above them set the silver bells airing
ing, GLORY to God in the highest and
~ n ~
What a 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 cordilleras. Glor-
Gus night mid sea after tempest!
and the stars which rule 1t are light
houses on the coast toward which /
hope we are all sailing, and blind
mariners are we IT, with so many beam
ing. burning, flaming glories to guide
us, we cannot lind our way into the
harbor.
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 it shall be light
When the Sun Sets.
This prophecy will be fulfilled in the
evening OF tristan sorrow. For a
long time broad daylight, The
sun rides hi Innumerable activities
20 ahead Win a thousand feet and
work with thousand arms, and the
pickax struck a mine, and the battery
made 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.
lily 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 qualification gathered around
this Jupiter holding In his hands sc
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 bust
ness firm! Away went long established
credit. Up flew flock of calumnies
The new book would not sell, \ paten,
could not be secured for the invention
Stocks sank like lead. The insurance
company exploded! How much" says
the sheriff, will you bid for this pl
ano? How much for this library? How
much for this family picture? How
much? Will you let it go at less than
half price? -going-gone"
VIII 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 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? Did they kneel down al
their empty money vault and say. "All
my treasures are gone" Did they
stand by the grave of their dead say
ing. "There never will be a resurrec.
tion?"
Did they bemoan their thwarted
plans and say, The stocks are down;
would God | were deadT" Did the
night of their disaster come upon them
moonless starless, dank and bowling,
smothering and choking their life outi
No, no! AT eventide 1t was light. The
swift promises overlook them. The
eternal consultations, from their cir
cult about Gods throne. poured down
an infinite luster. Under their shining
the pillows of 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