The Chanute times., 1902-02-14
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
TEXT FROM ZACHARIAH: CAT EVEN
ING TIME 1T SHALL BE LIGHT.
The Beautiful Evening That Descends
Upon the Christians Life OF Toll
Caimness aud Glory OF the Closing
Hour-Darkness swept Away.

Copyright, 1902, by Louis Klopsch, N. "
Washington, Feb. 9.--In this subject
DR.. Talmage puts glow of gladness
and triumph upon the passages of life
that are usually thought to be some
what gloomy; text, Zacharlah xiv, Z,
AT evening time it shall be light"
When might" in all languages is
the symbol for gloom and suffering, it
is often really cheerful, bright and
impressive. Such nights the sailor
blesses from the forecastle, and the
trapper on vast prairie, and the be-
lated traveller by the roadside, and the
soldier from the tent, earthly hosts
gazing upon heavenly and shepherds
guarding their flocks afield, while
angel hands above them set the silver
bells a-ringing, GLORY to God in the
highest and on earth peace; good will
toward men,"
What solemn and glorious thing is
night in the wilderness! Night among
the mountains! Night on the ocean!
Thank God for the night! The moon
and the stars which rule it are light
houses on the coast toward which
hope we are all sailing, and blind
mariners are we if, with so many
beaming, 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
our sorrows of old age, of the worlds
history Of the Christian life. "At
eventime it shall be light"
This prophecy will be fulfilled in
the evening of Christian sorrow. For
long time it is broad daylight. The
sun rides high. Innumerable activities
go ahead with thousand feet and
work with a thousand arms, and the
pickax struck mine, and the battery
made a discovery, and the investment
yielded its 20 per cent, and the book
came to its twentieth edition, and the
farm quadrupled its value, and sudden
fortune hoisted to high position, and
children were praised and friends
without number swarmed into the
family hive, and prosperity sang in
the music and stepped in the dance
and glowed in the wine and ate at the
banquet, and all the gods of music and
ease and qualification gathered around
this Jupiter holding in his hands so
many thunderbolts of power. But
every sun must set, and the brightest
day must have its twilight. Sudden
ly 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 business firm! Away went
long established credit, Up flew
flock Of calumnies! The new book
would not SELL A patent could not be
secured for the invention! Stocks
sank like lead! The insurance COM
pany exploded How much" says
the sheriff, will you bid for this
piano? How much for this library?
How much for this family picture?
How much? Will you let it go at less
than half price? Going going-gone!"
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? 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 at
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 dead?" Did the
night of their disaster come upon them
starless, dank and bowling.
and choking their life out?
No, no! At eventide it was light. The
eternal consultations, from their cir
cult about Gods throne, poured down
an infinite luster. The night blooming
of Christ's sympathy filled
all the atmosphere with heaven. The
soul at every step seemed to start up
from its feet bright winged joys, warb-
ling heavenward. 1T is good that
have been afflicted" cried David. "The
Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken
away?" exclaims Job. "Sorrowful, yet
always rejoicing" says St. Paul. "And
God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyesl" exclaims John in apoca-
lyptic vision. At eventime it was light.
Light from the crossi Light from the
promisesl Light from the throne
joyous. outgushing. ever
lasting light
Again, the text shall find fulfillment
In the time of old age. 1t is a grand
thing to be young. to have the sight