The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-02-13
TALMAGE's SERMON.
TEXT FROM zAcHARiAH: "AT EVEN
ING TIME 1T SHALL BE LIGHT.
The Beautiful Evening That Descends
Upon the Christians Life of Toll
Calmness and Glory of the Closing
Hour--Darkness swept Away.

Copyright. 1902, by Louis Klopsch, N. Y.)
Washington, Feb. 9.--In this subject
Dr. Talmage puts a glow of gladness
and triumph upon the passages of life
that are usually thought to be some
what gloomy; text, Zachariah 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 f1ocks 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 a 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 7
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 we'll 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 a thousand feet and
| work with a thousand arms, and the
p1ckax struck mine, and the battery
made discovery, and the investment
yielded its 20 per cent, and the book
came to it's twentieth edition, and the
farm quadrupled its value, and sudden
fortune hoisted to high position, and
children We're 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 a
flock Of calumnies! The new book
would not sell! patent could not be
secured for the invention. Stocks
sank like lead! The insurance com
pany exploded! How much" saws
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 il
such circumstances? What has becom,
of the great multitude of Gods chill
dren who have been pounded of tn,
fail and crushed under the wheel ant
trampled under the hoof? Did the,
lie down in the dust, weeping, wailins
and gnashing their teeth? When tn,
rod of fatherly chastisement strucl
them, did they strike back? Becaus,
they found one bitter cup on the tabl,
of Gods supply, did they upset tn,
whole table? Did they kneel down Al
their empty money vault and say, "Al
my treasures are gone? Did the,
stand by the grave of their dead, say
ing. There never will be a resurrec
tion?"
Did they bemoan their thwartet
plans and say, The stocks are down
would God | were dead?" Did til,
night of their disaster come upon then
moonless, starless, dank and bowling
smothering and choking their life out
No, no. At eventide it was light. The
eternal consultations, from their cir
cult about Gods throne, poured dowr
an Infinite luster. The night hloomins
assurances of Christ's sympathy filled
all the atmosphere with heaven. TIL,
soul at every step seemed to start III
from its feet bright winged joys, warb
ling heavenward. 1T is good that
have been afflicted cried David. 9TH,
Lord gave, and the Lord hath take1
away?" exclaims Job. Sorrowful, We
always rejoicing" says st. Paul. "Ant
God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes!" eNclaims John in apoca
lyptic vision. At eventime it was light
Light from the cross! Light from TIL,
promises! Light from the throne
Streaming, joyous. outgushing. ever
lasting light!
i Again, the text shall find fulfllmen
in the time Of old age. 1t is a CRANE
thing to he Young TO have tha eiob