Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-02-22
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
TEXT FROM ZACHARIAH: "AT EVEN
ING TIME 1T SHALL BE LIGHT.
The Beautiful Evening That Deseends
Upon the Christians Life of Toll
Caimness and Glory of the Closing
Hour-Darkness swept Away.

Copyright. 1902. by Louis Klopsch. N "
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 fockS 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 wildernessi 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 ere all sailing, and blind
mariners are we if, with SO many
beaming, burning. flaming glories to
the harbor.
My text may well suggest that, as
the natural evening is often luminous,
SO it shall be light in the evening of
Dur 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
pickax struck a 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 it's 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 a
flock of calumnies, The new book
would not sell, patent could not be
secured for the inventioni Stocks
sank like leadl The insurance com
pany explodedi 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 so at less
than half price? Going-going-gone
Will the grace OF God hold one up il
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, wailing
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,
VI STOQ supply Oiu lASy upset III
whole table? DID they kneel down a
their empty money vault and say 'tAi
my treasures are gone? Did the,
stand by the grave of their dead. say
ing. There never will be resurrec
tion?''
Did they bemoan their thwartet
rIans and say, 1.-The stocks are down
would God 1 were dead?" Did tn
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. Tn
eternal consultations, from their cir
cult about Gods throne, poured dowl
an infinite 1uster. The night bloomin,
assurances of Christ's sympathy file,
all the atmosphere with heaven Th
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. "Th
Lord gave, and the Lord hath takel
away" exclaims Job. .Sorrowful, We
always rejoicing" says St Paul. AN,
God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes," exclaims John in apoca
lyptic vision At eventime it was light
Light from the cross, Light from tn
promises. Light from the throne
streaming. Joyous. outgushing, ever
lasting light!