The Canton times., 1903-05-22
CHRISTIAN RIPENESS.
Beauties of Old Age Likened Unto
Ripe Corn in the Ear.
Sermon by the Rev. WIN. T.. Thompson Of
the First Methodist Church,
Memphis, TOnn.

a
Gnn age, like as shook or corn oometh in in his
1@sm.SJob. 5:20
The age of these words we cam
mot tell. They were uttered before
the birth Of Moses; before the golden
-N1e OF Greece; before the princely SON
ct AmOz rolled from his poetic Tyre
the melodious music Of the Messi-.
abs peaceful reign. They are the
words OF man royalty endowed. He
had the gift of an inspiration and
che grace of generosity. His wonder
Eul poem, full OF rhythm and music,
without rival among all the treas
,ures OF literature which the past has
handed down to the present. Men OK
intellectual refinement, of rich imag-
4nation, Of depth and tenderness Of
feeling, have bowed to the wisdom of
Job. Men like Herder and Carlyle
have been captivated by the grandeur
ct this poem. No cypress said the
eloquent Herder, ''flourishing in un-
fading green, marks the place of his
rest. With his unuttered name, he
mas consigned to oblivion all that
was earthly, and, leaving his book
Tor q memorial below, is engaged in
= yet nobler song in that world where
che voice of sorrow and mourning Is
unheard, and where the morning stars
sing together"
Under the figure Of a ripe shock OF
Oorn, gathered from the autumn field,
he sets forth the cultured grace and
the chastened beauty of old age. But
these words have a deeper meaning,
q sweeter music, a richer pathos and
a higher inspiration for us than when
they were first uttered. We have the
accumulated wisdom of the ages, the
fragrant memories of the sanity dead
and the imperishable treasure
amassed by the sons of light, to en-
hance their value. We know more
OF the benignity and blessedness of
age, the crown Of virtue. the divinity
of love and the conquering power of
purity than the ancient poet whose
words we have quoted. We stand
In the current Of the great thoughts
and rare experiences of the past. The
-enlarging chorus of reVerent and
1ordly souls disappearing into the in
Anite, updrawn by the beatific vision,
and leaving behind such testimonies,
3nvests these words with rarer beauty,
as light invests the dew with pearl,
and the fall of the bridal veil with
Chromatic hues. The great achieve
ments of the world, the splendid vic
tories of mind, the wOndrous harvests
OF the soul-all add to the dignity of
man and his calmness in the hour Of
death.
How silent are the forces that ripen
the soul and crown it's ministry with
freshness and light! How blessed
when time rounds a soul into serene
perfection! We have no means Of
ascertaining correctly the ripeness of
q soul. for the larger part of any life
fs screened from mortal vision. Some
souls are like the finest marble, ca
pable Of very high polish, until they
look almost transparent. Others
Tipen, but are never luminous and
crystalline There are clean souls,
and there are beautiful souls. They
are winsome, because embeIlished
with Christian graces. Truth, as dis
cerned by the intellect, Is white and
BllvOry, but when touched by spirit
ual affection is priSmatic and charm
ing as the rainbow Our blessed Lord
was not only clean, but beautiful.
Els life embraced the golden circle
OF ideal excellence. And all souls in
their advanced stages of growth take
on ornamentation. The external
beauty In the result Of inward radi-
.ance.
Some fruits, when ripe, have a lus-
4Tous glow; others, fully as ripe, lack
the exquisite color. Souls, like fruits,
Tipen In different ways. Some ripen
rapidly; others, slowly, but beautiful
1y; and whenever we are ripe we
shall fall from the tree of life. And
ought we to complain when souls have
ripened in the summer air? Is not
Fipeness the final end of all things?
Perfection is ipeness-whether in
flower, in fruit, or man. BY this, we
do not mean the soul has reached
the limit of it's powers. This cannot
be said of the soul. When countless
years shall have passed away, the
possibilities of the soul will not be
exhausted. In that mysterious organ
1sm are undiscovered continents Of
power. The soul will flower and fruit
en- forever The higher it throws it's
branches in the summer air, and
the deeper it sinks it's roots into
gthe genial soil of heaven, the finer
will be the fruit But ii is essential
co drop the body, as the coverings
Oe the chrysaIis, before it can rise
90 this supreme condition. Death
lis the removal of an outgrowth after
dt has accomplished its work. 1t is
an essential stage in human progress.
Ht is the gateway to endless life.
Souls, growing sweeter and more
amiable in their disposition, climb
ing higher and higher in the ether
OF q pure life, diffusing the holy in
cense OF love around them-ever in
harmony with truth and goodness
are said to be ripening, and nearing
v1nvPorffOv Whfph fh0 nni0n Of