The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-04

and again as 1t was last told at the grave.
Dives in the parable begged Father
Abraham to send back to earth the re-
deemed Lazarus to warn his five sinful
brethren. Abraham would not Nay.
nay, nay" he answered in substance,
Lazarus earthly tale of life has been
forever finished" Another word could
not be added thereto.
A Spoken Story.
But there is yet one overwhelming
thought we must not overlook. The tale
of life Is a spoken story. We may read
1.-The Tales From the Aegean" THE
Tales of a Wayside Inn," 1.-The Tales Out
of School," "Tales of New England" and
'Twice-told Tales" but, after ALL the
true definition of a tale is a story spoken
by human being into the ears of one or
more listeners. Sometimes those ancient
story teliers were able to excite their
hearers to a mad frenzy. 1t has been
recorded that when the Greeks used to
listen to the recital of the Adventures
of Ulysses" or the story of Helen of
Troy they would weep and cry and
shout as they climbed from the lowest
depths of grief to the highest pinnacles
of joy What would be the effect on the
hearers II the tale of our lives was told?
Would it excite them to frenzy of sin
or would it draw from them triumphant
and holy CALCULATIONS?
But this was not the chief thought
which / desired to impress upon you.
When our tales of life are told they are
not only spoken into human ears, but
also into the all-hearing ear of God. 1t
used to be a terrible thought for me to
feel that in heaven there was recording
angel, to know that every time l opened
my mouth my words were being recorded
as a human voice spoken into the pho
nograph makes It's indentations upon
revolving cylinder. Months after my ia
theirs death l can now hear his voice re-
peating the Lord $ Prayer as he once did
in one of those instruments at the ma
tional capital But, oh, how much more
overwhelming the thought that every
word we utter is spoken directly into the
ear of our Divine Father. How much
more tremendous to know that when
1--WE spend our years as a tale that Is
told we can never get beyond the reach
of Gods ear! Ought not this nearness to
God make us strive by divine grace to
live better and purer lives?
I once read how a great king of old
used to confine his prisoners within
chain of dungeons. Every one of those
cells was connected by whispering gall
lery with the kings own bedchamber.
Thus the slightest word these state pris-
oners might utter during their confine-
ment was Immediately echoed to the
kings ear, and If the prisoners said any,
thing against the king he heard it and
these prisoners were Immediately taken
out and executed. Shall not you and be
more careful to live the right kind of
lives when we fully realize that each
word we utter Is heard by our Divine Fa-
O1,an 81 No r,,nr aafa ftt1 or
because we fear the anger of a tyrant.
but because we do not want to wound
Gods loving heart any more than we
would say harsh or sinful word before
a loving earthly parent?
The Passing Year.
1--WE spend our years a tale that Is
told" That means in the story of life,
that we are about to pass from one book
to another. The year of 1902 Is nearly
finished. The year of 1908 is just about
to begin.
The passing year has been a sad one
for many of us. During the past twelve
months two of my family have finished
their earthly lives. as a tale that Is told.
AS sit writing this discourse, / hold In
my hand one of the last letters my father
ever wrote to me. 1t goes something like
this. Dear Frank-My last birthday
teiS me tIdl HdNc iSoNHeU 'he PSetiiii-
lists lmit-threescore years and ten. My
earthly pilgrimage of life will not con-
tnue very much longer Within a few
months that journey ended. How soon
it was to end he little thought. Within
the past year my brother-in-law left us,
leaving behind a widow and her little
children, who are now nearer and dearer
to us on account of their loss. In your.
life the year 1902 has been a sad year.
You have had your troubles just the same
as l. But the year 1902 has also been
joyful year 1t has been a year of many
blessing. 1t has also been a year when
those who have left us have gone to be
with him who is their Saviour and their
King
But the year 1902 has also been for all
of us year of sin. If this chapter of
the tale of life is written, how many
soiled pages there are! Not one of us has
lived up to our many good opportunities.
We have been guilty both of sins of omis-
sion and sins of commission. Like the
psalmist we have reason to cry out in
agony 20 God. thou knowest my fool
ishness, and my sins are not hid from
thee" But though the year 1902 has
been a year of many shortcomings, 1t
may vet be made year of divine pardon.
There are a few hours of the old year
left. Can we, shall we not crowd these
last few lines of the book of 1902 full Of