The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-03
Watch.

I.g l(Selected for The Times-Dlspalcn.) .gsi
7 l"Wntch. therefore, for ye Know not
what hour your, Lord cometh.l'.--st. Matt.
xXir:42.
YOU knoM .that lie will come; only you
do notsknow TIT whit precise hour He will
appear. Thus the future is known and
yet unknown. We can, neither hinder,
nor nnnhilate 1t. We can onlygbe pre-
pared for it when it comes. asacome
1t surely will. ~,
Consider what the future is. 1t touches
The uttermosts bound Of time. If one
might use such u contradiction In term.
we might say. it is the horizon of etern-
lty: the farthest point in line which
has no limits. We are compelled thus
to talk when We would represent the
great and grand things Of creation.
There are two futures. This fact is
often overlooked in the minds OF men,
But there is grand future and little
enc, SO to speak.
The grand future, In which imagination
holds court, when life is to be a miracle
and every day a keen surprise That
is the future which must ono day come
and bring with 1t all that We mean by the
sweet, pure name Of heaven.
But there is little future in which
anxiety reigns; the future Just about 70
dawn; the near tomorrow that makes
weak mon restless, and strong men quiet
ly hopeful. With these two we are we'll
acquainted. Tho danger is that We con-
fuse thcm in our minds, as II they were
one and the same thing.
Yet there are two; tho near and the
distant: tho one in which anxiety plays
It's vexatious and harasslng part; ana
the great future in which the soul reYels
In silent awe. /,
Let us see how our Lord speaks OF TINS
future, In the first place He used 1t rs
a source OF sinsplration, but 1t was Of tho
greut future Of all time to which He Is
forced. thereafter ye shall see heaven
opcnod." Ho once said, And again:
"When the son Of man shall come III
Els sory and all the holy angels with
Him.
NJ, wonder thon that He calmly says
'rrake no thought for tho morrow" IN
other words, do not be victims Of ankle
ty; have a future, but let It pc grand
one; worthy of your highest self. lie pro
vlded for that element of tho human
mind which must take hold OF the fu-
tire, but as le saw 1t rising and as
serting itself, Io puts within It's GRASP
&c netting worthy Of Its capacity and
destiny h
Tho world must live In the future To-
day is loo small boundary for tho soul.
our life is not to be locked UP IN the
narrow prison house Of one day; nor Is
this the poetry OF speech;t is tho realty
Of fact.
we must take our view Of tho future
from Christ 1t WAS Ills sanctuary OF
retreat. lie lived In III lie projected
Himself beyond the fevered little day and
lived In n calm eternity We must do
The same, or we shall be yexed and
slung with details which come and SO
with every tickle wind,
Christ treated the future us unknown,
and yet well known. watch, there
fore, for ye know not at what hour your
Lord dotl, come, Therefore. be ye also
ready, for in such an hour as ye think
not tic son OF man reometh."
Here we have quantity spoken 81
know, and yet unknown; unknown. yet
well known. How can this be? Have
we any parallel TO IL In our way OF think
Iug and acting2 Most assuredly We
have! ye8
We know that to-morroW will come,
Tell ma Swfia s VIII Tomorrow bring With