The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-06-20
THE LIGHT AT EVENING TIME.
By Theodore l.. Cuyler, d. d.

| once assembled Mount Washington with a par
ty of friends on horseback and we were overtaken
by violent storm, followed by thick binding
mist After one rough scramble slippery
rocks, 1t woeful disappointment to find, on
our arrival at the "Tiptop House" that we could
not see any object two rods from the door. But
late in the afternoon the clouds began to roll away
and one mountain after another revealed itself to
our view. AT length the sun burst forth and over
arched the valley of the Saco with a gorgeous
rainbow; and gazed on the magnifi-
cent panorama with wondering delight, and as the
rays of the setting sun kinded every mountain
peak with gold, all exclaimed, "At evening
time it shall be light!
My experience that mountain top is strik-
ing illustration of the experiences of Gods people
in all ages Faith has had its steep hills of diff
Guilty to climb, and often through binding mists
and hurting storms. Unbelief says "Halt!' and
despair cries, GO back" But hope keeps up in
steady, CHEEKY song, sit will be better further on.
The poor old patriarch Jacob walls out that ALI
things against him, and that he will go down
to his grave mourning. Wait a little. Yonder
comes the caravan from Egypt, laden with sacks
OF corn and bringing the good tdings that Joseph
is the prime minister of Pharaoh's government!
To the astonished old man at evening it is lightl
The Office of faith is to cling the fact that be-
hind all clouds however thick, and all storms, how
fierce, God is the throne. 1t is the of
flee of hope to look for the clearing Of the clouds
in Gods good time. If we had no storms we
would never appreciate the blue skies; the trials
of the tempest the preparations for the after
glow of the sunshine. We ought never to think
it strange that difficulties confront us, or trials
assal us; for this is but part of our discipline
and in the end all things work for good to them
whom God loveth and who trust Him. 1t is &C
cording to Gods established economy that we
should be exposed to temptations and often to
trials which threaten to drive us to despair. All
this is to teach dependence upon Him. No
climb of duty is so high, steep, or so hard, but
God is standing at the top! No honest work for
him is ever entirely in vain l will go farther and
affirm that no honest prayer yet uttered
in the right spirit and failed to get some answer;
if not the thing asked for, yet some other good
thing has been granted And, O, how often God
surprises after long day of struggles and dis
couragements by glorious outburst of light in
the evening time
There is hardly passage IN Bible that
is more full of encouragement - faithful minis
tiers, and teachers, and parents, AM to all who
tOng in Christian enterprises, thar this very text
that suggests this article Things p1sily done are
generally of small value; it is the costly under
taking that counts. From the days Of Bethlehem,
Bethsemane and Calvary the history e the Chris
tian Church has been-confct before ictory, la
Dor before reward, shadow before sunlight. When
Europe had long been enshrouded in he clark
ages" Martin Luther seized the trumpet Of the
Saxon tongue and blew blast that rang from
Rome to the Orkneys
! could recall incidents in my own experience
that illustrate how after dark days Of discourage
ment, at evening time it light 1t my first