Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1909-12-23


and toll weary steps
are turned toward home The after
glow has famed from horizon to re
NTH and back 10 horizon again and
the world SO recently alive with light
fades into the time OF reverie and
rest And yet az evenfide II shall be
light The prophet is somehow kin
"a the Scotch minstrel whose sons
Of the "Cotter's Saturday Night best
lends meaning 10 the prophetic word
For the evening light is surely no,
the sunlight. nor is Il yet the moon
light; but il is candle light that cheers
the hour that would else be filled with
the deepening gloom Of dusk and
dark Not until most recent years
could the twilight hour be filed with
any other light than that % the print.
live candle. whose pleasant rays
though SOFT and feeble. suficed TO set
ablaze that great light which makes
clear and plain lifes pathway. For
In the light Of the candle our fathers
read the Book from which the true
light shines. Robert Burns ass
caught the spirit OF the prophetic
truth as he says.
Tie cheerful supper done. with serious
face
They round the lnEie form a cirrl.
wide.
The s,re turns Ger with patriarrhaI grace
The precious Bible. once his fathers
PRIDE
Then kneeiins down. tn Heavens Eternal
King
The saint. the father. and the husband
prays-
such scenes have not been peculiar
however. 10 Scotland. but they have
been characteristic Of the homes OF
Christian folk Of every kindred and
tribe and tongue since that long ago
Easter dawn which heralded the risen
Lord When shadows have been deep
ening the faith Of Christian hearts
has been as the light Of a candle To
set ablaze the beacon light Of endless
day And herein is evidenced the true
worth OF our religion. for il alone
among all the religions the world has
known gives light at eventide.
False ard True Lights.
All men have not always thought
80. and when the pages Of history are
consulted scenes are Witnessed that
portray the efforts men have made to
tighten the shadows Of life's waning
day. Here is a banquet hall in Rome.
flooded with the myriad lights OF
lamps and brilliant with the scintiI-
lating gems that bedeck the Gorgeous
ly appareied psE-onages Of that impe-
rial city Of the Caesars. The delica-
cies of th-. market and the choicest
vintages OF the years ara placed be-
fore the favored guests. The extreme
OF indulgence is permitted in the sen
sunl pursuit Of pleasure and the
sounds Of revelry arise while fast and
furious grows the spirit OF misrule.
Beneath that hall different CON-
pany gathers. They have no blazing
lights nor flashing gems No costly
food nor vintages. The room in which
they meet Is bare OF luxury and far
from the light Of day. and such Hght
as IS provided serves to accenrIate
the shadows Of the catacumbs into
which the little company has cautious
~ found its way. As eyes grow ac-
customed TO the place a table is seen
and on II there is a cup OF native
wine. and some bread which Is being
broken as one says. This do in re-
membrance OF me- But where is the
true light shining. In the hall Of the
Caesars or in the catacombs-
The shadows are gathering rapidly
and Rome's day is nearly done. Eat.
drink and be merry" is the Romans
motto. and soon the day will end in
night The shadows are gathering
fast and faster and the Christian
hearts in Rome might well be strfck-
en with despair as prosecutions and
martyrtoms become their lot But the
faith Of Christian hearts is the candle
shining in the gloom and from It's
little flame the great light Of eternal
truth is set ablaze
The Light That Jesus Casts.
And IL is all happening because Je-
sus had light for the shadows. His
faith in God was the candle that at
his eventide enabled him To read Gods
message and to interpret il for all
mankind The message which he read
in his soul was the principle Of the
resurrection. He himself was the res