The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-29

always being a sufferer for the sake of
the Lord Jesus. And thus II Is with us
, Though the future Is not laid open 70
: our Vi, ". yet 1t is not concealed from
us in every respect and degree. Though
! we know not what Ii to come in the
I detail, we can apprehend much OF IL
! In the mass. Indeed without some re-
! lance on the general course OF things
we could not properly carry on the
system OF life, Many of our present
duties derive their existence ana I'M
portance from some future relations
Instinct in the brute creation, teaches
them 10 look forward; and the turtle
and the crane and the swallow oo-
serve the time of their coming; ana the
ant providcth her meat in the summer.
and gathereth her food in harvest.
And is reason given us in VAIN OF is
beyond the present hour? The prudent
ma n forcseeth the evil and hid tn him
self" saws the Scripture, And the same
authority adds. Let thine eyes look
right on and let thine eyelios look
straight before thee"
with regard then to the future. IN
every period relation. and condition OF
life. some things may be reckoned
know that TIE seasons VIII come round
In their time and place with htte
variation. While the earth remaineth;
ssed-tiyne and harvest. and cold and
heat and summer and winter and day
and night shall not cease"
We also know that the general state
ana UHAEeS OF society WhI DC "uAt
they evrr have been. THE thing that
hath been, II Is that which shall be;
and that which Is done is that which
shall he done; and there Is no new
thing whereof II may be sa d See, this
is new II hath been alre ady of old
time. which was before as"
We re sure no Great .uT; possessions sss ons
hopes and wishes. They never have
produced satisfaction. They were
never designed to do It.: they are In
carehle OF doing II.
We may certainly expect that trials
of one kind or another will be our lot.
They grow out Of our very state ana
nature. Man is born to trouble. as
the sparks fly upward"
We must be infatuated " we are not
aware that all our connections here
are precarious. Some may abandon us
from infirmity; some NAV be removed
to distance by events; some may be
laid in the grave. Heed we be Informed
that the desire of our eyes Is mortal?
Can we be ignorant that with grow
ing years we are to look for growing
privations and weaknesses? That our
senses will decay. that desire will fail:
II Ia the tax OF age. "The days OF our
years are threescore years and ten:
and II by reason of strength they be
fourscore years. yet is their strength
off. and we fly away"
For the living know that they shall
die. II Is the way of all the earth;
and whatever may be doubtful when
we look onward there is not human
being but can say. II know that thou
wilt bring me to death. and to the
house appointed for all iiving.a He
knows also that the event cannot be
far of. and may be very near.
And is this all that we are apprized
Of? No. We also know that God will
be found the same he always has been
we know that he will always prove
himself the nearer Of prayer--we
know that he viii never leave us. nor
forsake us--we know that our shoes
shall be iron and brass: and as our
days. shall our strength be"--wc
know that "he will guide us with his
counsel and afterward receive us TO
glory"