The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-12-08

udn IudLl, d1u was
regular church attendant for prob
ably forty years. Indeed she sang in
the choir for many years and, heard
only good Gospel preaching.
She always enjoyed . good sermon
and could give an excellent description
Of it to those who were not present.
She was fond of attending Bible con-
ferences and revival meetings, and en-
tered heartily into the aim and spirit
Of such services. But she never
formed any definite habit of Bible
reading; indeed she was not a great
reader Of anything, except the daily
papers. She liked to hear other peo-
pie expound the Bible, but she would
not, or at least did not, read 1t much
for herself.
AS old age came upon her, the
friends and relatives of early life nat
urally scattered and died. Her family
was all gone, except devoted daugh-
ter with whom she lived. However,
all her needs were supplied, as well as
the comforts of life.
Lonely and Troubled.
AS her daughter was obliged to be
away during the day, and she was liv-
ing in large city, she was naturally
somewhat lonely, but loneliness was
not her chief trouble. I found that
she had no definite assurance of sal
walton. She was full of doubt and I'M
certainty as to the future. She knew
the Gospel, but could not seem to
grasp 1t. She prayed, but she had no
assurance that God heard or answered
her. The Bible afforded her no COM
fort, for she hardly knew where to find
1.-THE passages which She needed, and /
another found them for her, they dit
not sound real and true to her ears
so dull of hearing. She had lost he.
capacity to enjoy spiritual truth.
/ She had neglected to store her mint
with Bible truth while she was young
and now, when it should have beer
her daily comfort and chief joy, sh.
had lost her capacity to enjoy it. Hat
she formed habits of Bible reading Ii
youth as David did, she would now
have been familiar with it, and Da
vids experience would have been hers
1.-THE Lord is my Shepherd, shall MOI
want. He maketh me to lie down il
green pastures; he leadeth me beside
the still waters. He restoreth my soul
Yea, though walk through the valley
of the shadow Of death, I will fear nc
evil; for thou art with me. Thy roc
and thy staff they comfort me-" Hers
was an old age without staff, anC
almost without a God.
How sad is old age without G
Saviour, earthly props falling and nc
everlasting arm to lean on; forced te
leave this world with no hope of
heaven!
Old Age Beautfied by Faith.
How beautiful is old age when
cheered by the presence of the blessed
comforter Grateful for the mercies
of the past, it refuses to believe that
anything is not mercy which God
permits. The future is full of hope,
for we realize that more and more the
earthly shall disappear out Of our
lives, and more and more the heavenly
shall come In, until at last we shall
awake in his likeness and be salts.
fed.
Growing Old Happily.
Far from the storms that are flashing the
ocean,
Nearer each day to the pleasant home
light;
Far from the waves that are big with
commotion,
Under full sail and the harbor in sight.
Growing old cheerfully
Cheerful and bright.
Past all the winds that were adverse and
chilling,
Past all the islands that lured thee to
rest;
Past all the currents that wooed thee un-
willing
Far from the port and the land of the
best
Growing old peacefully,
Peaceful and blest.
Rich in experience angels might covet,
Rich in a faith that has grown with thy
years;
Pich in love that grew from and above
1t,
Soothing thy sorrows and hushing thy
fears.
Growing old richly,
Loving and dear.
Eyes that grow dim to the earth and its
glory
See but the brighter the heavenly
glow;
Ears that are dull to the world and it's