The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1917-12-07

regu1nr church attendant for prob.
IDLY forty years. Indeed she sang in
the choir for many years and heard
only good Gospel preaching.
She always enjoyed a good sermon
md could give an excellent description
Of it to those who We're not present
She was fond of attending Bible con-
.erences and revival meetings, and en-.
tered heartily into the aim and spirit
If such services. But she never
formed any definite habit of Bible
reading; indeed she was not great
reader of anything, except the daily
papers. She liked to hear other PEG.
pie expound the Bible, but she would
aot, or at least did not, read it much
Tor herself.
AS old age came upon her, the
friends and relatives Of early life nat.
nrally scattered and died. Her family
Vas all gone, except a devoted daugh.
ter with whom she lived. However.
Ill her needs were supplied, as well al
:be comforts of life.
Lonely and Troubled.
AS her daughter was obliged to be
away during the day, and she was liv.
ing In q large city, she was naturally
somewhat lonely, but loneliness was
1ot her chief trouble. 1 found that
she had no definite assurance of sal.
Cation. She was full of doubt and I'M
certainty as to the future. She knew
the Gospel, but could not seem to
grasp it. She prayed, but she had No
assurance that God heard or answered
her. The Bible afforded her no COM
.Ort, for she hardly knew where to find
the passages which she needed, and IL
another found them for her, they did
not sound real and true to her ears,
so dull of hearing. She had lost hef
capacity to enjoy spiritual truth.
She had neglected to store her mind
with Bible truth while she was young
and now, when it should have been
her daily comfort and chief joy, she
had lost her capacity to enjoy it. Had
she formed habits of Bible reading In
youth as David did, she would now
have been familiar with it, and Da.
Jid's experience would have been hers,
1.-THE Lord is my Shepherd, shall not
want. He maketh me to lie down In
green pastures; he leadeth ME beside
The still waters. He restoreth my soul.
Yea, though 1 walk through the valley
of the shadow Of death, will fear no
evil; for thou art with me. Thy rod
and thy staff they comfort me-" Hers
was an old age without staff, and
almost without a God.
How sad is old age without a
Saviour, earthly props failing, and nc
everlasting arm to lean on; forced to
leave this world with no hope OF
heaven!
Old Age Beautified 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 q mercy which God
permits. The future is full of hope,
COR we realize that more and more the
earthly shall disappear out of our
ives, 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
blest.
Growing old peacefully,
Peaceful and blest.
Rich in experience angels might covet.
Rich in faith that has grown with thy
years;
Rich in love that grew from and above
Soothing thy sorrows and hushing thy
fears. -
Growing old fchly,
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 its
story
Drink in the songs that from Paradise
flow.
All the sweet recompens3
Youth cannot know.