The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-06-17

OF as QeaQ at ali. Oo IL ID Will o'AS
who has lived to a good old age.
There is time for childhood, youth,
middle age, and old age. There is
time for complete maturity. Then
one comes to the grave like shock
of grain cometh in in his season.
There is such fitness of things that
we scarcely recognize death at all.
I regard long life as beautiful
ideal, / want to be saved, but | do
not look forward to salvation simply.
I would like to become full grown
man in Christ Jesus, thoroughly
furnisher t. very good work, l
should like to e to a good old age
so as to have time for development,
time to grow in grace, be strength
ened in faith, and the blessed hope
of eternal life. I would like to live
long enough to become thoroughly
ripe for eternity. Then / would
come to the grave like a shock, OF
grain cometh in in his season.
Long life is a blessing because it
gives much time to lay up treasures
in heaven. Every thing that the
Christian does has reward even
though it be no more than the giving
Of cup Of water. By thus continu-
ally doing good, one is continually
laying up treasures in heaven. Sup
pose this is kept up through long
life, how many treasures have been
laid up in heaven? Then when one
dies, one enters npon enjoyment Of
these treasures. Sometime ago /
read dream of a lady, which illus
trates this point. A lady, rich in this
worlds good but who did very little
for the cause Of Christ, dreamed that
she was in heaven. She saw there a
great mansion, and she asked who
that was for. She received the re-
ply: "That is for your servant girl.
She is poor, but she does SO many
deeds of faith that she has much in
heaven" Then the lady saw small
house, and she asked who that was
for. The attendant replied: "That
is for you, you have done very little
as Christian, and SO laid up few
treasures in heaven" So it is with
people in this life. They lay up many
or few treasures in heaven, or none
at all. Long life gives an opportun-
ity both to the poor and the rich, to
lay up treasures in heaven. Then
long life is a blessing.
The Bible, teaches that long life is
a blessing. In this passage Of Scrip
..ture, which ! have selected as text,
long life, is regarded as a blessing.
The very comfort ofsthe promise lies
in the fact that one is to come to the
grave,at aripe age. Also note the
fourth commandment: % : Honor thy
father and thy mother that it may
be well with thee, and that thou may
est live long on earth" Here long
l;fe is held up before every one as
something to be desired. The same
truth is taught in the last verse of
the 91st Psalm: "With long life will
I satisfy him, and show. him my Sal.
vation." This teaches that long life
is blessing. The one who lives to
an advanced age receives blessing
from the Lord.
| She, whose body we commit to the
grave today, was blessed with long
life. She lived three score and ten;
yea, four score and 10 and still more.
She was q member Of this church,
and we have the greatest reason to
believe that she remained faithful to
Christ till death. She loved her
church and attended the services as
long as she could, often walking
long distance to do SO. When she
could no longer 60 to church, the
pastors of st. Pauls church were ac-
customed to hold services at her
home and to give her the Holy Com
munion. She was truly: happy to have
her friends about her and to hear
them sing. It has been said Of her,
"Truly a good woman has passed
from u.s." She was blessed with long
life, and we may indeed believe that
she was thoroughly ripe For eternity.
We have reason to believe that she
comes to the grave like shock Of
grain comes in in his season. Where
fore comfort yourselves with these
thoughts.
May God help US all to fight a
good fight to keep the faith and to
receive the crown of righteousness