Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-11-30

the little kindnesses bestowed upon him
by his friends. Once, upon receiving
some little refreshment, rendered by the
kind hand Of some one Of the family,
there was seen on his countenance an OK
preston of anxiety amounting almost to
anguish. 1t was the thought that he was
SO soon to go away and leave behind him
those who were so kind TO him, and whom
he so tenderly loved. But the cloud soon
passed away, and his countenance resum-
ed its wonted caimne3s and serenity. AT
length the hour OF his departure arrives.
There is no wild commotion--no enthu-
siastic extravaganza. His features are
much wasted, and his eye, though some.
what sunk in the socket, is full Of calm
ness and hope. His countenance beams
with unwonted serenity, and kind Of
mysterious energy comes over him which
is felt by all around him. II am going"
says he, the way ofai he earth. feel
that the hand of death is upon me, and
that | am about entering upon the reali-
ties of the eternal world But am will
ling to 90. | have tried 10 love and serve
my Savior: and .! now he does not for
sake me. Wife and children. crieve not
for me. Be diligent-be faithful; and af
ter few more days of Sorrow and affiic-
ton, we shall all meet again-root and
branch-alI gathered home-a family in
heaven" y long, deep respiration On
nounccs that the soul has gone to Hin
who made it, The physician retires and
proceeds slow y towards home. This
certainly was not q nervous affection, nor
an affection Of the brain--nor any thing
Of spasmodic nature. What was it,
He was Chris an-thot is the secret
and TOO am determined to become a
Christian. will set about preparation
tor ano'brr world. No:hjng else is CON-
parativply ofanv importance. TO be rea-
dy and willing to die O, let me have
the CHRISTIANS hope. Let me die the
death of the righteous, and let my last end
be like his Such are his reflections
and does he become a Christian? AIasl
those serious Thoughts and serious prom
iscs are all chased out ofthe mind by the
bare recollection of some unusual svmp-
tom which manifested itself in the course
ofthe disease, or by some trifing inquiry
Of aneI ghbor or else the consideration Of
the whole matter is postponed-for the
present.
Incidents like these are Of daily occur
renee. Men Of business-pIo OCCASIONAL
poIltcjans-men of intelligence
have no time to think seriously upon the
subject of religion. Wealth, reputation,
intellectual qualification, are paramount
objects and such indeed is their infu-
encc over the human heart, that it is no.
| ticel as a remarkable fact, that few men
ever become truly pious after they arrive
1T the age Of thirty years. At or about
his perlo in life ImoSt every man expe-
! rienrcs kind of constitutional change
change in his Intellectual facuties-a
change in his fteIings-a change in his
views Of men and things. 1.-The be not a
! Christian. the mind settles down ccmpos-
eddy and frm] y, upon the acquisition Of
wealth or honor or pleasure, or whatever
! else is fixed uron as the great Leading OBJ
/ iect of his life. The heart becomes hard
er and colder and more selfish. The ruI-
ing passion grows and strengthens. The
admonitions Of conscience are less and
les, regarded, till a, length he is CIT down
and sin6s into the grave, without God and
without hope-lost-and lost forever"
| Besides, Christianity treats of some
matters, the serious consideration (which
is not congenia} to the natural feelings Of
the human heart. To one who is no, a
Christian, no three words in the English
I language convey more rtpulsive IDEAS
than DtaA1-Judgment-and Eiernjtp.
Whatever may be his Professionalism
ever may be his philosophy-whAtev
may be the strength of his intellect, there
is a kind Of mysterious meaning-a kind
Of indis:inct Goreboding of evil to come
connected with these terms, as used in the
J Christian religion, at tie serious con,em-
pIation of which the mind almost instinct
lively revolts. The language of the heart,
if not of the lips, is-"Go thy way for
this tlme-at some more convenient sea-
son will call for thee"
Such are some OF The main reasons why
so few men of intelligence and influence
become Christians"
PRAYER.-Of how much happiness do
Christians deprive themselves BY praying
so little The command is, pray with
out ceasing.' 0 how precious is com.
munlon with God in the closet, when the
soul becomes so absorbed in heavenly
ccontempf ations that it forgets whether ii
Is In the boz y Or ont Of the body! When
the Christian really prays, there is a tidt
OF holy rapture poured into the bosom thai
IS like the raptures of the upper world
y Christian, pray! Do not let the world
cheat you out Of the precious hours that
belong to the closet. Christ prayed the
Apostles prayed, and will you neglect it
Christian Almanac.
GEMFRoM r. PHIL1P-"I must thinI
for ever: would an eternal train of nv