Litchfield enquirer., 1843-12-21

ss.s -. e.; -. = e 8
Walnut HsEls, Ohio.
THE LAND OF THY CHOICE
A distinguishes man il large city died. D0-
ring his illness ls friends had merely said that he
was ' little unwell = and . few moments before
the death stroke, the doctor observed to the NURSE
in decorus WHISPER, Is His appearance does not
please me-" The man himself had been SO com.
pletely deceived as to the fatal nature Of his dis
ease, that it was only when he felt the hand of
death upon him that he started, and said. be-
level am dangerously sick,a A moment after,
with sudden horror, the thought thrilled through
few moments-then al grew dark, and he sunk
into an insensibility, which he supposed to be the
commencement of annihilation. His friends stood
horror-strcken. and stupi6ed; and now, at length,
they ventured to speak Of his death
The night winds in.fhe lonely church-yard sigh
ed heavily over the fresh grave mound Of the de-
shadowy form seemed slcwly and gradually olsen
gazing itself loose froiSthe earth twas the soul
Of the dead now breaking itself loose from its earth
ly tenement, ~ the bsEeFAy frees itself from its
withered and useless ill ~.
g And am. then stin living p sighed the de-
parted, and is there what never believed, life
after deaths But how cold, how areary is this
solitude Whittier shan gos' Here the cheer
full voices Of some travellers, who were passing by
the graveyard into the city, struck upon his ears,
and stretching his arms towards them in an implo-
ring tone, he besought them to take him with them
into the city but he perceived that they neither
heard nor saw him. ~
"Ah see how it is." he said, F." am no lon
ger able to hold communion with living men. I
ann forever separated from the warm and breathing
forms with whom I have hitherto lived. Whittier
then shall go! Who will guide me in this cold
and lonely world which have entered p
As he spoke these words an angel form swept
downward from the skies approaching him his
figure was glorious, and his face marked with q
strong, benevolent, yet somewhat sorrowful express
= Son of ADAM" said he, /" APPROXIMATION with
life is over. Thy Creator hath placed thee in the
territory of the spiritual world. Towhat part of
it dost thou now desire to be led /" y
AT first he seemed oyer-awed by this address,
but striving to recover himself, he replied
'You treat me with more consideration that
had reasonto expect. in the event Of my coming
into such q life as this In my past existence,
priests were wontto threaten hell and eternal tor
ments to people Of my habits o. life and turn Of
thinking. am now glad that could see farther
through the subject than they, and that always
treated their threats with contempt But as you
ask me whittier would q, I say Let mo remain in
this world, as here are all the things in which
have ever taken any interest,"
".You forget" replied the angel, /" that you can
no longer hold any communion with men, or par
take in any Of their modes Of life and enjoyment"
"Ah! too trre," replied the dead, . I should
former pleasures; and could reveal myself to my
friends, should be an object DC terror Well, take
me then into the better land with SOU" ,te
The better land. r replied the sngel sssioasly.
~ isiarge md wide. IL z&y ESshefs house arc
many mansions. TO which Of these would you be
led n II s 1851 ss
" To the most perfect Of all, good angel" repli-
ed the departed. ~ s
"The most perfect" replied the angel, sis where
God unveils his face--where Jesus is surrounded
by the spirits of the just made perfect-where
praises and hallelujahs to God and the Lamb are
continually resembling" =. eeeees
The countenance of the departed expressed q
feeling Of i'll repressed disgust, as he answered,
els there no other place but that, good angel :
never liked to hear about Jesus Christ, and am
sure it would be very repugnant to my feelings TO
be any where in his presence; and 40 TO all this
psalm-singing and pietistic jargon, always had
the utmost contempt for il, and do not End the
least disposition to conform to it now. But bring
me into the society Of intellectual men, Of philoso
pliers, and men Of learning" r @
There isno Learning in this world but the study
of God and Of Jesus, AZ seen in all the multiplied
forms OF creation. II IL displeases you 10 hear Of
Jesus, there 10 nothing that you can investigate
here with any pleasure, for in Him are hid all the
treasures Of wisdom and knowledge, and all things
are by Him, and for Him, and He Is before all
things, and by Him ell things do consist"
" But then, if cannot associate with your learn.
ed men,, replied the departed, bring me, at least,
to the society Of artists for have spent much Of
my life in the contemplation of the fine arts, and
always found in them the greatest enjoyment.
think am fitted for company If this sort."s =
1t is true there 10 such society here" replied
the angel but the object Of all art IL to shadow
FORTH and express, by new images, the Divine beau
ty and grandeur, a. it appears IN all his worlss
hut most of all As it is reflected from the face Of
Jesus Christ. II you can take an eternal delight
in such exercises Of the creative power, come with
me-"
"No, no." replied the dead angrily, and shrink
ing back from the touch Of the angel, I" are these
same ideas to haunt me everywhere! Take me to
the socety THE polite, the refined, the courteous,
to such society, in short, a. have been accnstom-
! ed to on earth"
"And what is refinement, bat parityr replied
the angel. I" Those whom you seek, are these
same ones WITHSTAND with uncovered heart, beneath
the eye Of Gnd, yet look up to his face withoat a
fear in whose bosoans every passing thought may
be read, yet not blush rise TO the cheek, or one
shrinking feeling lead them to draw away from
God, on each other. II, with unveiled heart, you
too can be happy among these, ascend with me-"
@For heavens sake. no r replied the dead, with
mixture Of terror and anger. " WHAT have all
Asy thoughts seen i-my heart forever unveiled -
fine eternity that would be for mep and he laugh
ed in bitter, derisive tone. q You must know
you must see" be suddenly added. = bow yOu mock
me, By presenting at every turn these same iaeas.
You know I always hated and disliked all these
images and associations; my whole Life has been