Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1845-09-04
The Deafh.Red.

There is no place in this world like death
bed. II lies on the borders Of eternity, and is
separated from the spirlt-land only by thin
misty, boundary. From that spot you can look
over into another world, dimly seen, but which
stretches away onward TO an nterminable dis
tance, and beyond the reach of thought Around
the death-bed hang curtains, such as surround
no other bed in this world On that bed men
lie down TO rise up no more and though all
men approach it with deep and solemn reluc
lance, yet all are fastening 10 il with the ra-
pidity of time. From lha, spot the man looks
back over all his past years. They seem to
pass in review like shadows before him. The
actions which have marked his past life and
formed his character, seem TO come up like
spec,res, and fit across the field of vision With
wonderful distinc,ness. Here he takes his
last look of earth The shadows of Iife's eve
ming are gathering around him, as the twilight
fades away into lha, long, dark night, unbro-
ken by the slumber of ages.
more dreadful than TO others The unbeliever
breads it, and would fain avoid il, but there is no
discharge. To him, it is surrounded with gloom,
and darkness as darkness itself. And well it
may be, for he has no God TO whom he can look
for consolation and support. He lies down
alone, and dies alone, and enters eternity alone,
without one friend to comfort him; and when he
has passed the mysterious boundary of time, be
! finds most unwelcome and horrid companions
with whom he must travel in company all the
round of eternal ages.
The deah-bed is dreadful TO the impeni,en
| man. He lies down on il sooner Than he ex
| pected and before he was ready. All his life
he has been approaching it, and knew it was d
solemn place, but he has made no preparation tc
lie down there, and take last look and las
farewell of earth. and friends, and objects which
he held dear. He was moving on amid the bu
/ sy and engrossng scenes of EARTH unmndlul O
The eternal future, when suddenly he finds him
self lying on the bed of DEATH He has only
time 10 take few hurried glances around, or
the faces of friends and the objects he loved
and the hour of his departure has come, and hi
spirit spreads lis wings for the final flight.
But of all death-beds, that of the worldly
prayerless, false professor of religion, is ,h
most fearful And yet, the careless conduc, o
too many affords sad testimony to the meIan
choIy fact, ,ba, their hope Of heaven is built o'
the sand, and must soon be swept away by tn
final storm. Who would not shrink from he
holding the death-bed Of The false professor
81 have seen il before now, and, | trust
may never see il again. They are not blesse
after death. The rotten branches will bur
more fefcely in The flames Oh, think wha
torment il will be 10 think that you spen, you
life in pretending 10 be Christian, and lost you
opportunity of becoming one indeed! Your hel
" i'll be all the deeper, blacker, hotter, that yo
and found him not. Happy are they who en-
dure TO The end, who are no, moved away from
their hope Of the gospel, who, when others 9
away, say Lord, 10 whom can we 60? Inpros
perity they follow the Lord fully; IN adversely
they ceave TO him closer still, as trees sirik
their roots deeper IN storms. Is this your case
Endure il to the end Be not moved away fror
the hope of the gospel. We are made para
kers of Christ. if we hold the beginning of ou
confidence sleadfas, unto The end. Even in III
dark valley you will cling to him still. Com
to him as ye came at frst-a guilty creature
vast made my sin This is to die IN the Lord
and this is TO be blessed"
Old MUndreth.
ILL., L,1.a,opIr Of e. &C IL