The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-03-20
Moral Readings.
Deaths Visit to the Village.

lnp snying, my country friends, for the word
otlhe Eternal is gone forth: "lhe days of
orr years are threescOre years and ten; and
iiby reason of strength hey be fourscore
yours, yet is their strength labor and sorrow;
for it is soon cut of, and we fly away" Ps.
&c. 10. Neither town nor country can pre-
vent the visits of Death.
Denth came up the village. 1t was in the
spring. the fresh leaves were budding forth.
aud the snow drops were peGping out Of the
ground. lie went TO the matched cottage
by the ash tree where sat old Roger Cough
in his arm chair, with his brow wrnkled and
bis hair white as flax. Roger was taken with
the cramp in the stomach, and soon ceased
to breathe. "What man is he that liveth, aud
shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul
from the hand ofthe grave" Ps. lXXXiN. 4S.
The wheelwright's wife sat with her baby,
her first born in her lap. Ii smiled us it lay
asleep, and breathed softly. The mother
went on NEEDING stockings, every now and
then casting fond look at her little treasure.
That day week its gentle spirit departed, lcav
ing its fond parents half henrt broken. How
uncertain is human life! SIT il eveua vapor
that Oppeareth for little time and then van
isheth away" james w. II.
Death went down the village in summer.
The heavens were bright with sunbeGms, aud
the earth seemed to sme the gardens were
in their glory and the merry hay makers were
busy in the fields The sections son had long
been ailing, and all agreed that he could new
or struggle through the winter. The red
tinge on his cheek was not ola healthy hue,
consumption had marked him for the grave.
lie had taken to his bed for II fortnight, when
his head fell back gently on his pillow, and
Inc Went oti'likc an infant going TO sleep. GAS
for man. his days are as grass: ms Il flower of
the field, so he loGrsheth. For the wind
pusseth over it, nndit is gone: and the place
thereof shall know it no more" PS. Gill. 10,
l6.
Butcher llRueoCks wac the strongest man
in the parish; but he was no match for death!
His chest was broad, his arms were sinewy
and strong, and his frame bulky anG well knit
together. AS hearty as Hancocks' was IL
common adage. No matter; sickness soou
robs the stoutest of his strength, aud pulls
down the talIest man to the ground; The
fever fastened upon him, so that one hour he
ragged with heat and thirst, and the next his
teeth chartered with the cold. His ncighburs
carried him to his grave. :'Lord make me
know mine end, AID the measure ofmy days,
what it is: that may know how trail am.
Behold thou hast made my days MS II hand
breadth; and mine age is rs nothing before
IhCe; verify, man at his best state is altogether
vanity" PS. XXXiX. 4, ).
orchard trees were bending beneath tIeir
}oad, the sickle was at work among the wheat
and the scythe was sweeping down the bar
ley. Never was known n more abundant
year. The loaded teams were seen in all di-
'rCciions,S' the cleaners were picking mp the
scattered ears from the stubblc .FnrmerAount
was II wealthy man. He was in the field with
the rcapcrs, when no suddenly fell to the
ground. Some said he was suddenly struck
by the sun, and others, that it was fit of APP
.opleXy; bur whatever it was, Farmer BlOunt
ucvcr spoke after You may, perhaps have
seen his tomb by the stone wall otthc church
yard, with the iron palisades round it. Tru-
iy may each ofus say, There is buta step
between inc aud DEATH" | Sam. Xxi 3.
Widow Edwards lived in the shed ut the
back of the pound. 1t was n wreiched hahi-
tatiCn: but the poorcannot choose their dwell
ing places. The aged widow had wrcstled
hard with poverty; her bits and cr&d,s We're
few and far between Her son, who ought
to have been a staff for her old age to rest
on,was at sea. He was rowing and thought
less; but there is heartache in store for him
.On account of his aged mother. Death found
the widow alone lying OH her straw. No
one was at hand to comfort her, or to close iIer
eyes. "Watch, therefore, for We know not
what hour your Lord doth come" Matt.
xiv. 40.
Death went round the village in the winter.
The ccles We're foot long, hanging from
the pent house in the carpenters yard; and
thc snow lay here and there in heaps, for it
had been sheyeied away from in front ofthG
cottages. Not a stones throw from the fing-
er post at the end ,efthe village, dwelt Abel
.Froome, the clerks father. For years he had
been afflicted, but his mind was stayed upon
,,Christ the Rock ofages, and he loved to think
of eternal things. He had lived to- goodly
old age: and rs Il shock of corn fully ripe for
the harvest he was ready to be gathered into
she garner Of God While l&s days were
numhering,his heart had appliedanto wisdom
and he knew Him whom to know is eternal
life. Death found him sitting up in his bed,
with tie Bible in his aged hands. and the
last words that taiered from his lips were,
''Lorl, now lettest thy servant depart in peace
according to thy word: for mine eyes have
seen thy salvation" Luke ii. SO, 30. Thus
died Abel Froome. "MarIl The perfect man,
and behold the upright, for the end of that
man is peace" Ps. xxXvii. 81.
The habitation of Harry Tonts was an a
wretched plight when Death crossed the
threshold. Harry was an infdel and scott
cd at holy things. His days were mostly
spent in dIeness, and his nights in poaching,
and in tipplng at the Fighting Cocks. Of
ten had Harry defied death at a distance, as
buglear; but when he came in reality, he
trembled like Child Pain racked him, and
lpoverty distressed him; but that was not all,
Tor his conscience was at work within him,
and his mind was disturbed. "The spirit
ola man will sustain his infirmiy; but Il
wounded spirit who can bear?" Prov. xviii
IL. 1t was a horrid sight TO see Harry clench-
ing hishands, tearing his clothes, and gnash-
ing his teeth in anguish, and quite as bad to
hear the curses he uttered in his despair. He