Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-10-31

ened and apostate world, life would be
insuflerablc, and mans chief object
would be TO escape from existence
When God passed His fearful and eter-
nal curse upon the original possessors
ofthe Garden Of Eden, and blighted all
things earthly, He mercilully implanted
in the hearts Of the disobedient. the sweet
germ of Hope; and from that moment
when man first felt his utter loneliness
and desolation, down to the present time,
the soothing gift of Hope, like an angel
of Mercy, has brooded over our being,
and consoled us in our manifold afilic-
tions. II sustains us on all occasions
when dependency spreads its mantle
over the heart, and its cheering attri-
butes elevates us above the engrossing
sensualism of earth, to the purity and
holiness of "A better life. Even while
we are surrounded by all the indulgen-
ces Of pleasure, and grief is knawing
at the heart, we hope for still brighter
enjoyments. But it is only in the dark
and trying hour Of misfortune, when
we are irresistably driven TO the neces-
sity of feeling our dependence on high
er power than ourselves, or than this
earth can afford, that we feel and APP
preciate the infinite blessing of Hope =
When troubles surround us in our world
ly affairs, when the cruel angel ofDeath
bears away the dear objects of our
hearts truest affection-when the loved
ones of our life are laid cold and notion
less before us, in the last pale hablia-
ments Of the grave, and as we bend 81
lently and in tears above them, thinking
of past joys and by gone associations,
how fondly we have loved each other,
and now that it is all forever over,-oh,
how benignantly the angel of Hope
spreads its wings around u.s. and raises
US from the sorrow which is crushing us
to the earth ! II points the weary soul
to the better land and, in the language
of Faith, bids us turn our thoughts 10
the Author and Source Of all Wisdom,
with n certain confidence that He who
hath caused all this, doeth all things
well. And then, when our own doom is
about being irrevocably sealed-when
disease has deprived us Of action, and
we are laid upon bed Of sickness, with
an aching brow and fevered brain
when we feel that each pulsaton Of the
heart is more feeble than the last-when
the breath grows shorter and shorter,
when the vision becomes dim, and the
face is cold and already moistened by
the dews of Death when weeping
friends surround us, and those most dear
are performing the last acts which de-
voted affection prompts then, oh, then,
when all is solemn and dark around us,
how sweetly this last good cherubim of
Hope spreads its spangled wings around
our expiring nature and with its finger
of immaculate Faith points us TO the
realms of everlasting beatitude, where
Il just God sits enthroncd in glory, and
where merciful Saviour reclines at the
right hand of His Father, as our inter
cessor and mediator between rebel man
and an injured God. Then, above all
earthly things, is ii that we feel and ap-
preciate the full value Of Hope. Then
it is that we are ready to acknowledge
that even amid the dissertations and cor
ruptons of earth, that a merciful God
has kindly left the last Of His heavenly
angels on earth to illuminc the darkness
of sin, and to light the weary pilgrims
way through the tomb to the beatifed
regions of glory,--and that angel is
Hope!