The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-01-03
IL WOULD NOT LIVE ALN Ai.'
n REV. TX. SPEAG I.

....irn.tirs rt mortality l would rear pa
gently Tie pans the ..roan>. the t0ssln-e TO
"hch thu weak holy is subjected: but
would rather he hrvolI their reach. and wear
body that could bid defiance IL disease
nat could -hinc with an angels beauty. ard
move az au-,l's strength. | would not com
lain cf the trrhien"-S OF iHv mental opera
tons and vet would hail with gratitude
4" c>pan>on Of these powers into something
vt greater ;.nd brighter: would prefer the
f.pb.c thoughts "i glogifed manhood. to the
narrow conceptions OF this infancy of nv cX-
i,tcnct. would BE- thankful for what God
has made me-. AID humble for what have
made myself: IN, would wait in cxulting
h"p" Of compet" renovation Of INV nature
in which hall have strength impaired to
lear an eternal weight OF Glory
.so...d not live AWAY. because | cannot
!.ar tie sound .; DYING "roans: Grrause In
>tiact.,clv shrink hark from the bedside
where IN, beloved friend is going through
with ili> last agollic< would not live AWAY.
because chrncc stability rather than Vici>>l-
lu,Ic: and even when NY hop"s Of earthly
GOOD are the brightest, never know but it
is the harbinm-r OF dire eclipse. | would net
live alwav because my spirit is offended by
the scenes of discord and contention which
prevail around me: scenes in which am
conpc!led to min.le and which, perhaps in
M weakness | may be left to promote.
wou!d no, live awav, because see IN the
distance a rrgion that i, free from storms = (,
:, r.uion in which not even cloud lowers
and [ would breathe that halmv tmosphere;
would wall; beneath the very throne of the !
Prince of Peace: would be able to look a.
round ne, to look before me. and reflect that
there Is not an element Of tempest in all that
portion of Gods domiuions in which an to
have NV everlasting home.
In this mixed state of being, the best men
are frequently brought into contact with the
bad nav even with the worst. 1t sometimes
happens that the Christian has his lot cast in
family, one or more of whose members Is
openly vicious and pro!ane: and sometimes
even the Christian parent is compelled to the
rcil.rtion that his own child, whom he meets
every day in the discharge of parental offices,
j. a hIa.phcmcr, or prohigatc. But in adj
diiion TO tbs, even the fellowship of Christi .
ans in this world is a fellowship of miserably .
imperfect men. What Christian has not had
his heart wounded 10y the reconsideration, the :
wick etnc>S il nav be the absolute treachc,I
Of some one who has claimed to be arknowl-
edged "a a brother in Christ What Chris
tan l:.> not sometimes beer ready to ask.
while he wel,t over the spectacle of a eligious
community arn,ing themselves with the wcap-
uns of carnal warfare is there faith on the
earth" What Christian but has sometimes
felt the need of sympathy and cooperation.
when ii has been wilhheid and when he
would fam have opened his heart TO the in
.itnratinI influence Of GoCllv traternal ttl-
Iow>lnp. hes found himself well nigh chilled
in the freezing atmosphere Of Indifference
ard lormality?
Not 80 in the wori,. hich Christian Gath
anticipates. There, all will be bound togetTl-
er in the cords Of love: all will he h,!prr>
together of each others .iov. -Nll-and who
will they be? First, all the ransomcl out
of every nation, and kindred, and tongue,
and people. Every patriarch, every proph-
ct. every apostle. every martyr. every saint
q: every age. AMI cline, and condition, will
ic there. Next. there will be the native ia
hahitants of heaven. who have always been
oval to their King they will continue to be
As they ever have been at home on the fields
nt immortality. Jesus the diving Lamb, the
Cod and Hope of the world, the enthroned
aud al!-rraciouS Savior, will he there in mild
and heavenly majesty; carrying forward the
vast purposes of his mcdiatorial reign. and
pouring forth endless bcncdictions over the
whole host Of the gloriiirl. This vast assem-
hiv will constitute one glorious fraternity of
rx1,tcd Minds And is it any wonder that
"" Christian should desire to be among them?
l. i. strange that. when rivers Of waters run
Gown his eyes because men keep not Gods
law when his heart blccls from wounds that
have been inflicted 10y hands with which his
own had been Joined in the bond of covenant
,nra@rmcnt---iS it strange. ask that he
should be more than willing, in Gods best
timc. 10 JOIN the eternal fellowship of heav-
en-?
| would not ike alwav. because would eS
cape from 4 conpanonShip with those who
d,Sii-" nav ncdc, ncr and his salvation he
tense DO not wish my ear to be always &C
customcd to sounds of hasphemv, or mine eve
TO >prctacIe> of proficerv and crime. would
not live alwav, because even the communion
{" saints on earth is imperfect and often EN-
uttered; and never know what either ol
tho" with whom am associated mav lc lei
10 'io, to DESTROY each others peace woulc
not live AWAY, because expect to meet il
heaven those Christian friends whom low.
below, purified from their dro>> and advance,
to \ state of absolute perfection: because m
bosom burns with desire 10 uincle with tn
great and good of other ages because I woul,
tam see Abraham and Moses and Paul. fac
t" rare: because I would hear the MARTYR
tell with their own 1ins the story of their Sut
t"ring> AMI their triumrh>. and would oi