Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-06

lay the truth to heart? Where are the signs O
preparation I Where the solicitude, lest thai
hour should come upon US like thief in the night
1t is most painfrg chviars. that while multitude;
are intent On ~ iiv, sa sdss- are. or the &C
QUESTION of wealth, there axe ) 2 a, are serious
y setting their houses in order knowing that they
shall die, and not live. The great majority who
die, it is to be feared, are not prepared for what
awaits them. Here and there one meets the even,
with placidity, and with joyous hope of the sin.
less perfection which awaits them while many
pass hence with conscences stupefed, or only
awakened too late for remedy. o7llf
Of the latter kind the instances are numerous
although, in most, the particulars are carefully
concealed By survivors. The expressions of re-
morse, the wild looks of horror, and the fearful
anticipations of coming doom, are attributed to
natural fear or deliriun, when in truth the dying
ones were never so fully awake, or so truly ration
al, as when pronouncing their own coming ruin.
Christian physicians have often the painful privi-
lege Of witnessing dying scenes, from which the
ministers of religion are excluded, and they can
relate many tale of sorrow too terrible to be
depicted in language. Recently, lady was ta-
ken from the highest circles of fashion, that she
might hold brief and unequal conflict with death.
Had the subject of dying been suggested to her
a few days before, she would have regarded it as
an imperitent intrusion. Her only thought was
for life and its epjoyments, and yet death was
steady to his purpose; and when the fatal blow
was given and she felt the chill of death seize upon
1or 4 10 bolr Cd
The gaites of life had faded away. The fashion
able circle had no aid to tender. Faith had new
er led her to the cross and now, in the hour of
fearful and appalling gloom, with dread eternity
in view, with shrek lost soul, she cried, 90
doctor, save me DO save me" 1t was vain ap-
peal and was soon succeeded by that profound
silence which indicates that the scene has closed
A young lady, who dreamed not that it was
possible for her to die so young, lived without God,
and under the Aatterng delusion that she had nev-
er done wrong. Full of life, she resolved to enjoy
it and the exhortations of religion, while they fell
on her ear, never reached her heart. Death knock
ed at the door. He had a commission, and he
must execute it suddenly. The stroke fell and as
it fell, her delusiols disspated; she read her
own charecter-an innocent one in the esteem of
the world-and as she gasped away her life, she
exclaimed, Il am black with sin !" There was
no evidence that the conviction constrained her to
apply where cleansing could be had.
A mother of family, who had lived heedlessly,
and neglected many opportunities of making he7
calling and election sure was struck with death at
the midnight hour The physician was foiled and
powerless the case was beyond remedy; friends
wept and while the city was hushed into silence
and repose, there was dim light in that chamber,
and amidst suppressed sobs OF surrounding OBJ
servers ever and anon, the enanguished cry arose
from the dying one, 20 my poor soul, my poor
soul :" Deep and sad feelings were those which
found vent in these few words.
Still another lady, who had no notion of being
righteous overmuch, and therefore had neglected
the great coucern was called at length to die
Gloom unmitigated hung oyer her dying bed, and
where am going" Alas, to set out on such
journey, and yet have no definite view of the end
These are few instances They are all selected
from the sex which is proyerbially the best and
purest, although fallen, and needing as much as
the other, the intervention of Savior. Other
cases more appalling could be enumerated. These
may suffice, however, 10 adrnonish Us that there
is time to die, and that whatever else We may
neglect preparation for this event cannot be neg
lected for moment with safety, ard never neg
lected except under spirit of infatuation. Read
er, take heed that that hour come not on you una
warei