Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-11-20
THE TEACHINGS OF DEATH.


cumstances, solemn thing for man to
contemplate. The death ola neighbor, even
though we may not have had much personal
intercourse in his life with the deceased,
casts shade of gloom over our minds
Mirth is hushed at the simple announce
mcnt that fellow mortal has run his or her
course on earth-that the once animated
body, with all its wonderful organism, has
become 4 cold, unmoving corpse. and the
spirit which filled it with life and beauty has
gone to him who gave it. But when death
passes on some honorcd or loved one-when
its icy breath strikes and withcrs some cher
ished object of our hearts strongest affec-
tions-then it is that we feel, in its full and
awful import, the universal sentence on our
race, "Dust thou art and unto dust shalt
thou return"
This is a sentence from which, as materi-
al and mortal beings, none Of us can escape
To day it is executed on the tender house
hold plant; tomorrow on the strong and
vigorous, who rejoiced but moment before
in the prospect of many bright and happy
days. The young, the beautiful, and the
good-those who have had many joys, as
we'll as those who have spent many years of
care and sorrow-are alike subject to the
inevitable decree. Friends are gone since
Yesterdays sun declined we may have fol-
lowed before to tomorrow s sun has risen.-
Oh, how void are the things of this life
when viewed from the chamber of DEATH
How base and uttcry y contemplate do all its
strifcs, its ambitions, its jcalousles, and its
hatreds appear. If men would reflect on
the shortness and uncertainty of life, the
nearness and the certainty of death, surely
they would avoid many of those chickering's
and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES backbitings and
slanderings-which constitutes so large a
portion of life's annoyances and miseries.
As the certainty Of death teaches US hu-
mility, it should also teach us the duty of
charity. As we expect to be forgiven the
many ill deeds done in the body, so We
should strive to be forgiviDg to those who
injure OF offend US. If We expect an i'm
mortality of the Spirit through the love of
him who is immortal and eternal; should we
not try to live by the laws of love here p
If the hope of a never ending life, that is
pure and blessed, can alone remove the sting
of death and brighten the path to the tomb,
ought we not to cultivate the virtues and be
guided by the precepts which arc consistent
with that hope? What are flceting earthly
honors if gained at the sacrifice Of glory
that is imperishablc? What is the wealth
of this world, if it be attained BY the rcnun-
citation of an inheritance that cannot be des-
troycd? What is earthly rank or station
compared with the cxaltation which awaits
the pure in heart beyond the tomb?
Death is solemn monitor to whose war
nings we should give heed. We need not
mar our enjoyment in this world by keeping
constantly in view that this is not our abiding
place. The good are the happicst in life,
and happy in the contemplation Of Death
The motive to all true yirtae is, that its best
reward comes after this life is ended. The
noblencss of man does not consist in his be-
ing lord of the lower creation, but in the
immortal essence which links his existence
to that of the Creator of the Universe. He
should care, therefore, more for the immor-
tai spirit than for the mortal body, and live
here as the heir of kingdom which has no
end.-NcW lorh SIM.