New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-04-27
against it, and obstinately deny impossible what her
eason and her bible told her soul was Gods eternal


reason and her bible told her soul was Gods eternal
| truth?
ONO, she did not, but ioyfuy welcomed the truth,
and became, If possible, more angelic than before.
and others neglected her, but she chung with ardent
hope and faith to the glorious reality Nothing could
move her, for she saw that to world, and church
even, sunken in materialism-to souls doubling i'm
of the dead, of whose fate they knew not, great
truth was being revealed and she knew that she
heard, and that they might hear the startling words
" The dead live-they are near you, you can talk
with them and they with you."
o. fathomless the joy of her SOUL and the souls
of all who accepted this truth. Death was indeed
robbed of its terrors. The trembling doubling, almost
hopeless one became strong and lived a new life.
/ few Joined Minna in her new faith, and but few
1t required almost martyrs courage to adopt it in
the midst of church anathemas and public ridcule
yes those who bore the cross externally as surely
a crown Within
| One night-it wasa calm summer night--the moon
shone brightly on every HILL Minna had dream. She
beheld herself borne away by two bright beings to
| glorious home where she was welcomed by all the
dear friends who had left her earth She met them
ALL and there was, indeed, Joy unutterabe and full
| of glory. They led her up higher, and yet to more
distant realms and opened to her sight more respend
ent beauties then some one whispered in her ear
"a This is your spirit home, which you shall soon in
herit" She awoke, and the spirit was no more but
all night its beauty dwe in her mind, and her little
room seemed full Of holy beings and vocal with sweet
| voices. "a.
She never forgot it, How could she?
The pastor took her pale, thin hand into his own,
and said-My dear child, may God bless you"
Her eye gently raised Sand she replied, with
the light of soft smile radiatng her face" He does
| bless me- He blesses all his works."
| The clergyman appeared to catch truth from the
word spoken. He was silent for moment, during
which Minna's face became unusually clear and life.
like.
"Hark !" she whispered. Hank choir of
| angels is coming. can just hear the music: They
comes to bless my pastor? She says she is his
mother and she comes to bless him. She is tall and
graceful in appearance She has dark and speaking
eye, and black hair. A sweet smile plays upon her
features she kisses Bible and extends it if to
give it as parting gift to her son--"
MY mother! MY MOTHER !" exclaimed the pastor,
he threw himself upon his knees at the bedside and
buryng his face in his hands, gave vent in tears to
mother that Minna had described; and the last
earthly act of that mother had been the presentation
of Bible to him, accompanied with kiss, more
than half century before!
approach very near now. Don't you all hear it ~
We listened and we all heard it. The very air of
the room was tremulous with its vibrations.
Let me kiss you all, said she, " for father says
full Do not weep for me. shall often, o, so often,
come back to and talk with you. My dear pastor
your mother wishes me to tell you as from her. that
the angel faith is true. She wishes you to have faith
and believe.n
~ will = was the earnest response
"Now goodbye all, said She Mother, grand
father, pastor, and you, dear friend good-bye We'll
come angel friends! Welcome, welcome eternal life
Welcome, well"
Minna had entered her chariot and gone.
remained till the last joyous rite had been per-
formed and the good old pastor at the grave while
tears of Joy suffnsed his face, spoke of her joyous pas
sage, and avowed his fixed belief in the mnisration
and manifestation of spirits.s
We had no sad tears for that bridal-no dark habi-
iments in which to clothe bodies We only strew-
ed white flowers upon the grave and babe her sleep
Sleep on" Holy benediction to life of active
goodness. 1t sounded like the vesper bell on the I'M
dulating waves of Italian sunset-the spiritual
breathings OF departing day.
Sleep on. Yes, sleep, child of earth, now the in
heritor of Heaven. Sleep on. Spring shall bud for
thee in sweetest fragrance. Summer shall blossom in
beauty. Autumn shall scatter tinted leaves around,
and winter shall deck in robes of spotess purity the
little mound beneath which thy weary limbs so quietly
repose.
And yet thou dost not sleep. All, no it is only
the temple that has fallen, its tenant has gone to
more glorious home We watched thy breathing
fainter and fainter the pulsations of the earth
life The last came. 1t came-it passed away. We
watched its flight until we saw the golden gates of
the " New Jerusalem open to receive it.
And when it entered we felt our earthchans upon
We realized that thou vert free and we were not
That thy feet could enter in while must wait
until the glorious angel the beauteous, Godcommis
stoned one whom call DEATH should release us
from captivity to flesh and blood.
Rest thee, Mnna. May our end be like thine.