Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-05-19
NY Mothers Grave.


sMv Mothers Grave Ills there beneath the trees.
I love to go alone, and sit, and think
Upon that grassy mound Ay cradle hours
Come back again so sweeIy, when woke
And lifted up my hradto kiss the cheek
That bowed to meet me-.
HOW many thoughts cluster around the
heart aswe approa this monument of our
affection All that is noble in our nature is
aroused at the thought Of Its dissertation We
halow the spot where the last Remains Of
her who bore us lie slunlbering. Although
long years may have passed, AMI partially
obterated the scenes of her death and burial
from our minds, yet 1t is enough to know
that here, beneath u.s. lie the remains of our
mother Mother! How affecting is the
sound of that one word 1t inspires us with
uobler aspirations and frner determinations
for the future; that we may act up to that
high ideal which that mother may have con-
corning that much-loved child. Can we
prove recreant to those principles which she
has endcavored to instill into our youthful
mind principles of justice, virtue, and re-
Iigion? The hardened criminal. as he passes
from one sin to another, at times recalls the
memory of his mother, and mourns because
of his wicked departure from rectltude. The
thoughts of her kindness and virtue for a
moment affect bis heart, and he resolves to
change his course and be i man again. But
resolution fails and TO drown rcmorse, he
plunges deeper and still deeper into the
whirlpool of crime. The thoughts of that
departed mother and of that mothers grave.
and of that mothers instructions in his
earlier years, are driven away, and have no
lasting effect upon his memory
But the Christian reveronces the memory
of his mother. The thought, MY Mothers
Grave" brings to miml endearln5 recollec-
tions of the past. He remembers, whe but
a boy of eight summers, being called 10 the
bedside of the suffering parent, to hear from
her lips kind words OF instruction and al
monition. He remembers, too, the midnight
hour when he was called to receive her last
bcnediclion-her last farewell. The hour
had come in which she IN st pass to the I'M
seen world,
where sickness, sorrow, pain and death
Are felt and fta'ed no more -
and he was called to wtncs. her departure
to that better ltethat life Of immortality.
Her last token Of rccog ition, her last intel
igible whisperings Of farewell, still remain
as if engraven with a pen Of iron upon mem
ory's tablet. Long years have passed. The
turf has grown green above the coffin; the
marble slab marks her restiug-pace. She
has passed away to be here no more, but the
influence Of her godly example is still Ielt.
We approach the grave with pensivene,s and
silence, for beneath these cIods lie her who
first instilled into our minds the principl of
Christian charity and true beneyoIenoe. Why
should We not tread lightly as we approach
the sacred spot?
Young man hast though wandered from
the paths Of religion and virtue p hast thou
sought the house Of the vicious and despised ?
Turn thy steps towards the churchyard,
seek out the spot that thou callest MY
Mothers Grave" fall upon it, call to mind
the instructions of thy parent resolve to
'uih iloil Cue ways vi cV'i, anu lleii call up
Oh thy Father in Heaven" for pardon and
assistance.
Young woman hast thou forgo ten the
gentle words of thy mother, and sought the
pleasures of the world, and torsakon the
ways Of virtue? Turn thy thoughts towards
thy mothers grave, recall the memories Of
days past, and may they inspire you with
courage, and cause new hopes Of immortall-
ty to spring forth from tie inward fountain
of the soul, fresh and vigorous. O, how pc,
tent for good may be the thought of Moth
er's Grave.