The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-06-20

/ 1ledcheG On the occasion OF the ue4th OF airs
SARAH DODGE, wife of ohm Dodge, June 4th 1861
| by Rev. II. SLADE.
published by request
| blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be
comforted '.Math, Vi
To declare the lnourner happy and blessed OF
| God seems somewhat enlgnatlcal, 1t bungs a
strange sound, as | am aware. to many ears, and
produces not untrequentiy far different .Lan feel
iugs of conviction that the declaration correct
! one But however much mans thoUghtiess judg-
ment may be oOntradIcted by the authority OF
Christs teaching, it is worthy OF remark ihat the
latter always gains the ascendancy when 1t appeals
| to the deliberate convictions of the sincere, sOr
rowing and humble chastened soul
| believe that the words OF Christ III this instance
are such warranted by many OF the most
demonstruble and well authenticated eXamp les tlp-
pealing to from numberless sources, OF men Is
hearts, iii all ages of the world. And although Ii
appears like & pGradOXiCal and contradictory eX-
preston at the first thought OF of ii, yet Hs-
sured it can be shown that the declaration con.
Tains nothing but q simple and well established
truth.
1t is well for our hearts sometimes to teel the
paugs of sorrow, ard for eyes 10 be filed with
tears 1t is well for us sometimes to have our
plans fail us, and to worldly hopes cut of
and disappointed. Vine has not elt the relief Of
tears in great sorrow The heart would break
or burst if the eyes did not give vent to the IN.
creased food. Tears provision OF mercy and
| happy is he who can shed them. The trials that
blight and backen the soul are the ones that are
| too long to allow 10 weep them away too
| hopeless, bitter, and soul coTrodmg that keeps
! the eyes dry aud the heart hot and the throat
! choked within
| And 1t is thus that we must go through the val.
ley OF tears and suffering to the Paradise OF joy
ana spiritual giadness III the affections of he soul.
| Mourning were sad and unpleasant subject to
Contemplate, or tc occupy our minds with, were
it not that it hath tuis bessedness and comfort 10
/ hR
bitter tears--irdeed they are; but they arc the
most blessed OF all tears nevertheless. They are
! the rain disabling i'll the golden showers If heaV
! ems richest blessings, III sunshine and storm; IN
which God comes down to us TO dwell With usJand
| to have his tabernacle in the hearts Of men
1t is thus say that are TO experience its sal
utary influence upon the mind. And when this
| lesson is learned and taught us rs from heaven,
we understand the value Of afcon the rue
philosophy Of sorrow and how Cur griefs may
| be- reconciled as the ordination of wise beneY.
oence Tor our highest and best good, as we
| could not understand them SO well in any 9TH
erway.
There are many who have fouad conf, rt in this
way when they litlle expected it, 1t has flowed
| to them from springs To which they have never
turned their eyes 1t has gushed forth from their
own proved hearts, and their sunctifed feelings
and affections 1t has come from their increased
and envened faith in GOD, and his paternity and
grace. 1t has come from their enlarged and in
vigorated hopes Of Immortality and bliss wallmg
up III the soul.
| 1t is so thdt when the earth is dark and dreary
around u.s. the heavens shine most bright and
beautiful i'll their resplendence from the bending
and opening sky above-just as the stars OF heay-
| en- shine brightest when the night is darkest The
rough winds that scatter the leaves and flowers OF
our prosperity, and our hope lets in the light OF
| sun and stars through the pare branches The
gay dreams OF the night are dissipated that the re-
alities of the day may come; the golden substance
| for the gilded shade. The bright bubbles burst
but in their place IS the pure light OF heaven =
And when the heart Is almost broken with grief
and sadness then is it made most meet in its adapt
ness for the reception OF spiritual JOY and comfort
| from the source OF bessedne9s on high
| God pOurs the Oil of rejoicing as from the upper
sky of his redemption, into the broken vessels Of
earthly grief and suffering; and thus not unire-
quenay is the heart first turned upward when all
below is sadness ana gloom and melancholy Inc
storm may descend upon us III ali It's Jury, ana the
| rains pour, and the floods come, aud tie WIND
blow and beat upon US, but on the retreating
thunderclOud IS sci the bright semi.circle Of glO-
rv-the crescent Of God mercy. The flowers tho
they are 'scentless when entire yet they"spread
! fragrance when they're bruised"
! Even the earlier dIspensatI0n caught glmpses
enough of the truth in this regard to infer that it
is better to go to the house OF mourning than TO
the house OF feasting. Some one has spoken OF
the "joy of grief" And there is III this expression
the language OF truth for there are deeper well
springs OF JOY In grief than in any of the luxufi-
ant grounds OF earthly pleasure and comfort. And
many have tested the reality Of what is here at
hrmed, finding in experience a valuable comment
on the words Of the Psalmlst which assure that
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy There
is, as we know, pleasure in sad and mourniul
music III the breathings Of the melancholy muse
and in the touching narration painful tale, to
! which all hearts respOnd-and an indefnable, Joy
GUS sadness is felt as we ''mourn with those that
mourn. Thesgay and sportiye recital loses itf
charms after few perusals while the tale Of sor
row always has freshness that assuages to flesh
ness and confidence. There is chord touched b.
human grief that gladness cannot reach ana III
music, though sad as the strains of earthly suffer
ing can make it, may be sweet as the ministry o
angels. and may be made more sanitary than oui
accustomed enjoymenrs and blessings In teaching
the tender morality of sympathy with our kind