The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-04-29


music of the heavenly world, or to listen
to those sweet tidings of salvation which
would have fully prepared us for the
mansions Of the blessed. Old age is nc
time to repair the follies of youth. The
cold prison cell is no place to plead pro
lection from the laws of our country-nc
time to prepare to meet an enemy after
he has bound us hand and foot or Grip
pied all our energies. So it is no time
for us to meet the monster death after he
has encircled us in his icy arms, and ia.
ken us unto his own dominion. What a
thought that each one fus is rapidly pur-
suing the journey Of life to Its final ter.
minaion. Each moment bears US over a
space which we cannot retrace, and very
soon it will be said of us that we are dead
1t matters not our place Of residence,
how great our services or important our
lives. Death knocks alike at the door Of
the kings palace, the cottage of the
humble peasant, and the hovel of the
lonely beggar, And even if not welcom-
ed he forces an entrance, and bears away
in his icy arms the helpless victim Ii
matters not how many objects Of renown
he has left behind-how many immortal
honors were once within his reach, not
one of them can be recalled after the
golden sands of time are run out, and
lifes journey ended. How full of mean.
ing the language Of the wise man of Is
rael-Eccl. tx, 10: Whatever thy
hand findeth to do, do it with thy might
For there is no work nor device, mol
knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave
whittier thou goest." "For the redemp
ton of the soul is precious and ceasetl
forever"
9Th Another reason why we should
be prepared to meet God at death is
God our heavenly father requires spec
ial preparation. He is too wise to err,
he orders all things in wisdom He
well understands what is for our best
good were and for our happiness and glory
hereafter. To this end he requires us
TO make that preparation Of heart which
will prepare us to participate in the So
ciety of the pure and holy, and mingle
with them in their anthems of praise to
him that sitteth upon the throne, as they
cast their glittering crowns at his feet
saying, "Thou art worthy o Lord to re-
ceive honor, power aud glory, for Thou
art the creator of all things If we could
give no other reason why we should
make this preparation than that God our
heavenly father requires it. this should
be sufficient to prompt us to action, and
lead us to welcome Christ to our hearts
while it is called to-day. God is saying to
each one Of us to-day by the death of our
friend, "Be We also ready for in such an
hour as We think not the Son OF Man
cometh." " Prepare to meet thy God"
oh. We see the necessity of our i'm
proving the present moments from the
fact we know not what a day tomorrow
may bring forth. We know not the
hour when the Son of Man will bid US
depart this lie. Death appears TO be
borne on every breeze, Turks beneath ev,
cry flower and connected with every pos
sible station in life At the very mo-
ment we may be anticipating long life
looking forward to a bright future and
the many victories to be achieved by US,
death may be upon our track and our
days numbered. Our friend, now cold
in death, but few days since was walk
ing forth in our midst, erect, cheerful
and active, but now his outward cover
ing, all that is visible to the eye of sense
is a lileless mass of clay. Medicinal
skill could not stay the onward tread oi
the last enemy. A weeping companion
bending over his dying couch, the sob
bing OF a tender daughter hardly yet
able to appreciate her loss, and large
circle OF friends who had learned TO res
pect and love him could have no in1u
ence. All OF which speaks to us indi
vidually, saying "Be We ealso ready Have
we passed the meridian of our days, is
our sun fast declining in the western SKI
this very day it may disappear forever.
Are we in middle age crowned with
the yigor of manhood, ere another day
closes our muscular limbs may be pal
sled by death. Are We in the morning
of our days-our pulse beating high with
hope and We looking forward 10 long
life and bright career In the future
this hour death may knock at our door
Now is tie time and the accepted time
and the day Of salvation. All things are
ready-the gospel feast is fully spread
the sparkling waters Of eternal life ale
guging upon every side of us--all that
will come may come, eat and drink and
live fereyer. Come let us reason tageth
er saith the Lord, though your sins be as
scarlet they shall be as white as snow,
though they he red like crimson, they
shall be as wool. But we must close
this pari OF our subject by simply repeat
ing the language of our text-prepare
to meet thy God.
We pass to notice l. Tie nature q
this preparotion-- that preparation tehicl
is necessary 10 meet God in peace,
lst. This does not consist in decoa
ting the body or in accumulating tht
riches of the world We may adorn oui
persons with the richest attire which
earth can furnish, fitted with all the taste
of modern skill, rear the most splendid
palace for his habitation on which tht
sun has ever shone, and horde up richie
beyond the computation Of earth, ans