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

we are made happy and relish those sub
lime truths and principles that are adapt
ed to high state of moral and spiritual
culture. Happiness never has nor never
viii be attained by the qualification OF
our vicious passions, they may produce
a kind Of momentary satisfaction, but
misery follows.
The child is made happy by candy
which brings on sickness, but it is not a
hap iness regulated by due regard to
the laws of its being therefore the end
thereof is misery and perhaps death. So
with all the vices aud vanities Of this
world, that loose sight of the moral man,
and the necessity Of his moral elevation
and Of his being brought into sympathy
and communion with heaven and to the
enjoyment of real happiness. Would you
make a child happy by humoring his
wayward disposition ? Would you make
the vicious happy by catering to their
vices? Would you delight an avaricious
man BY plans to crafty his greed for
gold No, they need adiferent remedy.
So with the entire race of man inclined
to live for the pleasures oIsin, they need
the balm of life to be applied, the. wash
ing of regeneration, new aspirations ere
ated, and high motives placed before
their vision. This alone will prepare
them TO meet God.
This was the preparation our brother
felt confident he enjoyed in his last mo-
ments, as Jesus appeared to him, accor-
ding TO his own declaration, in all his
loyeliness.
Notice III. Tile benefits Of sacA a
preparation.
lst. 1t will take away the sting Of
death in great measure, enable us to
unite with the Apostle in saying: 90
death where is thy sting, o grave where
is thy victory" "The sting of death is
sin, the strength of sin is the law, but
thanks be TO God that giveth me the vic
tory through our Lord Jesus Christ Ii
was this that enabled the Psalmist to
say-xxiii, / 1.-The Lord is my shep.
herd shall not want. Though | walk
through the valley of the shadow Of
death | will fear no evil; for thou art
with me thy rod and thy staff they com
fort me-" How confding and confident
is the man Of God what an unwayering
support in the hour of trial. To what
other departments can we look for like
exhibitions. Can We look to the halls Of
science or the schools of philosophy {?
We may learn the wisdom of all grace
in her most polished state by the voice
of one of her poets. Alas says the Greek
poet in n beautiful funeral dirge "When
the flowers perish they afterwards re
vive and bloom in another year, but We
men, the great, tho wise, the mighty,
when once we die, sleep in the hollow
earth long irreyocable sleep" Thus
in the very heights of her glory, aided
by the wisdom of her proudest sons,
dark mystery hung over the spirit world,
mans condition beyond the confines OF
;ne lie.
Suppose we contrast the feelings OF one
of the proudest philosophers of ancient
fame. with one whose soul was cheered
bv the clear light of heavenly wisdom
Listen TO the language of Socrates whose
name will ever grace the pages OF hea-
then literature and who is supposed to
come the nearest to proving tie immor-
tality of the seoul of any heathen philos-
opher. He said 10 his friend, Crito,
Just before he took the fatal poison which
terminated his life: 9 go to die, You
TO live, which is best none but the Di-
vinity knows" Clearly expressing a
doubt in his own mind, and that the flu
ture was all veiled in mystery. But lis
ten again to the language OF Paul, that
immortal warrior as he stands upon the
banks Of the river just ready 10 pass
over-2d Tim, iv, s. al am now
ready to be offered. and the time of ms
departure is at hand have fought the
good fight, have finished my course, /
have kept the faith Henceforth there
is laid up for me n crown of righteous
ness, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge. shall give me in that day, and
NOT me only, but unto them also that love
his appearing"
In view Of such an infinite contrast
who would not say give me the hope OF
the christian, and let my last end be like
his. Almost well. almost home, said the
dying Baxter, when ssked how he was
by friend A martyr when approach
ing the stake, being questioned AS TO
how lie felt, answered never better-lor
know now that am almost at home.
Then looking over the meadow between
Kim and the place where he was TO be
Immediately burned, he said. "only two
more stiles to get over, and | am at my
Fathers house" :" Dying" said the Rev.
Medley" is sweet work-sweet work
home-home. IL was this that enabl-
ed our friend TO say, while looking for
ward to the term nation Of his career
Say 10 my parents, that their son died
in Christ. relying al one on Him"
When We view the death Of one SO
young, prospects 50 fattering, all his
/ associations so pleasant il may in one
sense seem sad, but when viewed in an
other sense, itappesrs most cheering. He
has only lef! earth for brighter cline,
. world Of trials for world OF undisturb-
ed felicity. the cares and perplexities oi
time for an unending eternity Of happi'
ness and glory. Ii is true we feel thai
We have experienced loss rs com