The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-05-08

that he has left us, in his death, legacy of great
er worth than anything he might have done for
us by continuing in life.
/ While he lived we knew not what bright light
was shining upon u.s. Not till the veil of mortali-
I ty, which obscured it, suddenly passed away like
! 'the morning cloud did it break upon us in all
its splendor Now we have just begun TO under
stand him, and TO truly revere him. Viewed thro'
the pure light of affectionate memory, his full
spirit sheds upon our hearts better and more pO-
! tent influence than when we caught only faint and
distorted glimpses of it through the dusty and re-
! fracting medium of this evil word.
! Thus always do the noble and the good exert
| their strongest Influence over Us when they have
passed from sight Never are the worthless of
our race truly appreciated till they are gone. Not
till they have sunk below the horizon of mortal
life, and risen TO take their places immortal
orbs, i'll the armament of history, do we see the
uness of their excellence and receive the fullness
of their light Their death is the essential condi-
ton of higher and more fruitful life In the case
of every such one is illustrated that grand truth
which Christ first uttered respecting himself, when,
speaking of the necessity OF his death to the COM
pletion of his work, he said, Except corn of
wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone
but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit"
4. There is yet another lesson that God would
obviously impress upon he by this startling dis
pensation of his hand which we must attend to
before closing namely, that aghat ace do for God
aBd HuD1daity, are must do 1t quickly,
Very quickly did the departed act his part in
life but none too quickly. None too soon did he
consecrare himself to the service of God, although
he remembered his Creator in the days Of his
youth" None too soon did he complete his pre-
paratory urse and grid himselffor his life work
None too did he rise, in the service OF his
fellow-men, from one TO another and wider plain
of usefulness until he had reached the highest IN
the gift of State. For his days were nnmberedi
his time was short. A message came trembling
over the wires, announcing the bloody conflict at
Pittsburg Landing Instantly he felt an impulse
from God which he afterwards thankfully ae-
Ir,Ouy fO on down tn the ra1t OF the suffer-
ing heroes OF Wisconsin, Without delay he went
and aleviated hundreds of physical wounds and
oheeyed up thousands of dropping hearts,--gulla-
inc that dark battle-plain with many bright ray
of christian benevoence He fingered amidst those
Notwithstanding scenes so long as he could ma any
good TO do, then turned his steps homeWard. But,
as in the providence of his Father, it was ordered,
not to reach his earthly home but to rise to his IN
beritance in the skies 1t was dark night Hs
was almost stepping upon the boat which was TO
bring him down the river, when mis'step was
made and he was carried away with the Hood
AZ q mortal he is no more but, as an Immortal;
he lives happy for having wrought so ost eha
SO faithfully while here.
Thus should we also work, FOR we know not but
that we may be summoned hence as suddenly as
he was called "Be We also ready" is the emphat-
c iapeUage of this event TO each one of us. Death
may not wait till the time of old age 1t may give
no warning, even by shadow, OF lis approach.
There may be ne lingering twilight of life no grad
ual deepening of the night shades. Suddenly may
our sun go out at high noon Unexpectedly may
the time come when TAG silver cord of life sha be
loosed, and the golden bowl be broken, and the
pitcher lie shattered at the fountain and the wheel
broken at the cstern. Let us not wait, then, for
anv signs. The evening OF life may be close upon
as. though the sun is shining with noontde glow.
What we do we must do quickly.
These, ms ! conceive, are some OF the lessons
which God would teach us by this sorrowtui
event
AS | remarked at the outset, we cannot presume
tc search into the eqOle will of cd i'll this matter
That is beyond mortal ken. But though clouds
and darkness ere round about him, righteousness
and Judgment are the habitation OF Ma throne -
Though in the dark waters of the Tennessee our
earthly hopes are drowned; though deep caletn
unto deep" and all Gods waves and pillows have
gone over our pleasant prospects, yet may we
know assuredy, that he whose path is IN the great
waters is loving Father, moving in the right way
toward his own gracious spds,
When we look upon mOnGment whose lolty
heed is hid among the clouds, we conclude that
the design of the part that is seen IS carried out IN
the part which is anseen and when the clouds
rise we are disappointed. So may we rest as
sured that the kidd design Of God, which we have
traced III the base of this columnar event, is
carried out in the whole and that when the lower
ing clouds Of mystery are lifted. gradually they
will be- the entire shaft will rise before u.s. a sym
metrical monument to the benevolent will and
wise execution of al all controlling God.