Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-06-26
WHOLE NUMBER 1888.

say no more than to point you to that
gracious Saviour TO whose loving and ten
der heart you have long been wont TO
tell your sorrows. There Is nothing that
can carry yom through this trial but the
grace Of Christ, and that can do a.
pray him that his gentlest ministries Of
tenderness and love may be yours that
he who will not break the bruised reed
may make his grace sufficient for you
that under tie teaching of this sorrow
your heart may grow ripe and rich and
ready for heaven. So loving, so kind is
he, so much has he your good at heart,
that he has not shrunk from inhictng
even this great pain, that thereby he
might lead you to place all your affections
upon himself. Go TO him in your grief.
He was himself acquainted with grief"
Hencelorth belong to him, with an undi-
! vided heart. Henceforth look 10 him as
the father Of your little ones. Hence
forth make him your support--your pro-
tector--your loving "elder brother
Train your children for him. Seek his
strength for all the new responsibilities
|
fill the place ma2e vacant in your home.
Let the work Of his grace grow deeper
in your own heart and spread in these
hearts that cling to you, that one day you
may be united again, an unbroken circle,
in the presence of the Lamb, and in the
sunlight of that presence, reigning with
him, even as now you suffer with him
all that is dark and mysterious in this
event shall be cleared up. and you shall
realize that confident outburst of the ap-
ostle, "The suferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with
the glory which shall be revealed to u.s."
I commend you to the grace of Christ
To these children, too, who henceforth
shall have tsoo Fathers in Heaven, COM
mend that Saviour who said, :" Suffer the
little ones TO come unto me and forbid
them not. tor Of such is the kingdom of
Heaven" You can find no other COM
fort in your sorrow, but that which Christ
gives. You can find no other friend so
|, faithful to 60 with you through all the
trials and temptations of life. Give your
hearts noU unto Christ accept that sal
walton in which your father trusted. Live
as be taught you to live, and you shall
yet live with him again. Live as he
taught you to live, and he shall be to
you an angel.falher, watching your steps
and rejoicing even in the presence of his
Lord, that you are treading in the narrow
way that leadeth unto life eternal.
4 commend you, each Of you, to the grace
of Christ.
And you who show your friendly and
kindred sympathes with this family most
deeply bereaved, and yet feel that your
own loss is heavy, can tell You of no
consolation save that which is found in
Christ. Your loss rs great, but his
strength is greater. God has a lesson for
you in this sorrow; learn that lesson
practice it, that ye be not found wanting
in the great day. Let this affliction,
great as it seems, and yet slight" in com
parison with the eternal glory, long as its
traces W II last on your hearts and yet
lasting but for moment" in compari-
son with the eternal ages, let "tbis light
afiliction which is for moment, work
out for you far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory"
God has a lesson too for this Church.
He has removed one of the pillars on
which il rested, one who, as the third in
regular of family succession, bore one Of
the most sacred Of its offices. 1t is with
no ordinary feelings that / address these
words 10 this church. Here my labors,
imperfect as they were, began. In this
desk my first sermon was preached. God
has given me an inviting field of labor
and people whom / have right to love,
and yet no people can ever be to me just
what this people have been, the people of
my first love. Earnestly then, affection
ately would | urge upon you, the lesson
Of this providence. Is not God calling
you to greater activity, that the places
made vacant by the Great Destroyer
may be filed Gird on the armor. "Do
with your might what your hands find to
do" for the night will come full soon,
I" when no man can work" | call you,
this Providence calls you, to greater ac-
tivity in the service of Christ
And to this community especially, God
is teaching a lesson Among you, be who
has departed, lived from day to day. Over
his nights of suffering you have helped to
watch with an unwearied kindness, wor-
thy of the most grateful remembrance.
speak but the wishes of those most dear
to him, when in their name return you
their warmest thanks for your constant
kindness and care. May the Lord re-
ward your labor Of love. But that Lord
who never let's kindness 90 unnotice1,
has a voice for you in this event, as well
as for them. / look over this congrega-
ton and my eye fails on many familiar
faces, and some of them knew 20 have
been for years " not far from the kingdom
of God" Ny friends, j; is fearful thing
TO perish within sight of the cross, almost
there, yet not quite to it. appeal to
you to be not only almost but ahogefh-
sr persuaded to be Christians. Take that
Saviour, whom he loved, to be your Sa-
viour. Delay not; defer not hesitate
not linger not but nolc come to Christ;
live for him; live in him-that you may
die in him, and reign with him in that
world where death and sorrow never
come. Come to Christ. Mourner come
to Christ with your sorrow. Bereaved
church. come to Christ in your bereave-
ment. Hesitating sinner, halting between
two opinions, halt no longer-come to