Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-07-01
EmmA,s ouo,cm

L1'I $50 EMMA3s CHOICE. $50 q 70 filtI
am sure Emma will regret the step
she has taken, said her cousin Wiliafi,
after be bad seen her, jn the presence OF
God, angels and men, solemnly dedicate
her life to the service OF Der Hedeemer
With wealth, position, youth, beauty,
how could she cast away the pleasures Of =
earth. aud condemn herselfte the dali rou- '
tios Of religious dutyY With the bfilIIsnt !,
1 present 10 her grasp, how conld the shad-
owy future lntruds into her shougbtsf--
Why, with wher vigorous health, did tho
specter Death so haunt her imaginat ton,
hat preparation for his coming was the !
subject of paramount Importance to hef
mind? thought her cousin. HI was shocked,
almost disgu,ted too to hear one SO pure
and spo,less in life speak of herself ~ q
great siuner, and magnify, the grace Of o Q
forgiving God, The blood bought pardon,
he great salvation, were to him unmeaning
terms; the preaching Of the cross was 2
too shness; but to Emma. who believed,
the depth OF merey,--that wisdom and
power which bad brought salyationato her
lost aud ruined soul.
+ Iatepiy' TO her cousins remonstrance up-
on fhe seeal sscti6ee she was sfmaki1gs tsaa
her religion, she said, 4Te give DIP ths e
less for the gleater can not be called .
sacrifice. Xdmiltjng, as you say. r hare
ifosf by niiy fofaf33u ''ihn ihnsr fqPIendship Of ny
gay r6tnp4hf5ns, have gained an sun-0
.eHaagfG,y Etiend Q-one toswiJom Iacaul 60 70
in every need. who5 has aplimited poyerIto q
aid me- ard who has given me such o proof
Of bis love, that can never doubt his
Willingness to confer all ask (which will
Lo fstand
whom shall not part ia the hour Of death, s.
bat who will be al my right hand through
the dark valley. and guide me upward to.
my heavenly home, Where l shall wear a. :
starry crown and partake Of the honor and
him. to the end, Is there any earthly 4
prospect 70 be cowpared with thisI Can y
son promise ne any thing worthy to DO
which win heverfade away? ! am so far
from regreiting tho step / have taken, II
that would induce all my friends to fol-
low my example in choosing the better
part.
Z That can not be, said her cousin; il you
are bent upon following the path which
you have entered, we must leave you7 to z
walk il aoue These words sent o chill
through Emma's heart, for her cousin was
very dear TO her; and she dreaded the
cs,rangement which he spoke of as iue1 o.
vitable. TIE. declaration Of the Master q
came 10 her remembrance: He that for
seketh not all that he hath. an not be my
disciple, and she wiped away her tears,
and prayed for strength to bear this unex.o
pected cross. Il was her last conservation
with ber cousin; for be went forth to fight o9
the battles of his country, while she as
homo wrestied with the foes within and
foes without which meet The Christian id
bis course. Brief was her warfare, e short ll
was the trial of her faith, soon her crown g
wos won; in two short years from the
time she joiaed the church militant, she
was called torejoice whh,be church ltri.
pmphant; aud those who stood around her
dying bed hushed' their sorrow before the
tj9y and glory which filed her soul 4, tev a..
r. an going homel shall sleep 10 Je.
sns! | shall praise him day without night
we're some Of her rapturees expressions. ---S
At the last. while radiant ssmile over-
spread her face. she raised herself, stretched
forward her arms, was it to welcome the
descending angelsO and then fell back on p
her pillow, and was goEe TO be for ever %
with the Lord. sJhe t3-
Ii she bad-eou}inued q rejecter of Christ
she would have enjoyed two years of such
happiness as the world can give, and then
passed TO an eternity of untold aBguisb.-iit
Two years with every wish of her heart
gratifed. and then the gnawiog of the
worm that never dies. the weeping and
waiIiog that never ends. Her death &C.
Icomplished what her most solemn admoni.
lions had failed to do; IL led her cousin to 81
consider his ways, the uueertsiaty of lfsnsr
came home to him as it never had done, \
before.
i, His probation might be as short as hers;
his day of earthly Pleasure as soon ieadeds
He saw the darger OF delny ia attending /.
10 bis eternal interests, and listened to the,
adnoniuon To day, if ye will bear
his voice, harden not year bearss. aoln'7no'
U ~ - rl,fsf - f-.-os azis-c Ss+f,v,