Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-03-23
Sunday Reading.

with a loud voice, yielded up the
ghost "-Man.
With that last articulate cry our
blessed Lord and master yielded up
his mortality to the embrace of death !;
and as it hung over Calvary, nature
answered it in the thick darkness that
obscured the day, and by the earth
quake that rent the veil of the temple
and the rocks, and laid bare the graves !;
and many who had steeled their hearts
against the teachings exclaimed, "Tru-
ly this was the Son of God"
AS in imagination we behold him
there dying amid lingering agonies,
alone amid a brutal multitude, no
voice to whisper love and sympathy,
or to pray for him in his extremity,
our hearts melt in passion of pity /;
yet when we recall his words, "for this
end came | into the world we real
ize that there amid the anguish. the
horror of that closing hour, his great
mission met its glorious consuma-
ZION. II.
The cry, "My God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me ?'' seems wrung
from the very depths ofmortal agony /;
but faith triumphant repeats, ''into
Thy hands l commit my spirit" and
SO to his well-won rest in heaven the
conquering soul ascended.
Though we compassionate death
so terrible, and see with amazement
the fortitude and patience of the suf
ferer, it was but the closing scene of
privation, exposure, toll and disap-
pointment. Bravely was this great
burden borne under scorching suns,
through piercing blastsof winter during
long wanderingS in desert land, and
upon stormy seas; and all these jour
neyings, he knew so well terminated
at the foot of the cross.
With this fearful vision bounding
his career, closing the vista in what
ever direction he might look, that most
commands our reverence and wonder
is the calm. patient performance of fthe
work given him to do. On from
village to village, from city to city, by
the sea shore, the wayside and in the
temple, everywhere and at all times,
master of himself. Obedient to his Faith
er's will, gentle, resolute, earnest, de-
voted, needless of danger, intent only
upon the fulflment of his glorious mis-
sion. Many have died bravely that
have failed to live greatly, but in the
life and death of Jesus all is harmony
He bore uncomplainingly In his brief
career all that cruelty and ingratitude
could inhict: he severed without mur-
muring the sweet ties of home and
kindred; he was content to SOW seed
that others must water, and whose in
crease might not De HIS on edrI1, anu
with manlincss the knew no com
plant. with a courage that never fal
tered, with a hope that was never
clouded, he labored to eradicate sin, to
raise the world from its moral degrada
ton, to open to the eyes of dying MAI
the Fathers house in heaven where are
many mansions.
I For US this overburdened life, this
lingering death were permitted, anC
to them we owe all that is noblest anC
purest in our earthly lot. He swep
away old rituals that did not purify th'
heart and bade Gods worshipers tt
seek him in spirit and in truth. HI
: showed how worthless is the lip ser
!: vice that hath no root in the soul, anC
/; said, "God cannot be mocked.h y
; He threw down the old superstition
: and cleared away all tancied obstruc
tions between man and his Maker. AM
called the hitherto dreaded Jehovah
of ancient days, "Our Father whic
I words awakened in Us throng Of
5 sacred associations and, a love AM
G tenderness too great for expression.
| For our higher civilization. for a
Y that makes men more just, less revenge
{, ful and cruel, more charitable and fol
\ giving, we are indebted to Chlist; an
e for those loftier hopes that stretch IA
|, into eternity and take the sting frol
G death we stou lay at his feet the o
i fcring of our grateful submission, on
# pure love, our fervent veneration.
Let it be no idle gift of words, br
, the deep purposes of the heart whic
l form our Obligation at his shrine.
L some humble measure we will striy
i to walk 10y his light, to form our cha
z acter somewhat into his likeness, ths
I when at last we meet him face TO fac
5 he seeing the resemblance,wiil claim l
l. for his own, the fruit, though imperfe'
l. Oh the seed he scattered while burde
IL ed with the robes of mortality.