The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-02-27
THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW.

II il calculated that there die each
day upon this earth 9l,S24 human
bcinps- which gives 1926 hour by hour,
and GA every minute. Each tick OF the
clock sounds the funeral kncll Of II pass
ing spirit. TO c0ch one that departs,
fine world has come to IN end, as much
os il will be to those who witness the
connagration Of the last day. Despite
this perpetual cxpcrince, Death re-
mains to the great majority Of man
kind strange, melancholy, inscrutablr,
The heart of universal mankind darkcns
ut his approach. "Thc last enemy
whice shall be destroyed is Death, and
as an enemy he is already destroyed to
those who are not, like children, alarm
ed by the darkness, but see beyond it
the lights in their Fathers house, and
are introduced to Il brighterad happier
state of existence.
But, saddcr and more bitter than the
prodigious daily array Of deaths which
we have named are the bitter tears and
heart broken signs Of the bereaycd.
We may count the deaths, but who shall
count those signs and tears? Even
Jesus wcpt at the grave Of Lazarus.
Where sting Of Death if taken away by
the grace which Christ bestows, the
survivors are more TO be cOm~paFSlOnatco
than the dead. Why should he be
commiscrated who has exchanged u life
of tribulatiOn for II smooth haven ant
eternal safety 1t is those who arc
left it is the anguishcd living hearts
that demand our sympathy. Yet ever
of these. when servants Of God, it il
said Gle puttcth their tears in lli'
bottle" He preserves the tears of hi'
saints. Blessed are they that mourn
for they shall be comfortcd, Ever,
sacred drop Of sanctiiicd affection, sl0l
one day be luminous with the gIoricso
Heaven, as the sunbcams shine in th
dow drops.
Far sadder, it has always seemed I
us, than evon the first anguish q
bereavement, is the gradual cllncing u
the recoIIccting of the dead which /
wrought by time. 1t is II mercifuI pro
vision to man that Time should brin
healing ON it's wings to wounded souls
or else each bcrCavcd household woul
he ever filled with the sights and sound
of woe. And yet, humanity speaking
we never 50 entirely part with the dcac
~ when the familiar face has begun I
fade away in the dim distance of year.
and event which once cOnyuIscd rs wit
agony can be spoken of without emotion
In the ono case Our friends have die
to us; in the other, We die to on
friends. And how soon, MS one IN
said, the dead are forgotten Surcl
no wish could be more rational in II
dying than that those they leave shouI
not bury them in Oblivion as well
the grave and NJ invocation mo,
national to the survivors than, "Lor
keep thee memory green.
Yet even the sadness Of the ''ObIiyiol
antidote" which Time il mcrcifulD
instrumental in administering to lmmI
woe, is relieved by the Thought that II
Resurrection will one day bring upiro
the grave not only the body, but Il
soul, with all it's memories and aifc
tions are fresh and strong, rs wilt
Death hid with his dark shadow I
light of their earthly home, 80 til
those who are separated here shall /
only meet in Heaven, but meet feeli
as they would have felt, if the dead Ii
been restored to life ere the grave h
received them; MS the widow of Nj
felt when the Saviour gave the de
man back TO his mother. -RaitiHt'
Epjs., McihodiSL.