The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-08-24
Death.

DEATH like mother, stands at the end
of the summer day of life to take to his
arms earth's weary children, and open for
them the door of rest that they may awake
in the bright sunshine of another life
Every night Sleep takes US, folded in
her downy mantle, from the busy land of
the living, over the borders, into the realms
of an unknown world, and with the morn
ing light, we are born into the new life of
another day. We have no dread of this
death we die daily, which certainly takes
us from one world to another from one
life to another. We do not shrink from it,
though we must go solitary and alone, and
have no promises, shining like lamps
along the way, that we shall meet with
those we love, and find answer to all the
hungry yearnings of our souls within its
shadowy boundaries. Nay, it draws the
curtains of slumber around us, and shuts
us from the clinging arms of loved ones
though they are at our side. 1t gives us
forgetfulncss in answer to all our souls
inmost longings, and morning brings back
to us the heavy burden that we laid down,
and we must take it up again for the jour
ncy of another day, yet we yield to its in.
flucnce and go down to it peacefully as
rivers to the sea. ....!...a.-. .aas~
When Sleeps elder brother, Death,
comes, his garments shining with the
beautiful jewels of the promises, in his
hand the keys that open the door of that
Temple mot made with hands, eternal in
the heavens his face, glowing with the
glad tidings of great joy when exile is
ended, and the years of bondage, in the
"dark house of the body" to The "lusts
of the flesh" are finished, and our weary.
7Jnri foot
we struggle and shrink and cling to these
old chains and loads that we have groaned
under for years, longing for the day of
freedom, and praying that we might be
set at liberty, and when the angel has
come to open the prison doors we crouch
back into the corner of the loathsome old
cell instead of rushing out intoth glorious
freedom of the sunshine that covers the
land with the rich fullness of its beauty
and its gladness.
When one is only waiting" why do
the tears blind our eyes, and the sound of
weeping fill our ears, SO we cannot catch
the glimmer of white robes through the
opening gates of the Eternal City, and hear
the glad songs of rejoicing welcome that
greet the children returning home to the
Fathers house?
DAY unto day uttereth speech, and
night unto night showeth knowledge"
We ha seen the sun go down the west
through gorgeous gateway of gold and
purple and pearl, and rise again in the
rOsy-tinted chambers of the cast. The
shining stars have held their high places
through the hours Of night, with silence
full Of music till their light melted in the
flush of dawn brought the perfect day.
The trees and the grasses and the flowers,
the countless seasons and the eternal
years of God,' have been ever as living
witnesses before us, teachers full of Gods
divinest truth, whispering of things be-
yond, and as yet we sit I'M darkness. How
long shall these things be with us before
we can wait by the river to pass over to
the other side, as tree heavily laden with
fruit, waits in the beautiful dream days OF
autumn for the winter to COME, or as the
white fields of harvest, ripe and full OF
golden grain, wait for the gathering sickle
of the reaper.-D,T Porter, in Chicago
Alliance.