The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-02-20

may render their exercise towards God' OF
the inclination thereto, less easy.
There is peculiar satisfaction in tears
This may be because they spring from the
exercise of our higher nature, AID suggest
wildly our nearness to God. Whether IL
the agony of repentance, or the Panga OF
sore Bereavement, it is He that hath touched
US. Ia either case it is the sense of God
which is sweet. Out of tears, therefore,
there may arise pleasing satisfaction even
in grief. But the pleasure should be due to
our satisfaction Nth God sOith as; and not
to our satisfaction with ourselves because Of
imagined elevation to Him. But tears may
flow in the exercise of emotions babiually
debarred from their highest exercise. They
frequently spring from contemplation which
is wholly unattended, even remotely, with
sense of God. This is the language o. heav-
en- in the commerce of earth. And though
they burst forth on the contemplation Of a
mere transient sentiment, yet they must
subtly suggest that that person must be ex
allied and pure who is capable of such emo
tions. 1t is in this way, perhaps that men
are sometimes inclined to comfort themselves;
aud that the Drama is fitted to produce per
nicious effects.
The subject of this paper cOmmuned Of
ten, very often, With his fayorite books, on
his solitary walks, with strong crying aud
tears. His affections, confned within mar
row boundary, were all too strongly fastened
about those loved ones. The strength Of
his attachment for them, as it displays itself
here and there, especially toward the end, is
very touching indeed. He leaned upon
them. He says they were sill he had left.
When these props were about to be taken
away he seemed to have no other support.
He speaks Of no friend that sticketh closer
than brother" In referring to his iucreas
ing in6rmity, a great weakness about his
heart, he freely enters in his journal that his
remaining days are few. But he puts down
no thought like this +: ''My strength and my
heart faileth but God is the strength of my
life and my portion forever" How delight
full it were to be able TO come across one
single utterance like this, to perfume with
heavenly fragrance the pages Of that journal
of that man r
But there is nothing of the kind to be
found. In sll bis journal and letters here
published he does not once express a scrip
tural ground Of hope Of future state. Nay
indeed, he does not refer to future state at
all. 1t is the silence Of Athens! But
thoughts he must have had. And hope Of
some kind he surely entertained. We know
that he regarded Christianity, whatever he
understood by it, with profound Venera
ton. But what is wonderful is, that scholar
of ais grade, who here pOurs himself out 10
his estimate of books, should not include the
Bible in the number. In the enumeration
of works in which ne reqelled; in his esti-
mate Of the sublime in thought, in descrip-
tive power, in pathos, in simplicity, he never
once mentions the Book of Books. Biblical
expounders must have been singularly weak
in bis vicinity; or else they found prejndices
which were iupragOsble to mortal tongue
Where is the evidence that he read it, or
that he was man of prayer?
And yet when death apprc ached ne writes,
&" an perfectly ready, never reader" But
for the sake of the living, and With profound
respect for his name, and With hope even
in his death because of imperfect knowledge
of his life, it must be said that there is little
value and oOmfort in sncb words alone. o.
any other expressions of a religious nature
during bis last days, which were days OF
gloom and tears, we are not informed. It is
not impossible therefore that We may be Ia
boring in the dark ButmOre than one man
who has satisfied himself With the rewards Of
fame, and with the qualification of his own
charitable and pathetic disposition has signi-
fed the same readiness. 1t has been too
much the fashion of Christian people to utter
pauegyrio over the graves of the great in
mind, with a vague feeling perhaps, that such
mighty spirits will be tried by slightly diff
ferent standard from that which shall fix the
doom of other men. Taero is the fatteriDg
estimate of Hume by Adam Smith. Here is
the religious glamour thrown from the pulpit
over the ccfiu lids of men of renown as they
are carried forth from the Academy, or from
Legislative Halls. This will not do. 1t is
not Just to the living. We need clearer
views Of this matter. "God is no respecter
Of persons" The Church must be indepen-
dent of the world. Their lives may be as
smooth as butter. Their words may be as
sweet as honey. But, where is something
positive for Christ?
Let men of letters, and statesmen, take
warning. The education'Of the heart 10 piety
must keep pace with that of the head in
learning. At his peril let no man put these
asunder A one,sided education may some
times better ft for success in the political
arena, or for Millions council of fallen angels
who sat with gravity apart and discussed
high themes of frae.Will aud fate. But it is
not the true education. Christ is the educa-
tor. The true educstion affecting the whole
man,-soul and spirit, leads man back to