The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-08-15
Memory for the Dead.

happiness-t The deatli of his wife.
There is ever q sweet, plaintivc, re!
sponse sent the growing heart fror,
the great "sad SEQ, and the ,nurtmur
Of the waves lullfto rcst, ul,ion a
downy couch, in divine rerosc, the
mcditations Of the Tortured mind and
bruised heart. TlIis grief stricken
wandcrcr saw at Ills feet broken
shell, and placing tito his ear, heard
within it yet the echo Of the ocean;
taking q pencil he wlotc, upon the
shell: +'s5E.ii "' ~ .'.'.
soh! memory IN lifSs broken shelf, %
Why not iii lnSin" MI, rsGi ".. ng.'y..
Lose thceas wcIl?',gtI
How many thousand, who mourn
to-day, the death oE.a fond relative
or friend, would noh il they could,
lose the murnur that ling.rs in the
heart, and say with Rhe suL poet, that
us | am broken and,ruined, why not
let inc, lose all-epen memory, and
yet they cling TO- .thRt memory in
tears and prayers.A The shell was
broken, but the murmur had ,crept up
into tho tinted recess. there To repeat
its native echo. iS,,.t,.
And so with the heart, when once
love is placed there ,twi,h most sacred
OF all ties-marriage-it will !ipger
there though the frHtdes,roycr break
the shell. The murniure will repeat
the song that was born, the day This
love was placed within their welded
hearts. The blow nihv bend The life
cf the stricken mate, and the pillows
of grief dash their hcart, ruthlcssly,
but the star OF hope glcums amid the
tempest, and the angi,isllcd dbosorn
calms beneath the sacred promise,
81 am the resurrection and the life,
Saith The Lord he; that belicvclh in
me, though hci were tdcad, yet shall
lie liye,,and whosoever liveLh and be-
lievc'h in me shall never. die" Mere
it not for this promise the murmur
of love would be Afo hopeless to
dwell within q huma4 heart, lhe .un-
limited depf;tsitSf 1lapelsssnpss
would not, could NIT, realize The
claim of love, or the voice of deli
cate sentiment. MemorJ would d, own
in the slough Of despair, and love
perish with the object that created it
1t is That blessed hope and belief in
the communion Of saints" that gives
memory for the dead its life. SLOPE
less grief is passionless," and must
die when the sudden burst Of anguish
is over. The memory for the dead is
the most sacred OF all human associ-
ations. The silver chain of love Ec-
gun on earth and woven to complete
ness, with golden links in Heaven,
hold us in perpetual and rapturous
letters. When we look over the
scenes Of the past in which the de-
parted loved one was joyous par
ticipant, painfully the heart blccds,
and the anguished bosom breatIes /,
silent prayer. Our tears and sigl,s
are seen and heard, believe, by our
sainlcd ones, and rs they arc the
highest testimonials we can render
OF our devotion, we are blessed when
we offer them. Rich are those who
have treasure in Heaven! and while
It often costs the sacrifice OF every
earthly JOY TO possess this treasure,
1T is therefore more TO be, treasul ed
"Despisc not the Christening Of the
Lord" but alas {! many do. Lord
Bacon says: sIt is better to have no
opinion Of the Creator than one which
is unbccoming to Him." When Cot
smitcs us, and alllicts us by taking
away those we most loved, we deem
it unmcrci!ul--but if we will think of
the infinitely grander welfare of those
whom He has called. we can no long
or entertain this unhccoming feeling !;
such feeling is sclishncss, purely.
The memory for the dead is given
us for some wise purpose, and it is
our duty net. only TO submit to the
Will OF Col, but TO struggle to meet
the demands made upon US by this
judgment or chasliscm'ent, DO moth
ing unworthy Of the memory .of tn g
saintcd one; and che:ish their momo-
ry with devotion strengthened by a
claim. upon the. riches of Heaven.
The. heart must ache; tit is lencly.
Nights must be SDcnt In 'f.ors ou1