Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-13
Dying Young, Yet full OF Joy.

In her interesting biographical sketch of
Dudley Keith-Faconer, the second son of
Earl of Kintore, Miss Marsh gives the fol-
lowing account of his last days on earth
Our conversation turned from the written
Word of God to his everything Son, and
Dudley said al do not always realize the
presence of Jesus so distinctly as | do that
you are present at this moment; but
know" he added earnestly, "that he has
shown himself to me, and very close at hand
too, when | most needed him, 30 he will
show himself when shall need him most
in dying hours" And it came to pass even
as he said. "Poor boy, poor boy p said his
young brother, with sorrowful tenderness,
as he stood beside him one day, when his
pain was more than usually severe "Don't
say that" answered the brave young sufferer
with happy smile; al am such a very rich
boy |" Another time, when he saw his
fathers tears, he said: "Why are you cry
ingf You should sing Cheer, boys, cheer r"
And when, from sudden symptom of great
danger, they thought he was Just dying, his
mother heard him say in exulting tones /:
"llurrah Heaven is close at hand now |"
But his work was not quite finished yet
For few days longer he was to linger on
the bank of the river, to bear still more
blessed testimony to his Saviours trans
forming power; for in these waiting days
his mother wrote of him. "My dar-
ling's will and reason and affections are all
brought into perfect subjugation to his be-
loved Lord and Saviour's." When speaking
one day with his mother about the various
pleasures of heaven he said zone of the
things to which | am looking forward to is
to have some passages in the Bible, that
cannot understand down here, made quite
clear to me up there" and in accordance
with this feeling of willingness to trust God
even when he could not comprehend it, and
| in the love which had ordered the plan of
his life, although it had denied him much
that makes life delightful, were the texts
which he chose to be put on his gravestone
Feed me with food convenient for me-"
"Now thanks be unto God, which always
causeth us to triumph in Christi As
the hour of his departure approached he
longed to hear the voice of the Master sum-
moning him, and to enter through the gates
into the city. That hour came at last. His
mother knew it, and bending over him asked
if he felt the presence of the Saviour. Dud-
ley calmly answered: "Yes, he holds me
| by the hand-he never leaves me !. and
heaven seems so near as if | were almost
there already" She asked " Shall read a
| low 'o'ooo VI ooiippuio W yOu No
thank you, mother, not now," he answered
al have Jesus here" placing his hand on
his heart "you see the Bible is book,
but Christ is person." A little later
when he was in great agony, he said 81
don't see my Saviour at this moment, but
know he is near" And few minutes after
wards he added: al would not change
places with any of you. Happy, happy
happy Jesus is always with me-"
go comforter of Gods redeemed!
Whom the world does not see:
What hand should pluck me from the flood
That casts my soul on thee?
Who would not suffer pain like mine,
To be consoled like me?'
Fainter and fainter came the failing
breath, but perfect consciousness remained.
just ten minutes before he passed away,
when wl,. with b. the & &restlessBess Qf DYING be
was obliged to tell him that it was impossi
BILE. Looking the last upon the face of her
who ever held the highest place in his pure
and devoted young heart-his " first, last
love" he softly said, "My mother, your
word is law" and fell asleep in Jesus thus
fitly ending the nineteen short years of his
rare and lovely life.
Say not too young am Il
For he who dies, when God doth will,
Is old enough to die"
"We used to talk of the glory,
| When |, too stood outsde
Now see the King in his beauty,
In the far-oh land abide
"But the half of all his glory
Had never been told to me,
| Nor the Joy of the joyous city
Which stands by the crystal sea-"