The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-21
0 b 1T u A RIES.

Died, November 18th, 1881, ANNIE GoopE.
youngest child of Mr.. and Mrs. ]. w. Daniel. of
Charlotte county, Va.
The circumstances attending the death of this
dear child were unusually DISTRESSING Her
sickness began with violent convulsion. about
hve weeks before the fatal termination Dnr.
ing all that time the parents were kent in state
OF the most painful suspense, alternating be-
tween hope and despair. That which made
their suspense more trying was the evidence the
child gave of constant suffering Dav bv dav
and night by night for four weeks they were
constrained to witness the slow but sure ap-
proach OF the dread messenger, with no power
70 repel him, nor even to mitigate the crueI
method OF his approach. To believe that such
messenger, so relentless, so pitiess. is from
God, and Is acting under His immediate direc
ton, is one'of the trials of Christian faith. Why
the penalty of sin should fall with crushing
weight upon the wlliul transgressor, is easily
e1phcaole But why upon the unreasoning In
lant the curse should be poured out In unmiti-
gated severity, is problem before which Chris
tian faith can find support only in the great
doctrines OF Revelation, touching the unspeaka-
Ole love- goodness. and mercy of God 1t is
only the support derived from these doctrines
that enables faith TO answer all objections with
the challenge, Shall not the Judge of all the
earth do right? In reference, however. to the
people OF God. 1T may be said that reigninp with
Christ Is conditioned on suffering with Him, and
there is no reason why the law should not ex-
tend to the children. They are to have fellow
snip with Christ in his glory, and in order to a
tant that they should first have fellowship with
HIM In his suffering? They too, as well as
children OF larger growth, must taste the bit
terness OF the curse, that through eternity thew
may magnify the riches of HIS grace who re-
deemed them from 1t. They too must sample
the cup which Christ drank to the dregs, that
they may be able with all saints to comnre
bend what is the length and the breadth and
the height and the depth, and to know the love
OF Christ that passeth knowledge To be re-
deemed without any experimental knowledge of
sin, would weaken the band of gratitude that
should eternally bind them to Christ. They
could not join, in fullness of sympathy, with
the multitude whom no man can number in as
crlblng praise to Him who hath loved us and
washed us from our sins in His own blood.
Certainly we who love Jesus ought not to be
greatly afflicted that our dear little ones should
stand for one moment by His side in the fery
furnace before passing into the everlasting ioy
that has been purchased by His blood. Ger
talnly our faith in the Saviour's tenderness
should not talter because He leads the children
to glory through the same gate at which He
himself entered In the touching revelation of
HIS feelings towards children while on earth, we
nave the strongest assurance that in the hour of
death, however terrible that hour may seem to
us, the Saviour's heart is beating in tender sym
pathy with the objects of His love, and His ON
n potent power Is exercised to guard them from
harm. We know the heart must bleed when
the most sensitive ties of nature are sundered :;
and, therefore, it is useless to say to bereaved
parents, weep not" But to Christian parents
for whom we write, it is not useless to say, sor
row not, even as do others that have no hope"
The little ones are forever safe in the arms OF
HIM who loved them and gave Himself for
them. The last vestige of dross is purged away
and the jewels are set to shine as stars; the last
groan OF suffering has given place to the frs
note of deathless song. R. CIR.