Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-05-05


also to accept the chief thought of the
18th century, running through its liter
AZURE, law, politics and theology, to wit:
the equality of all human beings before
God; to accept this as Gods law, word
and Gospel, on which, modern civiliZa-
tlOn stands. To-day standing in the
house of my afflicted brother, witnessing
this home, on which taste, money and af-
lection have layished their choicest
gifts, now drenched and deluged in tears,
the wife and mother gone, the husband
with the bright-eyed children remain
ing, | would carefully avoid anything
that would add to the pOignancy of this
dark hour IF grief, and yet | would
| say TO DIE is GAIN. 1t is not best for us
to understand; but the student must ad-
vance, go up higher, be purer and better.
| 1T is not hard to die. 1t is thousand times
harder to live. To die is to be man.
TO live is only to try to be one. TO live
is to see God through glass darkly. To
die is to see him face to face. TO live is
to be in the Ore-tO die is to be smelted
and come out pure gold. TO live is to be
in March and NOvember-TO die is to
find midsummer where there is perfect
harmony and perfect beauty" The de-
ceased was not denOminated, prOfessed,
dOgmatic, Christian. She had a judi
ciOus reticence about protesting good
ness, yet her views and belief embraced
the Divine Father, the Common SAVIOR,
the Immortality of the soul, the import
ance of correct action and the necessity
of spiritual worship.
She did not show her love of Heaven
by chatting over earth, but did her ut
most to make earth better and happier
for herself and others. Last winter, at
the request of the deceased. visited her
several times, and cOnversed with her
freely on religious subjects and religious
work. Her questions were numerous
and hard to answer; her talk was not
for talks sake, but because of a deep
felt personal interest in the subject of
religion. then had this sad hour be-
fore me, and so expressed myself to
gentleman now present. never had
more satisfactory religious conversation
with any one. The last sermon the de-
ceased heard, preached. The subject
was Confidence in GOd," in which l
tried to show that God sought to win our
confidence in him, as we won the conf
dence of a child or friend, by first placing
trust in the person we wanted to trust
us, and that we should accept the multi
piled evidences of Divine care, friend
ship and love, presented us in nature,
providence and grace,as sincere, genuine,
expression of our Divine Fathers friend
ship, and reciprOcate the same by being
true friends of God, so as to fully trust
Him, cOnfide in Him for everything, and
at all times. She listened with fearful
interest ank more than once bowed as
sent to what was said.
Inn fhntN OH hnn vic fnd hnr in
home, and with her mother returned to
this beautiful homo to suffer and to die.
With an invincible spirit she fought
tend his best for every inch of ground.
She talked of recovery, but always
planned for usefulness in a way that
would honor the brain or heart Of any
one. She once said to me, IL know that
| am no Christian, but believe in the re-
ligiOn of doing good. We all must die, |
want my children to be good, and Won
dered If God would be as kind to me as |
would be to my children. One thing |
do know, ii God does not save us, nothing
can" For weeks and months she lay an
afflicted sufferer. While others attended
to business and pleasure, she had long
days and nights to herself. Her brain
was clear and active to the last breath.
How many hours during this long sick
ness do you think she spent in religious
thought, prayer and worship. have no
doubt but that many of them were thus
spent. She never eOnce murmured.
Everything done for or brought to her
was entirely satisfactory. Her patience
as sufferer was remarkable, when you
remember her vivaciOus, vigorous spirit.
Franklin said, "A dying man can do
nothing easy" but the deceased suffered
and died easily without one complaint
to make, Abut grateful for
everything, she said, "it is all right"
When Caesar felt the mortal wound,
he folded his garments round him, that
he might fall with dignity. Mrs. Hum
phrey, when told by her faithful physi-
clan that the death hour was near, and
assured her that there was q better
country than this, gave directions con-
corning her jewels and other matters,
and gathering her robes of faith, hope
and charity about her, crossed the rolling
death stream with quiet, humble, queen
ly demeanOr. that becomes one who has
faith in God and is not afraid to die.
For weeks her mind has dwelt upon
recovery she was always getting better.
Has not the pain ceased? Is she not now
well, yea fully recovered, and more also?
She was going to have 50 many flowers
this spring. Has she not already seen
thtm-thOse supernal flowers that never
wither? She said she was going to have
some fine paintings this year. Has not
the picturesque scenes Of the Elysium
fields of Paradise, painted by the Su-
preme Master, in the fast colOrs Of eter-
nal life, already appeared? The carriage
in which she was to ride so often this
summer, and ordered by loving hus-
band, had just come; but are not the
chariots Of divine grace of themselves