The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-05-18
Funeral Address.

SIdH. -. .IulsOL, WuO'p Ait.a-tyAS4. utdlA
we ehronicled in the last issue % onr paper
We have assembled here this afteruoon q
sympathiZe with those who mourn. and q
perform the last sad Offices Tor ole whom
You have known these many years. IN tins
hour when the sable mantle OF mourning has
drawn its heavy folds around Us. when gre,
fills lie heart, and tears the eyes. sometimes
silence expresses orr sentiments more fullS
and ,-llhfslly tlan words. Ia this time OF
afiliction, We would lift these hearts winch
sorrow a. We cannot, for this parting, Up out
of the darkness and gloom which oyersLad-
ows and shuts out the sunshine and JOY
Ou- sympathy, our regards, we express in
low tender words and in kindly acts, Yet the
troubled heart remains burdened, crushed
and cries FOR comfort and help.
4, this time, VIXEN we realize so keeny our
own weakness, We are glad that we can say to
these suddenly afflicted ones there is One
who car comfort and help you. Having been
reyileG. having been compelled to suffer pri-
vati5n and death in their cruelest forms, He
knows what suffering means. And to-day
He stands beside thee. Oh sorrowing one
with heart a tender as when He wept with
Mar and Martha, gently Whispering Cast
all thy burden on Me, for He careth for
thee Thou art weak as the bending reed
but VIII support and strengthen thee; thou
dost feel torsaken, but fear not for am with
thee. and be not dismayed for am thy God
Whenever tie soul realizes the truth of these
promises, and accepts Christ's profered
sympathy and love it enters into possession
of the needed strength, comfort and peace.
Standing in the presence Of death, no
words OF mine are needed 10 emphasize the
hat ip,a i nd 49, lie,
ing important.
Tie bread beautiful. RIVER vas sweeping On in It's
Wiz Is raysaca. chant, ''Fo.eyer!" thrilling the
silent night
The SEARS with golden glory lgatng the blue above
Were telling the story OF Truth and Infinite love.
The moon with passionless splendor, llumined the
dusk, night.
Tn waves IN aer radiance tender, suavEIei with
-CIuttl-aEt Egbt.
In my heart was avoioe repeating these words DER
and O'er,
Trea-re the bright, eeet.ug hours so- they re,:en
no more.
All yes; we tread but once the pathway of
life. But once its golden opportunities are
ours; and but for a moment we are permitted
to hold III our hands the beautiful flowers OF
friendship and love, then we pass away from
human sight. Since we 'pass not here
again, 1t IS very important that we let not
the precious days slip away from Us unim-
proved or without any acknowledgment of
him whose mercy watcheth DER our
nights, whose goodness crowns our days.
1t rs also very essential that We understand
that the highest happiness lies not in riches,
not III fame, not III beauty. not il gratifca-
ton of self, but il the memory of pure
thoughts, loving deeds, and a lie which has
rested trustingly under the throne OF the
eternal God.
Life IS not measured by years, but by
deeds, and he who lives longest not always
lives the best. Only he who lives in SYM
pathy with God and man, lives best. To so
live, implies an avoidance of evil influences
and wicked associations 1t implies cultiva-
ton of every element which enters into q
noble manhood; it implies constant war
fare against the temptations without and
within, which crowd and press the soul at
every point that they may overcome and
master it.
AS we pass not this way again. we should
learn that nothing is insignificant or without
value. The fickerinC ray Of sunlight warns
and vitalizes the earth, the kind word so
willingly spoken cheers the hears and Light I
ems the toll. Indeed life Is made up of
trIles, Of individual acts and words. OF
these. If we desire life TO be symmetrical, we
should be careful 70 select only the best. for
as the Vulnerable heel of Achilles imperiIled
his life, az one defective brick has sometimes
ruined the building, or as the tiny rill of
water lowing unroticed through the dyke .
overflows the land, SO the entrance into the
soul of single evil may wrap in darkness the
brightest, the strongest and most promising
life.
On the beautiful shores o. Lake GEORGE
you will see maple and az oak growing
together from the same trunk and from the
same root; and like unto this are the rela-
tons of life. Hence the doing Of wronp on
the part OF one entails suffering or others.
mo one saith the scriptures, ''liveth unto
himself, and no one dieth unto himself
Since thus life touches life and soul inter
twines soul. we should diligently seek to be
Christlike i'll thought and in deed.
Dear friends, the boy whom YOU have
known these years the boy who was once
the pride and the Joy of his mothers life.
lies before US with folded palms. with mo-
iionless lips, and the light of his hopes
unfed. Perchance he thought that life was
a flower with poisoned breath, n burden he
could not lift. problem he could not solve,
book he could not read, so he closed it,
Pityingly we forgive the last sad act and
and whose love is deeper than ours, may also
forgive. To-day we would remember only
his bright, sunny face, his genial manners.
his generous disposition. his faithfulness to
the interests of those with whom he was
his honesty, and the tender re- .
gard in which he held his friends. ,
To you, mother, sister, brother. and YOU.
Rose, who hath realized that love lieth deep:
that it dwelleth not in lip depths, let me say 5
That there is seldom line of glory written
upon earth's face but line of suffering runs
parallel; that life is not all of Joy nor all of
sorrow, but mingling of the two. Wait
remembering that
"l'or every leaf of green. golden leaf.
For every fading flower, a rpened sheaf.
And for every hour of darkness will be given
me of light.
Trust fully in Him who hath said II am
he resurrection and the life," and under
heath you will be placed the everlasting arm.
lean heavily upon that cross at whose foot :
age has lost its weakness. peni-
ence It's fear, and suffering its pain. Listen \
% Him who Is tenderly saying "corne unto
nc We weary and heavy laden" and into
lour hearts will how that peace which is
L.