Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-11-20
INGERSOLL'S CONSOLATION.
A Pathetic Letter from the Grcat In
ndel to II Mother Who Had
Lost Her Boy,


Not long ago lady Of San Francisco
was overwhelmed by great, crushing af-
Fiction, that coming like thunderbolt
upon her, for time threatened her life.
Her son, and only child, had gone on a
short business journey, expecting soon TO
return. Sudden and fatal Hines overlook
him, and brief telegram announced the
dreadful tidings to his heart-broken moth.
err. The terrors of the Calvinistic creed In
which she had been brongh: up, and ac-
cording to which. as she well knew, there
was no hope OF future happiness for the
unconverted young man, added greatly to
her agonizing grief over his death, until
her friends feared that her reason, If not
her life, would be destroyed. A lady
friend, who had sympathized deeply with
and vainly sought to console her, inform.
ed Colonel Ingersoll and begged him, if
at least relieve in measure the terrible
apprehension as to the fate Of her son un-
der which she was suffering. The follow.
ing is his letter, which was in good
measure effective. 1t was only upon the
representation that, like Colonel Inger-
soils widely published remarks at the
funeral of his brother in Washington some
years ago, these words also might "comforl
other hearts which mourn" that San
Francisco reporter succeeded in obtaining
copy for publication, with the condition
that the name Of the recipient should not
be mentioned.
My DEAR MADAM-Mrs. c has told me
the sad story of your almost infinite sor-
row. am not foolish enough to suppose
that can say or do anything to lesson
your great grief, your anguish for his loss;
but maybe can say something to drive
from your poor heart the fiend OF fear-
fear for him. II there is a God, let us be-
lieve that He is good and if He Is good,
THE GOOD HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR.
have been told that your son was kind
charity and sympathy. Now, We know
ness produces kindness, and all good bears
are are everything and il your son was kind
he will naturally find kindness wherever
he may be. You would not inflict end
less pain upon your worst enemy. Ia God
worse than you? You could not bear 10
see viper suffer forever. Is it possible
that God will doom kind and generous
boy to everlasting pninf Nothing can be
| more monstrously absurd and cruel. The
truth is that no human being knows any
thing of what Is beyond the grave. II
nothing is known, then IL ia not honest for
any one to pretend that he does know. If
nothing is known, then we can only hope
for the good. II there be God your boy
is no more in His power now than he was
before his death-no more than YOU are
at this moment. Why should we fenr
God more after death than before? Does
tho feeling of God toward his children
change the moment they die2 While we
are alive they say God loves us; when
will he cease 20 love ns2 True love never
changes. beg Of you to throw away all
fear. Take counsel OF your own heart.
II God exists your heart is the beat reve-
lation OF Him. and your heart could never
send your boy to endless pain. After all,
no one knows. The ministers know moth
ing. All the ch hurches in the world know
no more on this subject than the anis ON
the anthills. Creeds are good tor nothing
except to break the hearts OF the loving.
Let us have courage. Under the seven
hued arch of hope let tho dead sleep. /
do not pretend TO know, but do know
that others do not know. Listen to your
heart, believe what it says, and wait with
patience and without fear Tor what the
iuiure has for all. II we can get no com
fort from what people know. let us avoid
being driven TO despair by what they do
not know. / wish could say something
that would put a star in your night Of
grief-a little flower in your lonely path
and " an unbellever hns such wish, sure.
ly AN infinitely good being never made q
sonl TO be the food OF pain through count.
less years. Sincerely yours,
| II. q, INdERsoLL.