Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-02-24
Published by request.
WORDS OF CONSOLATION.

Col. H. G.. IngersoII's letter so "A San
Francisco HaOther-Her Reply.
From the Globe Democrat Of September Sh.
A San Francisco lady lost her son and
only child, who had gone on journey
expecting to return soon. Believing in
the Calvinistic creed the mother thought
there was DO hope of future happiness
for the unconverted young man and lady
friend seeking to console the disconsolate
parent requested Colonel Ingersoll to
write something which might possibly
relieve the mother from her apprehen-
sion. The following is his letter and the
reply he received:
Ny DEAR MADAM:-Mrs. G. has told
me the sad story of your almost infinite
sorrow. | am not foolish enough to sup
pose that [ can say or do anything to
lessen your great grief, your anguish for
his loss; but may be [ can say something
to drive from your poor heart the fend of
fear-fear for him. If there is God,
let us believe that He is good; and if He
is good. the good have nothing to fear. |
and generous; that he VAS filed with
charity and sympathy. Now, we know
that in this world like begets like, kind
ness produces kindness, and all good
bears the fruit Of joy: belief is nothing
deeds are everything; and if your son
was kind he viii naturally find kindness
wherever he may be. You would not
inhict endless pain upon your worst enc
my. Is God worse than you? You could
not bear to see viper suffer forever. Is
it possible that God will doom kind and
generous boy to everlasting pain? No
thing can be more monstrously cruel and
absurd.
The truth is that DO human being
knows anything of what is beyond the
grave. If nothing is known then it is
not honest for any one to pretend that lie
does know. If nothing is known, then
we can hope only 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 fear God more after death
| ludu DetOTk! LUIS Tie IGOliU& Vi OOU
toward HIS children change the moment
| they die? While we are alive they say
God loyes US; when will LIE cease to love
US? True love never changes, / beg Of
you to throw away all fear. Take coun-
| sci of your own heart. If God exiss
your heart is the best revelation of Him,
and your heart could never send your boy
to endless pain. After all, no one knows.
rbe ministers know nothing. And all
the. churches iu the world know no more
Oh this subject than the ants on the ant
hills. Creeds are good for nothing except
to break the hearts of the loving.
Let us have courage. Under the
seven -hued arch of hope let the 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 for
what the future has for all. If we can
get no comfort from what people know,
let US avoid being driven to despair by
what they do not kHow. wish / could
cay something that would put star in
ths night of your grief-a little flower in
your lonely path-and if an unbelever
has such wish, surely an infinitely good
Being never made a soul to be the food
of pain through countless years.
Sincerely yours,
r. G. INeERsoLL.