The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-16
SUDDEN DEATH.

| SUDDEN uEAIHs
In many households of the land, in these
| days, there is mourning because of sudden
death that has befallen. Grief for the depart
ed is never else than bitter, but when the
wrench of the heartstrings comes instant and
unexpected the spirit shrinks as from a blow
that cannot be endured. Possibly that petit
ton i'll the Prayer-book, Deliver us from
sudden death, good Lord" to which some
worshipers find it difficult to respond in
! their own behalf may have more
| than one Interpretation. It may be
| that the man whose heart was first moved to
make the prayer was not asking for time in
which to better prepare himself for the great
| change; he may have been one bereaved by sud-
den loss of dearly beloved and who having ex-
| perienced the hopeless anguish, the doubts of
divine goodness caused by so swift sundering
of ties. sought to avert such stroke from
| others. For all of US can unite in a passion
| ate prayer that sudden death may not visit
those who are dear to us. Selfshly enough,
each may look half wishfully to such an end
ing to his own life, and yet be crushed and
hopeless when like fate befals our nearest
and dearest. But if for our own selves we
and be carried to His presence from the midst
of busy life, there can be no dread that the
| dear souls who are bound to us by every tie,
but yet are better than we, will fare hardly.
| IT, when conscious of our frailty, we have
faith that the Father of all will accept as when
marred by the human imperfections that have
not been cleared away by final preparation
| for heaven, doubt cannot exist that the inno-
cent children the faithful husband, the
sanity parent, when snatched away, will find
! place in the kingdom as WELL 1t is not for
| their sakes, then, but for our own, that we
pray that they be not taken without warning.
And being selfish wish, it is not always an
swered as we desire. Within few days the
Reaper has gathered host where health and
strength and joyous life, had just reigned.
By hurricane by knife, and gun, and explosive
bomb, by railroad accident and by food, they
have been swept from earth.
| ''Ah, through how many different graves
/ Gods children go to HIM"
| In Kansas City nearly score of little chill
dren, the light, and life, and hope of as many
homes went carelessly away in the morning
| and came home no more; their mothers mourn
and will not be comforted The wives and
children of the brave Chicago officers who
sacrificed themselves for their country, as
| truly as ever soldiers in war, find no compen-
sation In the praises heaped upon the slain.
The families of the engineers and iremen
who went to duty and met with death, the
survivors of those carried away by wind and
wave rebel against the providence that has de-
| prived them of their earthly stay.
Futile rebelionl Fruitless railing!
Their cry of anguish is a human cry to
| which no human answer can be made. That
they should be so afflicted is one of the awful
mysteries of existence that only eternity can
solve. In the presence of such calamity the
world can only stand appalled, and silent. Phi
losophy has no place there; reason has nc
presumptuous comforter who should counsel
resignation now, and yet submission will sure
ly come
In the depths of their despair the bereavec
mothers know in their hearts that the little
ones who have gone are beyond the inevitable
temptations and trials which would have
made life to them thorny road. The wives
of tho men who died at their posts know
though they are left alone that for their be-
loved is no more sorrow, neither any more
/ pain. Desolation and loneliness overwheln
them now; but some day the thought that the
dear ones are at rest will give peace instead o.
anguish Always will remain the regret thai
last words of love were not said, and fare
wells spoken; always will be the sense of loss
but the assurance will come to the most rebel
lious and doubtful, let them confess it or not
that there is another day, when all will b.
made right. 1t is but little while, some ont
has said, until to-day is long ago; just al
truly, though the way stretch long ant
dreary, the tomorrow, when we shall know
that HE doeth all things well" is not far.
I'VE stand in doubling even while we trust;
Yet somehow feel that to His child Of dust
He win be just"