The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-10
PULPIT AND PEW.
evmpOs,uM UPON THE GRtR'
IMMORTALITY.

ksm very much pleased WIN .'"'
so,atory letter. of Phalaris to one VINO
had lost son who was young MA" -
orea, merit. The thought with wh'c"
no comforts the afflicted father is' 10 the
hest Of my memory, as follows in"'
no should consider death had set h'"u
Of seal upon his sons character an" ana
plaoed him out of the reacn oil VIZ o."
,nTamx. that. while he lived. ne va
st,lI within the possibility OF lalHne
awav from virtue, and losing the i"',io
~ which he was possessed. DEAN o"''
closes mans reputation. ana ue'oi
.,,;nos Il as good or had. ms an'V"S
n,hor motives. may be one reason WY
we are naturally averse 10 lns 'au hoad
INC ont into mans praise tiii ms "I'i"
il laid in the dust. While ne Is cap~D'.
of chancirg, we may be iorceu 10 io''"e'
our opinion. lie may forfeit tno &c
,aem we have conceived OF n'n CO.
appear TO us under different isnt. ~
shart as the life Of any man cannot DC
called happy or unhappy. SO he''n.'
can il be pronounced Vicious O,
,,,ous before the conclusion OF IT, ~
,Is,e il NOT more melancholy conslu'
ration 10 a good man than ms Deing
ohnoxious To such a change, so there II
no,hing more glorious than TO keep up
:, uniformity in his actions ana pie
serve in full truth. the beauty OF MS
character TO the last.-Joseph ADDISON
THE BREvITY OF LIFE.
Life appears to me too short 10 "
sneut i'm nursing animosity or resls'ci
inc wrongs. We are, and must De- oL'
and all burdered with faults I'D thls
arorld. but the time will come when l
,rnst we shall put them of IN putting
ofy our corruptible bodies: when de-
hasemept and sin will fall from us WIN
lis cnmbrous frame of flesh, ana OnIy
the shark will remain-the imralpaDie
nY;nciple of life aud thought, pure as
when il left the Creator to INSPIRE 'ho
creature: whence IT came. II VIII re-
turn. perhaps TO pass through sraIa
tions of glory. It's creed in when
delight. to which | cling. II makes
Eternity rest. a mighty home, not
terror and an abyss. Then, revenge
never worries my heart, degradation
never too deeply disgusts me, inJusuee
never brushes me too low: l i've ID
calm. looking TO the end.-Charlolte
Bronte.
THE FUTURE LIFE.
feel in myself the future life. am
like n forest which has been more than
once cut down. The new shoots are
stronger and liyelier than ever. am
rising. know, toward the sky. Inc
sunshine is over my head the
earth gives me its generous sap, but
heaven lights me with the reelection OIL
unknown worlds. You say the soul Is
nothing bat the resultant OF bodily
powers: why, then, is my soul the more
luminous when my bodily powers be
gin 10 failr Winter is on my head ana
eternal spring is IN my heart. Drealhe'
100. at this hour the fragrance OF TIE
lilies. the yiOlets. and the roses as at
twenty years. The nearer | approach
the end the palmer | near around me
the immortal symphonies Of the worlds
which unite me. It's marvellous yet SIM
ple. 1t is fairy tale and ii is history For
half a century have been writing my
thoughts in prose. verse, history, phil
osOphy, drama, romance, tradition. sa-
feel that | have not said the thOusandth
part of what is in it. When 90 down
to the grave can say, like so many
others. Il have finished my day S
work." but cannot say, Il have fin.
ished my life" My days work will
begin again the next morning. The
tomb is not a blind alley; it is thor
ouehfire. 1t closes in the twilight to
open with the dawn. | improve every
hour because | love this world as my
fatherland. My work is only begin
ming. is hardly above its foundation.
Iwould be glad to see it mounting and
mounting forever. The thirst for the
infinite proves infinity.-VIctOr Hugo.
THE THOUGHT OF DEATH.
1t is when considered as the passage
to another world that the cOntempla-
ton of death becomes holy and religious;
that it is calculated to promote state
of preparedness for setting out on tins
great voyage. II is manifest that those
who are engrossed with the things that
pertain to this life alone, who are devO
ted to worldly pleasure. TO worldly
gain. honor. or power, are certainly not
preparing themselves for the passage
iuto another: while it is equally mani
fest that the change of heart. OF desires,
wishes, tastes, thoughts, dispositions,
which constitutes a meetness for en-
trance into a happy, holy, heavenly
state-the hope Of which can mate
and master the fear of death" must
take place on earth: for, If not, 1t will
not take place after death.-Rlchard
Whately.
THE CERTAINTY or IMMORTALITY.
To nv mind this is the great proof of
Immortality the fact that it is written
IN human nature; written there so
pain that the rudest nations have not
failed to find 1t. to know it written
lust as much as form Is written on the
cmcle, and extension on matter in gen
erel. 1t comes TO our consciousness as
naturally as the notions of Time and
Space. We feel it az desire: We feel
1t as a fact. What is thus IN Man IL
writ there of God, who writes no lies.
To suppose that this universal desire
has no corresponding qualification l. to
represent him, not as the Father of all,
but as only Deceiver. | feel the long
ing after Immortality, a desire essential
10 my nature, deep as the foundation Of
my Being; find the same desire in all
men. feel conscious of Immortality;
that am not to die no; never To die.
though often to change: | cannot be
lieye this desire and consciousness are
felt only TO mislead, to beguile, TO de-
ceive me. Can the Almighty deceive his
children? For nv own part can con-
ceive Of nothing which shall make me
more certain of my Immortality: ask
no argument from learned lips. No
miracle could make more sure; no. not
II the sheeted dead burst cerement and
shroud, and, rising forth from
their honored iombs, stood here
before me, the Disseminated dust
once more enchanted with that
fiery life; no, not il the souls of all my
sires since time began came thronging
round, and with miraculous speech
told me they lived and should also
live. could only say, Il knew all
this before; Why waste your heavenly
speechIN | have now lndutldble GER