The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-08-02


broken ON the halyards, we may die a
sailors death. On mission of mercy in
hospital, amid broken bones and reelzing
leprosies and raging fevers, we may die
philanthropist's death. On the field
of battle, serving God and our country.
the gun carriage may roll over Us and
we may die a patriots death. But, after
all, there are only two styles of depar-
ture; the death of the righteous and the
death of the wicked, and we all want to
die the former.
God grant that when that hour comes
you mdy be at homeI You want the
hand of your kindred in your hand. You
want your children TO surround you.
You want the light on your pillow from
eyes that have long reflected your love.
You want the room still. You do not
want any curious strangers standing
around watching you. You want your
kindred from afar to hear your last
prayer. l think that is the wish of all
of Us. But is that all? Can earthly
friends hold Us whe, the pillows of
death come up to the girdle? Can
human voice charm open heav-
ems gate? Can human hands pilot
us through the narrows of death
into heavens harbor? Can an earthly
friendship shield US from the arrows of
death and in the hour when satan shall
practice upon rs his internal archery?
No, no, no, no! Alas! poor soul, if that
is all. Better die in the wilderness, far
from tree shadow and from fountain,
alone, vultures circling through the air
waiting for our body, unknown TO men.
and to have no burial, if only Christ
could say through the solitudes, 81 will
never leave thee, will never forsake
thee From that pillow of stone lad
der would soar heavenward, angels com
ing and going; and across the solitude
and the barFenness would come the
sweet notes of heavenly minstrelsy.
DEATH SWEET 10 THE CHRISTIAN.
Gordan Hall, far from home, dying IL
the door of q heather temple, said,
"'Glory to thee, o Godr' What did 1y-
ing Wilberforce say to his wife? Come
and sit Aeside me and let Us talk of
heaven. / never knew what happiness
was until found Christ" What did dy-
ing Hannah More say? ITO go to heav-
en-; think what that is! To go to Christ,
who died that might livel Oh, glori-
Gus gravel. Oh. what a glorious thing 1t
is to die! Oh. the love of Christ, the
love of Christi What did Mr.. Toplady,
the great hymn maker, say in his last
hour? "Who can measure the depth of
the third heaven? Oh, the sunshine that
fills my souli 1 shah soon be gone. for
surely no one can live in this world after
such glories IA God has manifested to
my soul.
What did the dying Faneway say:
~ can as easily die as close my eyes or
turn my head in sleep. Before few
hours have passed shall stand ON Mount
Zion with the one hundred and forty and
four thousand, and with the Just men
made perfect, and we shall aScribe
riches and honor and glory and majesty
and dominion unto God and the Lamb"
DR.. Taylor, condemned to burn at the
stake, on his way thither broke away
from the guardsmen and went bounding
and leaping and jumping toward the
fire, glad to go to Jesus and to die for
him. Sir Charles Hare, In his last mo
ment, had such rapturous vision that he
cried, Upward, upward, upward!'
And so great was the peace of one Of
Christ's disciples that he put his fingers
it and observed it, and so great was his
placidity that after awhile he said,
Stopped and his life had ended here
to begin in heaven. But grander than
that was the testimony of the worn out
first missionary when in the Mamar-
tine dungeon he cried. 81 am now ready
to be offered. and the time of my depar-
ture is at hand. l have fought the good
fight, l have finished my course, have
kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid
up for me a crown of righteousness
which the Lord, the righteous judge,
will give me in that day and not to me
only, but to all them that love his ap-
pearingT' Do YOU not see that Christ Is
above all in dying alleviations?
WE ARE FASTENING TO THE GRAVE
Toward the last hour of our earthly
residence we are speeding. When see
the sunset say, ''One day less to live"
When see the spring blossoms scat
tered say, Another season gone for
ever When closebthis Bible on Sab
bath night say, "Another Sabbath de-
parted" When 1 bury friend say,
Another earthly attraction gone for
ever" What nimble feet the years have,
The roebucks and the hghtnings run not
so fast From decade to decade, from
sky to sky they go at a bound.
, There is place for Us, whether
marked or not, where you and l will
sleep the last sleep, and the men are
now living who viii with solemn tread
carry Us to our resting place. Aye. it is
known IN heaven whether our departure
viii be coronation or q Punishment
I Brighter than q banQueting hall through
(which the hight feetiof the dancers go
! pp apd down to. the sound Of trumpeters
Fawilh be the sepulcher through whose
riffs the holy light of heaven streameth.
God will watch you. He-wills send his
angels to guard your slumbering ground
until at Christ's 6ehest they shall roll
away the stone. -
- So also Christ is above all in heaven.
The Bible distinctly says that Christ is
the chief theme of the celestial sscrip-
ton, all the thrones facing, his throne,
~ - ~ Co., oil