The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1894-09-07

are your children? Where see
one family circle that is un-
broken / see three or four that
have been desolated. Ore lamb gone
out of its fold; one flower plucked from
that garland; one golden link broke
from that chain; here a bright light
put out, and there another, and yonder
another. With such griefs, how are
you to rest? VIII there ever be a
| power that can attune that silent voice,
or kindle the luster of that closed eve,
\ or put spring and dance into the little
! foot? When we bank up the dust
over the dead, is the sod never
to be broken? Is the cemetery to
hear no sound but the tire Of the
hearse wheel, or the tap of the bell at
the gate as the long procession comes
| in with their awful burdens of grief
Is the bottom of the grave gravel, and
| the top dust? Mol no! no! The tomb
is only a place where we wrap our
robes about us for pleasant nap on
our way home. The swellings of Jor-
dan will wash off the dust of the way.
From the lop of the grave we catch a
| glimpse of the towers glinted with the
sun that never sets.
Oh, We whose locks are wet with the
dews of the night of grief; We whose
hearts are heavy because those we'll
known footsteps sound no more at the
doorway, yonder is your rest! There
is David triumphant; but once he be-
mOaned Absalom. There is Abra-
ham enthroned; but once he wept
for Sarah. There is Paul ex-
ultant; but once he sat with his
feet in the stocks. There is
Payson radiant with immortal health;
but on earth he was always sick. No
toll, no tears, no partings, no strife, no
agonizing cough, tc night. No storm
to ruffie the crystal sea. No alarm TO
strike from the cathedral towers. No
dirge throbbing from seraphic harps-
No tremor in the everlasting song; bat
rest-perfect rest-unending rest.
Into that rest how many of our loved
ones have gone! The little children
have been gathered up into the bosom
of Christ. One of them went out of
the arms of widowed mother, follow
ing its father. who died few weeks
before. In this last moment it seemed
to see the departed father, for it said,
looking upward with frightened coun-
tenance: Papa, take me up!'
Others put down the work of mid
life feeling they could hardly be
spared from the Office or store, or shop,
for a day, but are to be spared from
it forever. Your mother went.
Having lived life of Christian
consistency here, ever busy with kind
ness for her children, her heart full of
that meek and quiet spirit that is in
the sight of God of great price, sud-
denly her countenance was trans
figured, and the gate was opened, and she
took her place amid that cloud of wit
nesSes that hover about the throne!
Glorious consolation! They are not
dead. You can not make me believe
they are dead. They have only moved
on. With more love than that with
which they regard us on earth, they
watch us from their high place, and
their voices cheer us in our struggle
for the sky. Hail, spirits blessed now
that We have passed the floods and
won the crown! With weary feet we
press up the shining way, until in ever
lasting reunion we shall meet again.
Oh! won't it be grand when. our con-
iicts done and our paintings over, we
shall clasp hands and cry out: This ~
Heayenl''