The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-09-05

VI
and after. under the hard hoofs OF calamity
| all the pools OF worldly enjoyment have
been trampled into deep mire NJ the foot Of
the eternal rock the Christian. from cups OF
granite lily-rimmed, puts out the thirst OF
his soul
Again. remark that Christ Is chief in dy.
ING alleviations. have not any sympathy
with the morbidity abroad about our demise.
The Emperor OF Constantinople arranged
that on the day OF his coronation the stone
mason should come and consult him about
the tombstone that after awhile he would
need. And there are men who are mono
maniacal on the subject OF departure from
this life by death. and the more they think
Of II the less they are prepared to go. This
is an unmanlness not worthy OF you, not
worthy of me.
Saladin. the great conqueror Of his day.
while dying, ordered that the tunic he had
on him be carried after his death on his
spear at the head OF his army, and that then
the soldier, ever and anon. should stop and
say: "Behold all that Is left Of Saladin. the
emperor and conquerorl or all tho states
he conquered. OF all the wealth he accumu.
lated. nothing did he retain but this
shroud." ] have no sympathy with such be.
havior. or such absurd demonstration, or
with much that we hear uttered In regard to
departure from this life TO the next. There
Is commonspnsical idea on this subject
that you need to consider--there are only
two styles Of departure. A thousand feet
underground by light Of torch. toiling
In miners shaft, n ledge of rock may fall
upon us, and we may die miners death.
Far out at sea, falling from the slippery rat
lines and broken on the halliards we may
die n sailors death. On mission Of mercy
In hospital, amid broken bones ami rocking
leprosies and raging fcvera. we may die n
philan'hropists death. On the field OF
battle, serving God and our country, slugs
through the heart, the gun carriage may
roll over US. and we may die patriots
death. But, after ALL there are only two
STYLES ofdeparture-;he death otthc righteous
aud the death OF the wickol-lni we all
want 10 die the former.
God grant that when that hour comes you
may be at home. You want the hand OF
your kindred In your hand. You want your
children to surround you. You want tho
light on your pillow from eyes that have
long reflected Your love. You want your
room still. You do not want any curious
strangers standing around watching you.
You want your kindred from afar 90 hear
your last prayer. think that Is the wish
Of all of us. But is that alR Can earthly
friends hold Us up when the bilows OF death
charm open heavens gate? Can human
hand pilot us through the narrows Of death
into heavens harbor? Can any earth
ly friendship shield us from tho
arrows OF death and in the
hour when satan shalt practice upon us 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 crcling through
the air waiting for our body. unknown 20
men. and to have NJ burial. II only Christ
could say through the sOlitudcs, II will
never leave thee, | will never forsake thoe.'
From that pillow OF stone u ladder would
and across the solitude and the barrenness
would come the sweet notes OF heavenly
minstrelsy
Gordon Hall. far from home. dying in door
of heather temple. said: "Glorv 10 Thee,
o God" What did diving Wilbcrforcc say TO
his wife? "Come and sit beside mo. aud let
us talk Of heaven. Inever knew what hap
piness was until found Christ" What did
dying Hannah More say? "ro goto heaven,
think what that l., To go To Christ. who
died that might live Oh. glorious grave.
Oh what a glorious thing II IL 20 die! Oh,
the love of Christ. the love Of Christ" What
did Mr.. Toplady, the great hymn maker. say
in his last hours? "Who can measure tho
depths OF the thirl heaven? Oh, the sun
shine that fls my soul! | shall soon he
gone. for surely no one can live in this,
world after such glorles as God has mani
tested to my soul.'
What did the diving Janeway say? IT 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 urthousand and
with the lust men made perfect. and we shall
ascribe riches, and honor, and glory. aud
majesty, and dominion unto God and the
Lamb DIR. 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 90 to Jesus, and To die for Him.
Sir Charles Hare in his las. moments,
had such rapturous vision that he cried,
"Upward, upward, upward Aud 30
great was the peace OF one OF Christs
disciples that he put his finger upon tho
pulse in his wrist and counted it aud OBJ
served it: and 80 great was his placldity that
after awhile he said. stopped and his life
had ended hero to begin in heaven. But
grander than that was the testimony OF the
worn out first missionary, when, In tho
Mamertine dungeon, he cried, Il am now
ready to he offered, and the tine OF my de-
parture is at hand; have fought the good
fight, have finished my course, j have kept
the faith; hencsforth there il laid up for mo
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 appearing Do you not see that
Christ is chief in dying alleviations!
Stand on some high hill Of heaven
glorious object will be Jesus. MyriadS
gazing on the scars OF His suffering, in
silence first, aiterward breaking forth
into acclamation. The martyrs, all the
purer for the fama through which they
passed, will say, This is the Jesus for whom
we died" The apostles, all the happier for
tho shipwreck and the scourSing through
which they went, will say, This is the Jesus
whom we preached at Corinth, and Cnppa.
docia, and at Antioch, and at Jerusalem.
Little children clad in white will say, This
is the Jesus who too,i US In His arms and
blessed US, aud when the storms Of the world
were too cold and LOUD brought Us into this
beautiful place" Tao multitude OF the
bereft will say, This is the Jesus who CON-
forted us when our hearts broke" Many
who wandered clear of from God anl
| plunged into vagubonlism but were save
! by grace, will say: This Is the Jesus VINO
pardoned US. We were lost on the noun
tains, and IIe brought us home. We wer'
guilty. and He has made us white rs snow.
Mercy bOundless, grace unparalleled. And
| then, after each one has recited his peculiar