The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-04-18

at as a fool and a visionary. He
works, often in the deepest poverty,
his food crust, his clothing rags.
He dies unknown and unappreciated.
But after years have passed his inven-
ton is pronounced a blessing. A
blessing9 Yes; but what is it to him
that the world has found it out9 He
is nothing now but heap of ashes.
Praises9 Yes; but his ear is dull and
never more will sweetest music charm
it. A monument Yes; but he asked
for bread. What to him is carved
stone or up piled granite9 Two
friends have become estranged. One
has loaded the other with cruel sus-
picions. There is no way to remove
them, though they be false or I'M
founded. They part, and one goes
down at last to the grave bearing the
burden of years. For many seasons
the flowers have bloomed and faded
on that grave, when the true story is
discovered. But shall he never know
that the story is told at last and the
truth triumphant? Be it so; if so it
must be; but it adds an inexpressible
sadness to many lives.
Think, again, of those great spirits
who have fallen, martyred in some
noble se,-who gave their lives
for the sake of others. 1t is not
enough that Sir Harry Vane said, at
his execution on Tower Hill, 81 bless
the Lord that | have never deserted
the righteous cause for which suf-
fer" Our sense of justice demands
that some time Sir Harry Vane shall
know that his cause was righteous,
and that even his death advanced it.
1t is not enough that John Brown,
dying on the scaffold, said, ut will
pay" We want to be assured that,
looking down from some height of
beatitude, he now sees that it did pay,
and magnifcently. We cannot think
of Lincoln as going out into nothing
ness, never, never to know that he
guided the ship of State safely
through the storm. Is he never to
know that his prophetic vision of a new
and regenerated South is in process
of fulflment2 Is he never to realize
his work for the nation? Or, to rise
higher, can we conceive of Jesus as
utterly persisted; az not knowing to-
day that his cross of shame has be-
come symbol of glory, and that his
followers have carried it in triumph
around the globe?
~. Bur, PERHAPS, THE PUREsT AND
SWEETEST STREAM THAT PoURs ITS TRIB-
UTE INTO THE IMMORTAL HOPE IS HU-
MAN AFFECTION.
We cannot stand by the grave of
buried love and say, "This is ALL"
Even when our science or our logic
urges the intellect to such confession
the heart lifts up its protest.
Ancient history records beautiful
incident. In the siege of certain
city, two young men within the walls
had rendered great service to the
general, through which it finally fell
into his hands. In return, he ordered
their lives to be spared, and gave
them permission to take with them
out of the city, as much treasure as
they could carry. They accordingly
both appeared at the gate, one carry
/ ing his mother on his back, the other
his father showing by that act how
much more precious were these in
their eyes. than silver or gold. The
Jewels of affection are the most prec
ious things on earth; and men have
persistently refused to believe that
these were ever to be destroyed. They
must be borne in safety out of all
ruins,-must survive the final catas-
trophe of death.
So strong, too, is our affection, that
we cannot believe our dead very far
away from us. There is, at least,
nearness of sympathy.-so that it
would not seem strange if the veil
were to part and give us glimpse of
radiant faces and shining robes. In
the monkish legend, mother took
her only child to the monastery of st.
Maurice. He became specially skill
full in chanting the liturgical SER
vice. By-and-by he fell sick and
died. The mother, in despair, came
to bury him; every day she returned
TO weep over his tomb. At length st.
Maurice appeared to her and said,
He must not be wept for as though
he were dead. He is with us. He re-
joices in eternal life. and tomorrow,
at mathis in the vestry, you shall
hear his voice in the choir; and not
tomorrow only, but every day as
long as you live" At the first sound
1