The Yale expositor., 1900-03-30
YALE ST. Clair County. Mich, FRIDAY, MARCH 80 1900
perfect keeping with its earthly foun-

perfect keeping with its earthly foun-
dations.
l am aware, indeed, that so far as we
have any knowledge of heaven, we may
say that it is certain that there shall not
be there the same relationships and oc-
cupations we have here; but there is
no doubt that there shall be need there
for the quality of character which were
developed by our training and expert
ence here, and we shall there under
stand, as we cannot here, not only why
we were each brought, through his own
personal history, but also why our dear
ones were taken from us at the time
they were. The Lord had need of them
just then, and their removal was neces-
sary, not only to the symmetry, but to
the finish of their immortal excellence.
Sometimes, again, when we are
brought face to face with a dispensa-
ton like this we are disturbed by the
mystery of the question, why there was
so much promise in young life that
comes, to human view, to no maturity?
We cannot answer that question fully,
but we can point to parallel mystery
which the contrast might have seemed
yet greater, and by the contemplation
of which we may be consoled. We can
not forget here that our Savior Himself
died while yet He was but young
man. For four thousand years, from
the date of the primal prophecy, prepa-
rations were being made for His APP
pearance. The whole Mosaic system
and the entire history of the Jews was
in order to His manifestation. One
would have thought, therefore, that
when He came His life would have
been greatly prolonged. But instead,
He died at the age of thirty-three, after
little more than three years of public
life. What poor outcome for such
preparations, one might say, speaking
after the manner of men; but now re-
calling His resurrection and ascension,
behold what that life has done for hui
manity, and with the history of the
eighteen centuries behind us, who dare
say that the result has not been worthy
of the preparation?
Now | know that is peculiar case,
but still the dead in Christ have a partic-
ipation in the ascension life of Christ,
and no matter how brief the earthly
existence may have been, no christian
life has ever been in vain.
There have been influences we may
be sure on the companions of this be-
loved, which shall tell many days hence
and in the outcome of which she will
live anew. And there will be influences
on those to whom she was dearest,
which will effect them all their days.
The words of the poet were true to
whom he wrote in similar sorrow to this:
God gives us love; something to love;
He leads; then when love is grown
To rlpeness, that on which 1t thrOve
Falls of, and love Is left alone.
There has been left by this young
life deposit Of blessing on the part of
every member of her household, and
in the fertility which that will give to
their after lives, she will still be oper
ative in the world. This is true of
personal character also, but / cannot
forbear from adding, for the sake of
those friends, that it will be true of all
their intercourse with whom they as
sociate.
Ezekiel was made a sign to the peo-
pie to whom he was sent, by the loss of
his wife when "the desire Of his eyes
was cut off by stroke;" and through
the personal discipline of his children.
Yet, God often begins to give a special
blessing to the people. 1t is terrible
ordeal, yet when souls are born again
through it and saints are built up as
the result, we may see little of the
purpose of God in our trial. This trial
will give, / am sure, new power and
pathos to my friends. So it comes that
those darkest experiences bloom up
into higher usefulness. "Out of the
eater comes forth meat; and out of the
bitter, sweetness"