Middletown transcript., 1900-12-22
Memorial Address at the funeral of Maurice
K. Bratton

| n oTdLLOu
BY REV. E. W. CAswELL
81 caves have their time to fall
| And flowers TO Wither, at the north wind
| And Stars to set-but all
! Thou hast all seasons for thine own, On
DEATH"
We are standing to day under tht
shadow Of the pail Of death. In such al
hour as this, human language seems use
less of utterance.
The well of our sorrow is so deep, We
have nothing to draw with to give it ex
preston. These are hours when the
soul is dumb, appalled, by the awful sud
denness Of the blow, dazed by the terrible
announcement of death in the midst ot
life hours when the stricken one seems
to live a lifetime, hours of suspense, Of
sacred agonyl
Every true heart in Middletown shud.
dered with trembling and throbbed with
sympathy, when, like lightning's flash,
the news spread from person to person,
from home to home, Zone of our noblest
boys, III a moments time, has passed
into the life beyond forever" But all
the tender emotion, all the loving svm-
pathy, could not unlock the gates of
death and bring back the priceless treas
ure of the beloved one.
Truly the bereayed, the broken hearts
must walk the valley alone, only Jesus is
able to make light shine through the
night Of death.
The old truism, death loves a shin
ing mark is again verified. One of the
brightest and best of the youth of Mid
dletown has been taken away, one who
had a fine promise of a long and useful
life, whose mind was as keen as the
heart was kind. Young, beautiful and
joyous, to see whose face was to behold
smile, whose voice brought only gladness.
whose footstep had the sound Of health
full pleasure, whose coUntenance beamed
with hope.
He had only friends, and those who
knew him best loved him most. Ewes
unused to tears will weep to-day. Stout
hearts will tremble, for they will not see
again on earth the brightness of his com
ing and going upon our streets. The
playful smile will not greet us until we
meet in the life Eternal Our Sunday
School, in which he took such deep in
terest, is deeply bereft. We come to Law
a little chaplet of flowers upon his silent
form, and in the inner shrine of our
hearts, we inscribe upon a tablet more
beautiful and enduring than marble the
words, Sacred to the memory of Mau
reeve loved him." In the springtime.
we will plant flowers among the grasses
that hide away his loving form, and keep
fresh in our memories the hol Y associa-
ton of his life with ours.
We cannot explain to these broken
bleeding hearts in this now desolate
household, why our Father permitted
this awful blow. The great hereafter
will reveal the lesson designed to be
taught our stricken spirits.
Aud you shall shortly know that heightened
breath
Is not the sweetest gift God sends His
friends i9
And that sometimes the sable pail Of death
CoHceals the faire boon His love can send.
If we could push jar the gates Of life.
And stand within, and all Gods working
see,
We could interpr, all this doubt and strife
a nd for each mystery could find a key
: ut not today. Then be content, poor
Gods plans, IKE lilies, pure and white un-
We most not tear the close shut leaves orort. |
Time will reveal the calyxes of gold
And if. through patient toll, we reach the land
Where tired feet, with sandals loose, NAV
When we shall clearly know and understand |
besG.'" INC" INC
What all devoted parents desire in |
their children is goodness, advancement
honor, usefulness and successful career,
When that young life goes out like the |
sun setting in the morning, loss and fail |
IRE seems written over our hopes. R1t
life has heavenward as well as an earth. |
ward side; an eternal as well as a mo-
existence. If our ewes were
opened to-day, we would see that Il Is
only the bodily form that is sIeenino
The beautiful, youthful personality has
received greater advancement. honor and
glory, than earth can ever give. He is
lifted out Of athousaEd dangers which as
sail US here and placed securely among |
5he thrones and honors, joys and triumpbs |
of an unchanging being.
If the President of the United States |
should send for your boy, inviting him to |
become a member of his family at the |
White House, you would consider IL a |
yreat honor, and joyously send him forth. |
Your home would not be desolate while
le was gone, for the light of his
,lory would illuminate ali the honse
lold with gladness. When Jesus. the
King OF Kings, from the White Citv
# God, sends messengers inviting
your loved child to come and live
n His presence, where are pleasures
md honors and joys beyond alf concep- 1