The Newtown bee., 1901-03-22
learn Our bearings. Nor is the one

1CdAA II Oul A>o1 ID UlIC O11S step always clear, so murky is the at about us. But the time will come when the mists shall roll away, and we shall be ushered into the Pres ence of the Infinite Majesty. There, enveloped in the light that streams from the Throne, we shall say, "What was the gloom of my earthly night in comparison with the splendor of this heavenly day? Where now are those mysteries which once were won't to burden and perplex me? In the efful- gence of this heavenly light, they are no mOre." Then shall we have cause to remember the words of the Master. "What 1 do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt understand hereafter" and we shall fully realize their truth. During our ,sojourn here, then, we can not expect to understand Gods deal- ings. They are inscrutable, being hid den in the thoughts of the Eternal. But our chief duty in view of them is to hope and trust, believing in the promises of God that sometime we shall understand. This is what St Paul did, this was the attitude of great army of martyrs, the noblest of the race, of whom the world was not worthy. This is what millions of de- vout men and womenare doing to-day; otherwise they would be sinking un- der the heavy burdens and sorrows plainingly supporting. Tennyson found this his only refuge when sor- rowing for his departed friend Hallam, and expressed himself in the beautiful familiar lines:
 I falter where firmly trod,
 And falling with my weight of cares
 Upon the worlds great altar-StairS
 That slope through darkness unto God.
 I stretch lame hands of faith, and grope,
 And gather dust and chaff, and call
 To what feel is Lord of all,
 And faintly trust the larger hope.
 Some one has truly said: "A man has only as much religion as he can command in trial'' In trial we find the measure off the depth of our relig- iOuS nature. Here and here only is the infallible test furnished. And let me in this connection, pay hearty tribute to these grief-stricken parents.
 AS severe as their trials have been, not one word of complaint have 1 heard from them, though it has been my privilege often to call upon them, been deeply touched with the spirit of christian resignation and hope that has characterized them, is beautiful and l have wondered at it. Their faith mounts up to heaven, as sweet incense that rises from earthly altars to God on high,-a sacrifice most ac- ceptable and pleasing to him.
 But two things, l would mention, which seem to me to be of unspeakable comfort to these sorrOwing hearts. The first is expressed in the poets word, "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.' ic rn1afn1 nf Droci1orf of Amherst, that when a friend came to offer expressions of sympathy in view of the death of his daughter who had been the very idol of his heart, he said ''Why should l mourn, l have had the joy and inspiration of that beautiful life. How much better off I am now than should have been had never en- joyed such a blessing. So far from blaming God that He did not give me my darling for longer time, l should thank Him that, for so long, He has afforded me her sweet presence" The last effort of the beautiful little girl, whose body we lay away this after noon, an effort made when disease had already claimed her, though she had not taken her bed from which she was to rise no more, was to prepare her Sunday school lesson. A half hour before her spotless soul winged it's flights to mansions above, when the pallor of death was already upon her, she whispered the Lords prayer, the ''Amen" being the last rational word she ever uttered. The death angel paused in reverence to hear that prayer, then bore her spirit away to Jesus. Think you the remembrance of such life will not always be inetfably precious to those anguished parents? How enriched their lives are by it. Surely, Iris far better for them to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.
 The other thought l bring to you is this: The fact that we have dear ones gone on before impartS to us d new and more exalted view of life. Our greater treasure is in the next world, and so our hearts are there, too; for where our treasure is there our hearts are al- so. This being so, we come to regard the present existence as of value only as it prepares for the next. We say constantly to ourselves, we utter it in our prayers, o that 1 may be prepar- ed to meet my beloved in heaven" Thus life takes on a new and trans cendent meaning, it becomes ennobled and beautitied as we strive to live it. We think of those precious ones as wait- ing to welcome us. Aye, more, as watching our action each day, being grieved or gladdened by it, according n fY1ro