Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-23

pardoning love Of comforting moth.
err?
Like the divine mother God wants to
be the comforter of all those who have
made temporal failure Of life--of those
completely shattered and wrecked as
were the ships in Apia harbor when
the Samoan tornado drove them upon
the rocks. He wants to be the com
fQrter of those who have had to face
a bankruptcy court or who have had
the dearest desires Of their hearts an
initiated. He wants to be the COM
forter of practically the whole human
race for temporal troubles that sooner
or later come to about everybody.
Treasures Of Heaven.
Thus all the troubled and the sorely
disappointed of earth should take great
comfort out Of the thought that Gods
love for them is like that of a divine
mother. They should be able to look
at all worldly things, whether good or
i'll, as did the Maori chief, who. though
born In New Zealand mud hut, could
turn to the Duke of Devonshire when
he was being shown one of the most
beautiful palaces of the world and
say, This palace is not as beautiful
as the mansion which my heavenly
Father has bullded for me-" Though
the troubled Christians may be clothed
in rags, yet they should feel that they
are rich, because God, as a heavenly
mother. has prepared for them the
wedding garments with which they
shall be robed In the heavenly banquet
halls at the Kings marriage. Though
they may be poor, yet they should feel.
like the invalid son going home to his
earthly parent, that all the treasures
Of heaven shall be forever theirs.
God, like divine mother. wants to
be the comforter of his children in
their last earthly sicknesses as we'll as
when he is bending over them in their
cradles. He wants to be the comfort
er of the dying invalid when he utters
| the agonizing moan. Il cannot stand
this pain any longer as well as the
comforter Of the little child who is sit
ting for the first time in her Sunday
class. He wants to be the comforter
Of all those who have been disappoint-
ed in life and who when they come to
die may be gladdened by seeing him,
feeling like the old statesman. Henry
Clay. who in his last moments looked
up with sweet smile and cried. Moth
er. mother" All, in that hour we shall!
need a mothers love as much as does
the schoolboy who romps into the hall
way calling to the cook. Mary, where
is mother" And this smile is true
because OF all times when q mother
| chiefly longs to be by the side of her
child it is when that child is dying.
When the eldest son Of Queen Alex
andra was sick unto death, the then
Princess Of Wales had hundreds Of
trained and most skillful nurses who
would gladly have answered to her
call. But day and night. for three
long weeks. the mother Of the Duke OF
Clarence never left his side. 1t was
her royal hand that smoothed the
sheets 1t was her arm that lifted the
fevered head. 1t was her lips that gave
the last kiss, as the immortal spirit
sped from the pain racked form. Yes,
the mother, the true earthly mother,
wants to be the last comforter by the
side Of her dying child. 1t was in or
der to satisfy this maternal desire that
Princess Alice, the daughter Of Queen
Victoria, disobeyed the orders of the
physicians. and, bending over the bed
that was reeking with the diphtheritc
germs. kissed her baby girl farewell
and at the same time pressed her own
lips against the hot lips of death. Prin-
cess Alice laid down her life on &C
count of that maternal kiss. SO God. as
a divine mother, is always by the
deathbeds of his children.
The Transcendent Triumph.
God like the divine mother. specially
loves to hover around the deathbed of
his children, because he can there
prove to us that at is not all Of death
to die, nor all of life to live" and that
death can be swallowed up in victory.
He can prove.it to those who have &C.
cepted his love and his sacrifice for
their sins, as John Simeon proved it to
his children when he himself was dy-
ing. In imagination, the departing
saint raised himself and. looking back,
cried out: "Who are youy' Sorrow
"Who are your" "Sighing" Then
stretching his hands upward, the dy-
ing saint cried out again: And who
are your" Joy" And who are your
"GladnessW Then, with seraphic
smile, the dying Christian again cried
out: Farewell, Sorrow. Farewell,
Signing. Farewell, Mortal Life. Wei
come, Joy. Welcome, Gladness. Wei
come, Eternal Heaven" If an earthly
mother would long to be the comforter
of her dying boy. surely Jesus longs to
be beside his believing and trusting
children at their departure, to tell them
OF the hopu and the 10y and the tran
scendent triumph which await their
heavenly translation.
But / may be talking about a love
which some of you have never known,
and there may be some young men
here who never knew what it was to
possess a mothers love. remember,
a short time after my own mothers
funeral, ! stood for long while with
tear stained cheeks studying picture
called "The Mothers Vacant Chair"
The scene Was workingmans home.
The great, broad chested mechanic sat
at the head Of the supper table, de-
jectedly holding little baby In his
arms, who was laughingly reaching