The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1903-01-07

aG tDe prosPecSol JIG 'epuel poi ieo'"i
tie being sundered, the uncontrollable
grief of his heart bursts forth into
sobs and like David of old he sobs;
my SOD, my SON." And turning TO
his gentle companion who had been
reading to him consolipg passages
from the Divine Revelation, he said.
s'Sipg TO me, my child" -. And the
sweet, gentle voice warbbled out the
air the old familiar notes of the songs
of long ago and the weary. spirit OF
the old man was comforted aud calm
ed. s'Sing to me my child" earth's
ties are breaking away. He wbo was
the strength of my youth is depart
ing to the unseen shore and the old
man is left tottering on the brink,
My heart is sorely troubled, then
"Sing to me, my child" the songs Of
yore that my heart may be sootbed
and "tbe peace that passeth all under
standing" may come into it. Call up
from the past with music's subtle
strains the long forgotten, the songs
that his mother sang to him when be
played Ground her knees and her
hands wondered lovingly through his
flowing tresses. He is man now
and be is dying and I cannot go to
him. He is departing to the echoless
shore ADD I can only follow him 10
the brink and strain my ears to catch
some word from the other side that
be may watt back to me. None comes
but clear across the rolling stream OF
death hear the voice of the "Lion
of the tribe of Judah, I am the resur-
rection and the life. He that believ-
eth on me though he were dead yet
shall he live again" Then ''sing to
me, my child" for I am Christian"
And the voice of the sweet songstress
rises and swells with the pent up
motion of her own heart and the old
man is comforted and soothed.
What subtle power there is in
music to still the ranging pillows of a
troubled heart. Life's storms may
beat and serge upon it like mighty
wave and the wand of the musician
can still the troubled waters and
guide into the haven of rest. Stand
ing on the border land with a long
aud troubled life behind and great
eternity before the soul of man who
can say, Il know am a Christian" >"
would fain burst into song and cry
out, ''sing to me, my child" The
aged saint about to depart and be at
rest forever almost shouts:
lob, sing to me of heaven
When I am called to die;
Sing songs of holy ecstacy
To wsfs my soul on high"
We are told there is music in heav-
en- and We read of the hundred and
forty and four thousand who join in
the new song and make the vaults of
heaven ring with the song Of "Allelu-
liza, Allelulis, the Lord omnipotent
reigneth." We are told that they
play upon harps and Tyres and some
of earth's sons and daughters in the
last moments of dissolution just be:
fore taking their eternal fight, have
had their mortal ears ,unstopped and
have heard the ecastic strains of the
heavenly choir. Then sit not strange
that the aged pilgrim who has nearly
finished his course and has kept the
faith should say, "sing to me, my
child" As the music of heaven will
be the first sounds that ravish the
ears then ''sing to me, my child, and
let the curtain drop on the scenes oi
earth with the strains of music. Lei
earth and heaven begin with music.
For Over Sixty Years.