The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-09-05

sudden DEATH Some may covet it,
dreading lingering pain and wearl-
some watchings: some may covet it
TO escape the torment OF fear; some
call it the happiest and best of dea:1s.:
Some look. upon it with dread. On
The last Lords Day | worshipped
with a congregation, one petition Of
whose litany prayer was ''And from
sudden death, good Lord deliver u.s."
We know little about it save this,
that it fills the mind with holy awe.
So near the other world we live that
we pass the dividing line in so brief
a time; so little hold have we on life
that in an unthoughted moment it
drops like slender thread from our
hand. Sudden death, we know not
what it means; we guage not its pow
er to alarm and shake the soul, un-
less some fellow pilgrim has fallen at
our side in a moment that we thought
not, some loved one hastened away
with scarcely time to say farewell,
"gliding into the company Of the
great and mighty angels, passing into
the dread light and amazement of
eternity, learning its great secret, and
gazing upon the splendor of the
eternal world"
How solemn the admonition that
such an event as this brings home to
each. one of US! Are we not impress
lively reminded that no prominence
OF usefulness, no ties Of affection, no
gifts OF nature, neither strength of
body nor greatness of soul, neither
present usefulness, nor rhe promise
of greater usefulness in coming years,
can offer us the least assurance Of
length of days. Nay more; how SOL
emnly are we taught, that every man
of US is walking upon the borders of
eternity, and that the very next foot
step may be planted within the limits
of the world unseen. We commence
a week in health, but where shall we
be at the end of it? VIE rise in the
morning, rejoicing in the light, but
only God knows who of us shall look
upon the shadows of the evening. We
arrange our plans for tomorrow, but
ere they are half completed, we are
in eternity. Can there be one among
us who mistakes the lessons that
these conditions of our being are in
tended to incu'cate. They surely
teach US that we can only live wisely
as we live habitually prepared for that
day, whenever, however it may
come to us.
Mr.. Seabrook then spoke of the
duty of every man having his house
in order in view of the uncertainty
of the coming Of the day when it
will be inspected. He spoke Of that
duty in the home. It is every mans
duty to make provision for his family,
so that they may not be left in want,
by wise investments and by taking
advantage of the opportunity that
life insurance companies afford.
Every mans will should be made at
once. In view of the credit system
Of business, every man should see
to it that no one who has trusted
him shall be defrauded by his death.
But he owes duty not only temporal
but spiritual to his family and his
fellowmen. No man has right to
leave his family memory Of a
Christless, Goddess life, his death COW
ering them with darkness in which
there is no ray Of light. Every man
is responsible for the influence that
his life leaves behind him. If men
realized habitually the uncertainty Of
life they would be more kind in word
and deed to one another. The speak
er told of a little lad, kneeling at
his grandmother's knee repeating the
prayer:
"Now I lay me down to sleep,
! I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
| If-if-