Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1907-02-01
Published by Request

uOAAoMOW W ANAASoS
The following prayer" was writ
ten by the late Thomas d. Burton
at Frederick, Delaware, Dec 28th,
1905, and as many were unable to
hear the manuscript read at the fun
eral, we reproduce it at the request
of many friends. The manuscript
was found among his papers, and
is as follows:
When shall have reached the
end of the short string that makes up
the little ball of life. If there should
be no minister convenient, you need
not trouble yourselves to send for
one, for l think we expect so much
from our ministers. The reading of
the burial services should fill the
bill, is about all that should be re-
quired of them, long talks are fast |
becoming a back number. So l pro-
| pose a change of program, more es-
pecially in my individual case, by |
participating in the last rites or SER
vices myself. Time is too short
moments, too precious to prepare,
and deliver long eulOgies over the
dead. Let the dead help bury its dead
besides it would have a more whole
some effect and make a more lasting
impression on the living, for the
supposed dead to assist in the last
services, for it would be like one
speaking from the dead, besides it
would relieve the ministers of a bur-
den for they are often called to con-
front difficult propositions, like an
attOrney-at-law trying to make
good cause or case out of a bad one ,
in the absence of evidence.
THE PRAYER. {
Oh Lord, Thou art God, and be- /:
side thee there is none other; neither J
in all the worlds, all the heavens .
above, or on the earth beneath is '
there one. No, not one, that is
liken unto thee. For thou art a =
present help in every time of need, Il
every hour of trouble, because of 4
which the unchangeableness of thy II
character being the same yesterday, "
to-day and forever, because of this, y
the cOnstancy of thy love toward us, II II
the stability Of thy purposes. We y
come together at this time in the a.
attitude of the world S second born, u
who offered the tirstlings of his flock, i
-he fact thereof a shepherds hum
olest offering. Thus we come pre- u
3enting our offerings, laying our 50
riffs, the gratitude of our hearts
lpon the sacrifcial altar and trust
beneath the shadow Of thy wing.
)h how much unlike God are we,
What contrast like the Wilderness of
ga. For we are creatures of circum-
tances, conditions. Therefore the
most trusted bosom friend
# to-day may be converted, trans
Ormed into the most hostile enemy
# tomorrow, persuing us as Frank
Allee, J. E. Addicks. his financial
nd political benefactor. Brutus,
cesar and Saul, David over the rug |
ed hills, into the fastness of the
fountains. While we may have
riends, many of which and whom cit
re interested, sugar-coated sun viz
hine friends who cluster around us Ep
l the day of prosperity, but when sue
he wheel of fortune is reversed, bot
uses break in upon us like a thief ing
/ the night; like a flood, all our oui
lrthly hopes shattered, blasted and Sea
ashed to pieces on the hidden Of
,cks of adversely. We looked to S.
ur supposed friends of other days sid
II encouragement and consolation, Ep
ut they are like the birds of sum- Ide
er that take wings and fly away dist
the first approach Of winter to A
her climes that are more congenial job
here the sun shines brighter, and maj
e storm clouds are less frequent. by
} with these friends of ours when His
e winter of our discomfort comes Bus
!, they drop off, one by one, like of
e leaves of the forest when touch the
Dy an autumn IrOSC, leaving us 10
litary and alone in sorrow and in MAJ
lrs. 1t is at such time the trust 0
g christian heart realizes that job
lrist is precious. the fairest among was
4 thousands of earthly friends and X
e one all together lovely 1t is at fine
Oh time Christ appears on scene, O.
)ming up not in the far distant, a Sc
e an oasis in a desert waste like and
hts from the life-saving stations r.
ing the stormy coast, bursting funt
rough the cloud riffs, like a rock
und island standing unmoved
DIST the surging waves of mid
san, upon which standing banked
againstan unclouded sky, the tall n,
lars of Lebanon liftinu their tom III