Year: 1879

| 1T Is interesting to note how strangely ben
ehcial oftentimes is the reflex influence OF
failure, or mistake, or loss. How many of
us have found that the blessings which
frightened as they took their flight" left
some of their radiance behind. The unkind
word, the omitted deed of love, the express
sion of affection which came yelling up from
| the heart only to be stihed ere it found ut
! terance on the lips-all these are thought of
tearfulIy when the loved one is beyond re-
call when the eyes are sightless, the ear
deaf to our regrets and the lips dumb. How
often have we thought "Ah, if | could only
call back the departed how different all
would be Had known they were to go SO
soon I'd not have added to the load already
bearing down the tired shoulders that harsh
and unkind word. That miserable false
pride of mine should not have been allowed
to stihe back the words of encouragement or
affection which leaped to my lips. would
have showered more sunshine into the life"
And thus the bitter tide of memory rolls in
upon the soul, tossing up the wrecks and
fragments of the things left undone which
ought to have been done," and done which
might so easily have been left undone, If Ue
had only knocn, until the lacerated spirit,
goaded to anguish, would fain cry out like
David, going to his chamber over the gate,
Would God had died for thee, o Absa-
lom, my son, my sonl" But vain are these
regrets for the departed. If this sense of
failure and mistake which comes at such
times only make us the more tender and
considerate toward the living, the more kind
and thoughtful to those still with us, let us
thank God, for it will not have come in
vain. Touching are the instances where
this spirit has made itself manifest. We
have met those whose manner seemed to
have in it all unwonted tenderness whose
whole nature seemed strangely chastened and
subdued-the life singularly sweet. And
we have thought: here, perhaps if one probe
deep enough he shall find the memory of
buried sorrow--unwonted tenderness to the
living striving to atone for neglect, real or
fancied toward the dead. Was it not full
Of pathos, that act of Dr. johnson, in his old
age, stealing quietly away from the home Of
his friend, where he was the honored guest,
that he might hasten to the market-place of
the neighboring town, and there, with un-
covered head in the drenching rain, receive
the ridicule of the passers-by and the jeering
of the boys, thus to make amends for will
full act of disobedence to his father years
before One other fact, also cannot have
failed to be noted, namely, that transient
estrangement may result in reconciliation
most lasting and blessed. In world
aboundng in misunderstanding "trihes
light as air" are sufficient TO estrange
warmest friends at times. And strange
as it seems, and sad as it is to contem-
plate, it is no less true that the bitter
est feuds have arisen between members
of the same household. The most disas-
trous quarrels have been family quarrels.
And yet, when such are reconciled, there is
depth, fervor, a strength given to the
new love beyond all other. There seems
woven into the new all the fondness and
tenderness of the old, with something added,
stranger, sweeter, which was not there be-
fore The warp is the same. The wool is
stronger, with an added charm. A common
sorrow will sometimes do this for estrange
ment is sadder than loss. Tennyson has
touched this well in that little gem of his


As thro' the land at eve we went,


And pluck'd the ripened ears,


We fell out, my wife and |,


o, we fell out, know not why,


And kissed again with tears.


For when we came where lies the child
We lost In other years,


There above the little grave,


o, there above the little grave


We kissed again with tears.


Some of the sublimest attributes of our
humanity have been brought to light by
| these reconciliations. Take that case of
Joseph and his brethren. Witness the he
| roic spirit of Judah. And that final exulta-
tion must forever have been wanting had
| there been no sense of loss.-!Selecied