Year: 1879

souls. and We are prepared to receive abun-


dant ministrations of divine truth and love.


Now one of the most comforting doctrines
of the Bible is that which leads rs II expect
dying grace. "As thy day, so shall thy


strength be-" and when thou goest through
the waters | will be with thee are assur-
ances of priceless worth TO every Christian
| believer


Another source of this holy confidence is
the testimony of Christ's resurrection. The
apostles had ''scen and handled the word of
life. their risen Lord, and consequently to
! them death had no tcrrors Immortality had
been demonstrated, and death was but "a
covered way which opens into light" That
this was one of the Chctest sources of Chris
tian confidence is evident from careful
study of the entire chapter from which our
text is taken. To-day the nature of the evil
dence is changed somewhat, yet its force still
remains. The testimony is not vivid, but
perhaps il reaches the heart as adequately.
We have not seen the risen Lord but ours is
the testimony of martvr-witnesses, and we do
see. as they were not privileged, the strange
tnlfilment OF many of his prophecies. But
beyond this, and deeper, the convictions of
those early witnesses to the resurrection are
in our very blood, a force of holy believing,
fruitagc Of martrydom, which cannot be
cratllcatcd.' Only let us live on the mount
and we shall know what this victory is, with
all it, strange and sweet revealngs.


What a beautiful testimony not long since
came to us from the city of Brotherly Love.
Elbridgc Gerry Brooks lay dying. His long
and active ministry was RAPIDLY drawing to a
close. Pain rackcd his frame but his spirit
rcjoiced with joy unSpcakable, and full of
glory. The telephone was then novelty,
and but few had seen its workings. ltthere-
fore occurred to the attending physician that
this rare marvel might divert somewh hat the
attention of the diving warrior from his bodi-
ly pain and anguish And so one portion of
the instrument was placed in the hands of the
sufferer, while his medical adviser, taking po-
sition in another room, sent back the mes
sage, The Lord rcigncth let the earth re-
loiCc let the multitude of the isles be glad
thereof. TO the astonishment of all present
there came back the reply. "Clouds and
darkness are round about him. righteousness
and judgment are the habiation of his
throne" Other conversation followed, until
the physician. ever soicitous for the comfort
of hi> patient. suggested that the latter cease
speaking. Then came back the words, zone
MyDg mare" when. with evident tones of
triumph the dying man slowly continued,
The sting of death il sin and the strength
of sin i, the Law. But thanks be to God
which giyeth us the victory through our
IOru Jesus thrlrt strange ana solemn
sensation stole over all who heard that mes
sage. From the chamber of death, and the
angels that message had come, and it thrilled
all who heard it. SO is our love made per
feet. even until all fear is east out from our
souls.


In concluding, it may be well for us to
trace few lines of harmony between the
lives of the two kinds of soldiery.


Each wages a conflict. Both are helped by
God. The nation is blessed by the opportune
appearance of the Monitor. The victories
that followed the Emancipation Proclama-
tion-on the spiritual side 'God giveth us
the victory


Each soldcry wages warfare for others.
The boys in blue for the mass of their
cOuntrymcn the Christian that he may bring
everlasting salvation to as many possible.
Heaven would not be heaven without there
was company for Us there. As Whittier, with
profound meaning. says: The soul is lost
that's saved alone" God giveth us the vic
tory How proper then, that such service
as this should precede the decoration of the
graves of our martyr-heroes. and that it should
be held within church walls. thus bringing
together members of these two great armies,
and make the outward conflict more visibly
suggest that which is inward and spiritual.