Year: 1876

This is a vale of tears. Man, in
his progress from the cradle to the
tomb, is subject to continual sor-
row and vexation Of soul. Ten
thousand things conspire to render
his sojourn here a pilgrimage of
weeping, and nothing earthly can
afford a happiness not alloyed with
sorrow. Our friends fall around us,
and are borne away to the spirit
land, never again to greet US with
the kindly smile, or with affections
tender grasp. Outlines the fondest
idols which our heart has cherished,
and on whom we have rested our
brightest, fondest hopes, are snatch
ed from our embrace, and with sol
emn, mournful tread we follow them
to the home and resting place of the
dead.


Oh! who can tell the anguish of
mothers heart when they lay upon
a pillow of clay that infant head
which was wont to nestle in her bO-
som, and cover from her view that
cherub face, never again to light up
with smiles to greet her coming.
With a saddened heart she returns
to her home, now robbed of its
sweetest flower, and tears Of an
guish, Oh! how bitter! roll doV n
her cheeks. But, mother, are you
to meet that babe no more? no more
to press it to your heart? Yes, be-
yond the billowy food of death the
Father of our spirits has prepared
land where friends may meet in
glory.


When, dripping with the moist of
death, you reach the shore of that
goodiy land, you will hear the joy
full welcome of those who have gone
before you. Their beautified spirits
will gather around you, and with
heaven tuned voices will shout your
welcome to the skies. And you
meet them to part no more, but
throughout the ever rolling ages of
eternity will you together mingle in
the sainted throng of heaven. Oh!
blissful thought! There will be no
weeping there. No more will the
sin-avenging angel claim as his the
objects of our love. Death can
never enter there. No more must
you give the farewell look, nor
speak the word of parting.


But the love of friends and kim
dred is not all that causes weeping
here. To the Christian heart the
sin of fallen man is a source Of con-
slant sorrow.


Have you not seen the loving
wife and sister, yea, even the stern
old father, bend with aching heart
and streaming eyes over the prodi





| gal son or erring husband, and Will
the eloquence almost of inspiration
implore him to return from his wan
derings? Have you seen the moth
er bow before the throne Of = Coo
and in supplicating tones pour out
her heart for mercy on her wicked
child? Oh! there is anguish there
and a grief to which earth affords
no comfort.


Wherever there is sin there also
must be sorrow, sorrow first on &C
count of our own wickedness, anC
/ then to see-t those around whom ou
hearts best affections cling, speed
ing needless on their way to deatl
eternal. But ''in heaven no sin i
found, and there's no weeping
there


OH is it true that mortal mar
shall be delivered from the thral
dom of sin, and rest no more be
meath its blighting curse? Yes, 70
sin can never enter the abode o
sanctifed spirits; the glory of tn,
Fathers face forever drives it from
that happy land. Angels guard tn
entrance, and, with the sword o
truth, beat back the enemy of ou
race. Cherubims, commissioned
from the court of heaven, stand for
ever upon its lofty battlements anC
drive away the hosts Of sin. Their,
one eternal Sabbath day shall reign
and no strains of sorrow minglt
with the glad shout of ransomeC
souls. "Yictory oyer sin and death,
viii be the cry, and in the eestacy o
their joy no time viii be found 70
weeping. Their own souls batheC
in the glad waters of salvation, ans
rendered pure and white by th'
blood Of the Lamb, will no NOR
wage the fierce contest with thi
lusts Of the flesh, nor be panied a
i sight of the iniquity Of others.


As holy as we're our common pa
rents, when in the morn Of thei