Lead me through this world of sorrow, Let my hand in thine e"er be; Throw thy arms of love around me, Savior, let me walk with thee.
When the storm-clouds round me gather In the clefted Rock I hide; When the surging billows threaten, Fold me closer to thy side.
There"s a home for me in heaven, By the crystal, silvered sea; Some sweet morn the golden portals Opened wide will be for me.
There in amaranthine glory I will sit at Jesus" feet; There I"ll sing the sweet old story As I walk the golden street.
O my heart, wait on in patience, Each day brings me nearer the goal; In some blissful dewy dawning Heaven will receive my soul.
CONCLUSION.
Our introduction is upon the subject of Life; our conclusion is upon Death. To many people the word _death_ is full of horror. Thank G.o.d, it holds no horror to the pure in heart. Death has no sting for those whose souls are in fellowship with G.o.d. Those who love G.o.d hail with joy the hour in which they are to meet him. Death to a Christian is only his removal from earth to the paradise of G.o.d. If some man of wealth were to tell you he had a rich home prepared for you in a distant land, where you could have all your heart could wish, and be happy as long as you lived, if you had confidence in the man, you could say good-by and cheerfully go to your new home. Death is nothing more.
Some may shudder at the thought of the pain in death. How often we hear remarks like this: "This pain is almost like death," or, "it"s like taking one"s life." Have you not stood beside the infant"s crib and watched it go peacefully to sleep? Where was the pain? Death to a Christian is only a going to sleep. You have had far more pain in life than you will have in death.
There may be pain just prior to death, but none in death. Death to a saint is as peaceful as going to sleep.
Have you not often been in some solitary place and given yourself into the arms of Muse? You have fallen to thinking about heaven and the angels and the Savior and your crown. You seemed as your soul was wafted upward on the wings of meditation, to lose consciousness of all on earth. Such will it be in death. Your soul will begin to see the glories of heaven; you will hear the sweet strains of music; you will begin to lose consciousness of earthly things and comprehend more of heaven. Then soon you will draw your last breath on the sh.o.r.e of time and sound your first note of praise on the sh.o.r.e of eternity. This is all there is in death. It is precious to fond parents to see their little children, with folded hands, go peacefully to sleep. So to our Father in heaven is the death of his saints precious.
In fancy I can see many of my young readers, after a well-spent life, gathered in ripe old age on the banks of old Time"s-river, waiting in bright hope to be summoned over to their rich possessions in the verdant fields of heaven.
There is nothing more of death than this to a Christian. I pray that the life of many of you will end like this. I believe it will be so.
Amen.
A strange, sweet vision fills my soul, A glimpse of glory and of G.o.d; Am I not near life"s final goal?
My feet scarce touch this mortal sod.
The zephyrs blow divinely sweet, With fragrance fill the balmy air; Are heav"n and earth about to meet?
Who can this vision bright declare?
I hear the notes of seraph song, The rustle of an angel"s wing; Do signs like these to earth belong?
Do men and angels meet to sing?
Life"s journey seems about complete; I con it well, yet know not why.
My heart with longings is replete, And yet I do not long to die.
A holy calm my bosom fills, And silence like the hush of morn; Such joy through all my being thrills As swept men"s hearts when Christ was born.
Amid the crowds I look around To see who bear love"s fragrant flower; I fain would walk on holy ground Made sacred by the Spirit"s power.
G.o.d has the keeping of my ways, His laws I rev"rence and obey; My prayers seem almost turned to praise, And yet I can not cease to pray.
If this is death, I do not dread To lay me down in peace to die-- To be with all the sainted dead, Far, far beyond the arching sky.
CLOSING EXHORTATION.
G.o.d has forgiven you all your sins; he has sanctified you wholly. You stand to-day in the way of life; you are fully out upon the Christian way. You have on the whole armor of G.o.d. You possess the power of G.o.d"s Spirit in your soul, the love of G.o.d is in your heart as a burning flame. You are tasting the sweet joys that flow from heaven"s throne. In your soul is imprinted the image of Jesus. Your heart is a garden of opening buds, which emit the sweet fragrance of heaven. But, notwithstanding all this blessedness of experience, I want you to remember you are just starting on the pilgrim"s way.
I thought of bringing this little work to a close with the preceding letter, but it seems that I am loath to say the last word. I wonder if there is one word more I can say to help you in your Christian race. It is impossible for me to express how my heart yearns in love and tenderness for you.
G.o.d wants to use your life on earth to his glory. He wants you so to shine in the glory and splendor of his grace that you may light others in the way. He wants the opening buds of grace in your soul to burst into full bloom. He wants to lead you higher up the mountain of joy, to the very fount of blessings. He wants to lead you down into the lowly vale where there are greater riches than gold. He wants his image in your heart to stand out in greater beauty and perfection; the features are yet too dim.
While in this life your immortal soul is wrapped about with a veil of mortality; but G.o.d wants to shine such a radiant light and amaranthine glory into your soul that the veil of mortality will not be able wholly to obscure it. It will shine out through the material part and glow in transparent beauty upon the surface.
If you will follow where he leads, he will lead you on from virtue to deeper, truer virtue; he will lead you on to fountains of sweeter joy.
It may be through the vale of sorrow; but never fear nor distrust, and you will find your joy rising higher in the cup. If you will follow, he will lead you from peace on to broader, deeper rivers of peace. It may be through angry billows and past rough rocks; but if you trust him and follow on, he will bring you to yet calmer and more peaceful waters. If you will stay in his presence, he will impart unto you his own lovely character, and you will grow up into a holier life, into sweeter fellowship with G.o.d, into richer beauty and greater usefulness.
He will sometimes call you where the flowers are blooming and sweet fragrance fills the air, where the birds sing sweetly and the zephyrs blow gently; he will lead you along the rippling streams, and delight your soul with the music of the wave; he will lead you through the shady glens and leafy bowers,--until your soul will sing, "Is not this the land of Beulah?" But he may sometimes lead you through the desert, or over the rugged mountain, or across the stormy seas; he may lead you away from all that is dear to your heart; he may lead you into paths where the shadows lie deep, and thorns spring up on every side. He will lead you on to duties that may oftentimes seem too hard for you to do; but this one thing I a.s.sure you in Jesus" name: he will never call you to a duty or a sacrifice but that will prove a blessing to your soul and enrich you in his grace. You must follow on.
To get the sweetness out of your life, he may sometimes bruise you.
There are flowers that emit but little fragrance until they are bruised.
Many trials, no doubt, are awaiting you; but do not live them until you get to them, then his grace will be sufficient for you.
In closing, I beseech you from the fulness of my heart to follow Jesus all the way. Let nothing turn you back. Never mind the storms and cruel winds. What if the thorns p.r.i.c.k your feet? they pierced his brow. What if the duties do seem hard and the way seems weary? Follow on, linger in his presence, breathe in of his fulness, live in humble submission, never murmur but in every sorrow draw the closer to him, never falter, labor on, and you will find joys in every sorrow, blessings in every sacrifice, and delights in every duty. He will perfume your life with the odor of heaven and make you a blessing on earth to man. He will make your life a well of water where many a weary traveler may drink and thirst no more; he will make it a tree of life where they may eat and hunger no more. And when life is done he will bring you with all your golden sheaves through the gates of glory into the haven of eternal rest, where I hope to meet you. With this, I will say farewell.
[Ill.u.s.tration]