L GIFT OF. OVER THE RIVER prani SMfcs into t\t Mlt% of Santos, AND BEYOND A BOOK OF CONSOLATIONS FOR THE SICK, THE DYING, AND THE BEREAVED. BY THOMAS BALDWIN THAYER. i > * > ' » j > BOSTON: UNIVERSALIST PUBLISHING HOUSE, NO. 37 COBNHILL. 1871. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1861, by TOMPKINS & COMPANY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of chusetts. 4 TO THE MEMORY OF ABEL TOMPKINS, AT WHOSE REQUEST IT WAS UNDERTAKEN, THIS VOLUMl IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. 13885 PREFACE. Beside those named in the title-page, this little volume has two objects specially in view — First: To present the subject of death in its true light ; to show that the Scriptures speak of it cheer- fully, and in pleasant phrase ; to establish the fact that, as a rule, it is not attended either with the mental terror, or the extreme physical suffering, com- monly ascribed to it — and thus to remove that dread of dying which oppresses the minds and hearts of so many truly good persons, and is the cause of no little unhappiness to all who are passing down to the banks of the river of death. Second : To offer for the consideration of the thoughtful believer, more elevated and satisfactory views of the future state than prevail generally among Christians. When we consider the extent, the gran- deur and variety of the material universe, the count- less worlds which throng the abysses of space; it is surely reasonable to suppose that, since we n PREFACE. cannot, while in the body, behold the wonders of God's creative power as displayed in these, we shall be permitted to visit them out of the body. It is difficult to believe that with all these glories of God's creation calling to us from afar, we shall remain in any one place, singing hymns and play- ing on golden harps through eternal ages, and think this heaven — whatever the meaning we attach to these expressions. The book is sent forth as a Comforter, in these times when so many need comfort and courage and faith, with a prayer that the blessing of God may attend it on its mission of mercy. Boston, May, 1864. CONTENTS. I. Comfort for the Sick, THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS, 11 REASONS FOR THANKFULNESS, 96 GOOD IN EVIL, 84 THE BLESSING OF A CHEERFUL PIETY, ... 42 IS THY HOUSE IN ORDER?..- , . 54 INSPIRED MEDITATIONS FOR THE SICK CHAMBER, 61 DIVINE CONSOLATIONS FOR THE SICK, 66 II. Revelations for the Dying. "OVER THE RIVER," 75 THE EARTHLY TENT — THE HEAVENLY HOUSE, 86 FALLING ASLEEP, 58 THE DEATH OF THE BODY THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT,.. 107 <5 CONTENTS. THE PASSAGE OF THE RIVER AND THE PREPARATION FOR IT, 119 THE WORLD BEYOND THE RIVER, OR THE GLORY OF THE CELESTIAL, 129 EMPLOYMENTS OF THE FUTURE LIFE, 137 THE ATTRACTIONS OF HEAVEN; * 150 ATTRACTIONS OF EARTH, 159 THE DYING DO NOT SUFFER, 171 III. Consolations for the Bereaved. THE LESSONS OF SORROW, 187 THE SOUL'S HUNGER AND THE BREAD OF HEAVEN,.... 193 THROUGH TRIBULATION INTO THE KINGDOM, 200 PEACE IN BELIEVING, 210 DEATH OF HUSBAND OR WIFE. 217 COMFORT THE CHILDREN, 228 THE DEATH OF CHILDREN, 235 THE MEMORY OF THE DEAD, 248 THE DEAD NEVER GROW OLD, 256 "THE VALLEY OF PEACE," OR THE PLACE OF THE DEAD 263 smfaxt for ifyt Ski* The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing : thou wilt make all his bed in sickness. — Psalm xli. 3. Chamber of sickness ! much to thee I owe, Though dark thou be; The lessons it imports me most to know, I owe to thee ! A sacred seminary thou hast been, I trust, to train me for a happier scene. Chamber of sickness ! suffering and alone, The world withdrawn, The blessed beams of heavenly truth hare shone On me, forlofn, With such a hallowed vividness and power, As ne'er were granted to a brighter hour. I. t "Qtbthtiom of Sftthm*. In silence will I bear the pain Which God has sent me by his will ; Ne'er will I murmur nor complain ; Although he wounds, he loves me still. In sickness not the less God's child Than if the world around me smiled. True to himself, God changes never- Wise, mighty, merciful, forever. HE lesson of suffering is, of all others, the most reluctantly learned ; and yet it has often proved the most instructive and beneficial of all, bringing with it bless- ings which abide with us through life and death, and reach over even into the immortal sphere — "for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more ex- ceeding and eternal weight of glory. ,, Sick- Vl THE' REVtflA'ritiNS' OF SICKNESS. ness, sorrow, bereavement, death, are but the servants of God, teaching us heavenly things, revealing to us the mystery of Divine Love forever educing good from evil; and finally leading us up into the heavenly heights, whose clearer atmosphere enables us to see things in their true relations, and to discern afar off the beneficent results of our present trials. And yet, believing this, we do not love sor- row, we do not choose suffering, because of any good it may secure us. This is not sur- prising, when we consider the weakness and blindness of human nature. The boy who does not wish to go to school, still wishes for the knowledge which is the fruit of diligent study. So we do not like to suffer ; but we rejoice in the new life and heavenly-minded- ness which often are the product of it. We thank God for the gift of immortal life ; yet we do not like death, which is the only gate that leads to it. I We believe in the ineffable joys of heaven, but we still cling to the com- paratively poor and transient joys of earth. THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. 13 This is well, for if there were no natural dread of death, no instinctive shrinking from its touch, we should desert the post of duty r and rashly fling life away on the first occasion of grief or misfortune. As it is, the matter is so dispos- ed by the Lord of life and death, that, as a rule, however difficult our duties, however great our sorrows, we are willing to stay ; while, at the same time, he has given us such blessed hopes and consolations that, rightly accepted, we are willing to go when he calls us. And so, my suffering friend, it is not a matter of wonder, that you cannot welcome sickness and bodily pain, or that you find them hard to bear, even though you may believe they are not wholly evil. But that the burthen may be lightened, let us com- mune together for a little of the things which the Lord hath spoken for your comfort and encouragement; and of the benefits coming from affliction accepted in an humble and teachable spirit. And, 14 THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. First: Sickness reveals to every one the need of religious culture, and the value of religious faith ; and one of its obvious bene- fits is that it affords opportunity for reflec- tion and meditation on this important theme. It may be that you have not hitherto given much thought to religious things, to the Bible, to God, to the nature and needs of your own soul. The world, its cares, and gains, and ambitions, have wholly engrossed your attention ; and spiritual things have been pushed aside, forgotten or driven out of mind in the hurry and eager rush of your worldly life. Possibly it has never seriously occur- red to you that sickness and suffering and death might fall to your lot ; that this life is brief at the longest ; and that, by and by, you must pass on "over the river," and leave behind you all you haye, and all you love. But now you will have time to think of these things ; and you will discover that you are not quite sufficient for yourself; that health and strength may suddenly depart, and THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. 15 the frail thread of life be snapped at any moment, and that it is wise to be prepared for it. Prostrated upon the bed of sickness, withdrawn from the excitements and interests which have so long held you in bondage, a favorable and fitting season is granted you for self-communion and reflection on these grave and paramount questions. And, brought face to face with the great realities, you will begin to prepare for the new experience born of them, in an earnest and humble spirit, — and then the blessing is not afar off. Second: This sickness will reveal to you your entire and constant dependence on God ; and how it is that you live, and move, and have all your blessings, in him. Through all these years God has been your support and protection, the source of life and health, and the giver of every good and perfect gift you have enjoyed. But how often have you re- membered him with gratitude and thanksgiv- ing for these blessings ? How often have you sought the guidance of his wisdom, the bless- 16 THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. ing of his holy spirit? How often have you prayed for strength to overcome the tempta- tions and to bear the trials which might meet you in the difficult paths of life? But now you will think of God. Weak and feeble, and suffering under the hand of disease, you will turn to him for comfort and strength; and you will find him a very present help in time of trouble, for the ear of the Lord is ever open to them that call upon him. And what a blessed thing it is, even at the cost of sickness and bodily anguish, to be able to shake off the entanglements of the world ; and worn, weary and fainting, to lie, as it were, on the bosom of the Father, to feel his supporting arm underneath you, and to hear his voice speaking to you in the silence and saying : ' * Fear not ; when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee ; for I have THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. 17 redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name ; thou art mine." This is the promise of the Lord to all who seek him in the time of need. He is a sure refuge and defence in all our troubles ; our strength, our peace and joy, our health, our life, our all. And that sickness is a blessing which leads the sufferer to the experimental test of this truth, and reveals to him that his highest life, his su- preme good, is in God, and lies infinitely above the health or sickness, the life or death, of the body. Lean, then, upon the strong arm of the Father, and let your soul open out toward him in holy communion, as the fainting flower opens to receive the welcome and refreshing rain. Let this affliction draw you unto him through Christ, and you will find all and more than you seek. In the quiet of your chamber, in the secret sanctuary of the spirit, lift up the prayer of faith and trust; and you will feel ere long that the peace of God is finding its way into your heart, and the 18 THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. grace of our Lord Jesus Christ making the burthen lighter and easier to bear every day. O there is no experience of the soul so sweet and comforting, so divinely beautifid, as that which brings us, through sorrow and suffering, into this close relation with our Heavenly Father ; and by which we are able to recognize the touch and pressure of his arm as it passes under us to hold us up in our weakness. To lie down upon it, and cease from all effort and struggle; to feel that it is not your own, but God's strength that sustains you ; to feel a sweet calm diffused through all your being, that perfect peace passing knowledge or expression ; to be pa- tient and strong under suffering, and know all the time that you never could feel thus by your own unaided effort ; that it is all of the Lord's mercy and goodness, that he helps you, holds you in his arms, and does every thing for you ; and that therefore all weari- ness is gone, and all the anguish of suffer- ing, and the bitterness of death, and nothing THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. 19 now can disturb you evermore. O, when this heavenly height is reached, however rough and dark the path that leads to it, we are thankful to have trodden it. This divine calm which possesses the soul, is more than an equivalent for all that we have suffered. And we feel that out of our hearts we can truly bless God for that sickness and pain which have thus brought us into the fellow- ship of his Spirit ; for that sorrow which has brightened now into everlasting peace. Third : This sorrow will reveal to you the greatness and tenderness of the Saviour's love, and bring you into closer sympathy with him; for he was "a man of sorrows and ac- quainted with grief," and is therefore * ' touch- ed with the feeling of our infirmities," and "in that he himself hath suffered" he is able and ready to succor them that come to him. Hence he says, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest : take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for my yoke is easy, 20 THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. and my burden is light, and ye shall find rest unto your souls." There is something affect- ing in the thought that Jesus has trodden all the paths of suffering humanity, tasted every cup of bitterness, and at last met death in its most fearful form — all for us ; that he might know how to pity us in our grief and anguish, and to comfort us in our distresses, and how to strengthen and encourage us in the day of death, and give us victory over the grave. O, how much nearer and dearer he seems to us on this account ; how much greater our confidence and affection, and how are we comforted and strengthened in all our afflictions, when we think of this sublime sac- rifice for our good ! Let this season of affliction, then, direct your thoughts to the meek and gentle One, the Divine Sufferer, * ' who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, and crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Think of him as the THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. 21 Comforter and the example of all who suffer ; and remember with what sweetness and pa- tience he bore his burthens, saying, meekly i 1 4 the cup which my Father giveth me shall I not drink it?" And remember, too, that he is still near to all who will call upon him ; that now, as of old, he is " passing by," and is ready to heal and to bless every suf- fering soul. Watcher, who wakest by the bed of pain, While the stars sweep on in their midnight train, Stifling the tear for thy loved one's sake, Holding thy breath lest his sleep should break, In thy lowliest hour there's a helper nigh — Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. Fading one, with the hectic streak, And the veins of fire, on thy wasted cheek, Fearest thou the shade of the darkened vale, Look to the Guide who can never fail ; He hath trod it himself ; he will hear thy sigh — Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. Mourner who sittest in the churchyard lone Scanning the lines on that marble stone, Plucking the weeds from the grassy bed, , Planting the rose and the myrtle instead, Look up from the tomb with a tearless eye — Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 22 THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. Fourth: Sickness reveals the value of the Bible as a source of comfort and encourage- ment. There is a beautiful significance in the words of Walter Scott, when approaching death, respecting the preciousness of the Di- vine Scripture to the sick and dying. He had requested his son-in-lj,w to read to him ; and, on his inquiring what book he should read from, the sufferer exclaimed, as he looked up, his face illuminated with a heav- enly expression, "What book! why, my dear, to one in my situation, there is but one book!" There is pointed truth in this. In the hour of our greatest need, when dis- ease and pain are doing their sad work on the burniiiGr brain and the throbbing heart, when the spirit and the flesh fail, and there is no help in man — it is not the revelations of science that we wait for, but the Revela- tions of the Gospel. It is not what the geol- ogist may say of earth, but what the Spirit says of heaven ; not the words of Plato nor of Bacon, but the words of Jesus and Paul, THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. 23 that the fainting heart welcomes as the balm of healing, as the sweetest and the only com- fort it knows. In that hour, in that condi- tion, truly there is but one book for us. All others are valuable only as they serve to illustrate the spirit and teachings of that, and help us to appropriate to our own needs its divine promises and consolations. And how rich the Bible is in these words of eternal life and peace. And now that you are weary and distressed, this will be made manifest unto you, and the sacred volume will become a lamp to your feet and a light to your path, so long as you are in the valley of shadows. It will be to you as a new book, every page seemingly illuminated with truth especially spoken for you; every testi- mony of the Father's love, every promise of comfort and divine assistance, coming with a fresh meaning, and a wonderful adapted- ness to your particular condition of mind and heart. And whatever may be the result of this sickness, whether you stay with us, or 24 THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS. go to join the departed over the river, it will bestow one abiding blessing, if it lead you thus to the Fountain of Life, the wells of living water. And in that day thou shalt say, "O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou hast afflicted me, yet thy chastisement is turned away, and thou hast comforted me. Behold, God is my salvation ; I will trust, and not be afraid : for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song ; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy will I draw water out of the wells of salvation." Go then, thou sick and weary and failing one, go to the word of God for strength and resignation. Turn over the glowing pages of the gospels, linger among its inspired utter- ances, treasure up in your heart the sweet sayings of Jesus ; and you will find the sick bed eased, the hours of pain shortened, the power of endurance daily increasing, and a calm courage and a holy peace possessing your soul. THE REVELATIONS OF SICKNESS.. . 25 Of health and strength and ease bereft My spirit turns to Thee — hast thou not a blessing left, A blessing, Lord, for me ? Behold thy prisoner — loose my bonds, If 'tis thy gracious will, If not, make me, Lord, content To be thy prisoner still ! 1 may not to thy house repair, Yet here thou surely art ; Lord, consecrate a house of prayer In my surrendered heart. To faith reveal the things unseen ; To hope the joys unfold ; Let love, without a veil between, Thy glory now behold. Oh ! make thy face on me to shine, That doubt and fear may cease j Lift up thy countenance benign On me, and give mo peace. II. $tasons for Cfranhfulntss. If what I wish thy will denies, It is that thou art good and wise ; Afflictions which may make me mourn, Thou canst, thou dost, to blessings turn. Deep, Lord, upon my thankful breast, Let all thv favors be imprest ; And though withdrawn thy gifts should be, In all things I'll give thanks to thee. ICK, languishing and despondent, I lie here through the long day, and through the longer night, counting the weary hours as they drag heavily by. De- prived of ease and comfort, struggling with bodily pains, with the burning heat of the fever, with the protracted and exhausting cough of consumption, with faintness and fee- bleness — it is hard to bear it all with pa- REASONS FOR THANKFULNESS. 27 tience and resignation. It is hard to give up health and business, all the duties and pleas- ures and welcome activities of life, and lie down upon the bed of sickness and suffering, and perhaps of death. Yes, but after all, have I not many things to be thankful for? With all that I suffer, have I not much to comfort me? With all the blessings taken, are there not many more than these left to me ? What cause for grati- tude, since I am sick, that I am sick at home, among my own kindred, surrounded with the familiar things and the familiar faces which have made such happiness for me all my life long. O what a difference, if this sickness had come upon me in a foreign land, or far away from home, among strangers, with no friends or relatives to minister to my wants, or speak sweet words of consolation and hope. Thanks to the merciful providence of God, since this affliction has come, it has come under circumstances so favorable, and so well 28 REASONS FOR THANKFULNESS. calculated to lighten the burthen of it. What a comfort it is to see the dear faces of those I love, to hear their pleasant voices, to recognise their light step upon the floor, to know that the pain-assuaging draught is mixed, and held to my lips, by the hand of affection. How it helps me to bear my pain, this thoughtful kindness, this constant minis- tration of patient, never-tiring love ! How it redeems the weariness of the day, and peo- ples the loneliness of the night, and lights up the gloom of the sick chamber. And if I die, O how blessed it is to die among mine own; to know that, as my eyes grow dim, their last look will be of those ever dear to me; and that the last sounds which will linger in my failing ears, will be the sweet voices of the beloved who have given to my life all its beauty and joy. O God, my heavenly Father, I thank thee for these mer- cies ; and though in thy wisdom thou hast afflicted me, and taken back some of thy gifts, I will not forget the many precious blessings REASONS FOR THANKFULNESS. 29 left. "Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee." There is another cause for thankfulness, blending in with that first named, which also reveals to me the fact, that this sickness is not wholly evil. Hitherto, absorbed in my own affairs, anxious for my own interest, and blessed with health, I have thought too little of others, — the sick and suffering and dying. I have seldom visited the house of sorrow and mourning, seldom spoken a word of sympathy to those in affliction. And I have not been prompt to offer my services in such cases ? and to give heed to the many little duties and attentions, which are so grateful to the sick, and serve so much to lighten the gloom, and lift up the weight of suffering. I am thankful that my affliction has taught me the worth of these things, and shown me what comfort there is to the sick in words of kindly remembrance and inquiry, in the timely visit, in the delicate attentions of friends, in the generous fellowship of a loving 30 REASONS FOR THANKFULNESS. spirit ; in a word, in the sweet consciousness that all around there are hearts beating in every pulse with sympathy, with earnest wishes and prayers for our welfare. I know now what inspirations of hope and courage and cheerfulness there are in these things. This baptism of affliction has quickened my soul into new and tender relations to all who suffer. Hereafter the sick man is twice my brother — by the ties of a common humanity, and by the fellowship of a common sorrow. Hereafter my feet shall be swift to do the offices of love, and to repay to others sick the debt of kindness laid on me. The word of cheer, the friendly visit, the timely remem- brance, shall not be wanting from me to make the weary hours of the sick chamber pass quickly, to lay the heavy pains to rest, to quiet the agitated nerves, and close the long sleepless eyes in soothing slumbers. Surely it is something to be thankful for, even if it come through sickness ; this knowl- edge of myself; this quickened sense of my REASONS FOR THANKFULNESS. 31 dependence on the kindness and sympathy of friends, and the consequent duty I owe to others ; this sweet experience of the comfort there is in human sympathy in the day of dis- tress ; and the divine joy there is in minister- ing to the afflicted, in following Christ in his work of mercy among the sick and suffering. And then, what reason have I to be thank- ful, that in the providence of God, the lines of life have fallen to me in a land of Chris- tian knowledge and faith; that through all this weary sickness I have the comforting promise of the Gospel, that whatever of suf- fering is laid upon me will in some way turn to my good. What should I do in this day of darkness and distress, if I felt that all my 1 trials and sorrows, that all events indeed, came of chance, without order or law, without any beneficial purpose or end ! But now, thanks to the merciful and loving Jesus, I am consoled by the confident assurance I have, that all things are subject to the divine rule ; that there is no chance nor accident in my 32 REASONS FOR THANKFULNESS. afflictions, but that all, past, present and to come, is directed by infinite benevolence, and that therefore every pain and grief of mine will finally shape itself into some form of blessing. O, then, cannot I bear patiently, sustained by this inspiring truth? And, however dark the night, shall I not walk forward cheer- fully, with this promise of the Lord as a shin- ing light in my soul, illuminating all the path before me? Yes, in my sickness I will thankfully re- member the blessings of home and kindred; I will be devoutly grateful for the ministra- tions of love and friendship ; and, whatever my sufferings, I will rejoice in the comforting promises of the Father, that all shall end well. All as God wills, who wisely heeds To give or to withhold, And knoweth more of all my needs Than all my prayers have told ! Enough that blessings undeserved Have marked my erring track ; That wheresoe'er my feet have swerved, His chastening turned me back. — REASONS FOR THANKFULNESS. 33 That more and more a Providence Of love is understood, Making the springs of time and sense Sweet with eternal good ; That care and trial seem at last Through Memory's sunset air, Like mountain ranges overpast In purple distance fair, — That death seems hut a covered way Which opens into light, Wherein no blinded child can stray Beyond the Father's sight, — And so the shadows fall apart, And so the west winds play ; And all the windows of my heart I open to the day. •«4#H^ III. (fiffob in (Utorl. One adequate support For the calamities of mortal life Exists, one only, — an assured belief That the procession of our fate, howe'er Disturbed or sad, is ordered by a Being Of infinite benevolence and power, Whose everlasting purposes embrace All accidents, converting them to good. O evil is wholly evil ! This is one of the bright gleams of light that stream in upon all nights, even the darkest. No evil is wholly evil. Behind the blackest cloud the sun shines — or the stars. All our trials and sorrows have elements of good in them ; hopeful features which smile upon us in gentle reproof of our unbelief and discour- agement. Now and then, as the swift shuttle 7 GOOD IN EVIL. 35 passes, we catch glimpses of bright threads weaving themselves into the dark web of our affliction. Hidden relations of events are dis- covered in this or that direction, where we did not look for them. And, by and by, the fu- ture good, which at first was shut out by the present and nearer evil, begins to lift itself into the line of vision ; and we feel our faith increased, and confirmed at last, in the ever joint action of the infinite Power and Love of the father. Long time ago I wrote thus ; and, as the years drift by, and the sphere of observation and experience is extended, and I discover how singularly the threads of good and evil, joy and sorrow, sickness and health, cross and recross as warp and woof in the loom of life, and intertwine and weave up into the web of destiny; the more firmly do I believe this, the greater is my confidence in that wisdom, which ordains evil as well as good, which orders with equal mercy darkness and light, suffering and rejoicing, death and life. Day 36 GOOD LN EVIL. by day, and year by year, the divine fact comes into clearer light, that all evil has a sunny side to it, that sorrow is the twin-sister of joy, and the grave only the vestibule to the temple of immortal life. " There is no sorrow, friends, but it has still Some soul of sweetness in it ; there's no ill But comes from Him who made it, and is good As fruit in season, leaf in budding wood." This affliction that has come upon you, this sickness that consumes your strength, and wastes the body, and withdraws you from the activities of life, is not in vain, not without some purpose of good for you. Receive it in a trusting spirit ; improve it in lifting up the soul to God. Let the weary hours of weak- ness and pain he lightened by thoughts of heavenly things, by sweet communion with the Holy Spirit ; by recollections of past events, which have revealed the good there is always hidden away in evil, which have shown the benefit there is in every grief or trial that the Lord appoints ; by numbering to yourself GOO© IN EVIL. 37 the occasions in your own life, and in the life of others, when you have seen how much better it was that God's will was done rather than yours or theirs. A thousand times have I repeated to myself these lines, whose truth is equal to their beauty : 44 With patient heart thy course of duty run, God nothing does, nor suffers to be done, But thou wouldst do thyself, if thou couldst only see The end of all he does, as well as he." Nothing seems to me more certain than this. With all my soul I believe that if we could see the end of all we suffer as clearly as God sees it, we should not lift a finger to change it. However deeply the iron might enter the soul, however bitter the cup of our afflictions, how great soever the wreck of our hopes and plans on the sea of adversity, — still, if we could understand the purposes of God, the exact thing he means to accomplish by our trials, the thing he is doing we should do ourselves. 38 GOOD IN EVIL. In the depth of his distress Jacob exclaims : "Me have ye bereaved, Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and now ye will take Ben- jamin away — all these things are against me." Poor old man ! These things seem to be against you, but they are not. They are all for you ; they are the very things you would do yourself, if you only knew the sig- nificance of them. They are not evil, but good ; not death, but life to you and yours. What a lesson of humility and faith this story teaches : Joseph pleading in. anguish of soul with his brethren, that they will not make him governor of Egypt, and the savior of his family and kindred ! Jacob bitterly weeping over an affliction, which was only the angel of God waiting to restore to him his long lost son ! How ought these to rebuke our mur- muring and impatience, when sickness, or bereavement, or any kind of misfortune falls to our lot. So we misjudge the ways of God, and mis- call his providences. The names we give io GOOD m EVIL. 39 the divine methods and agencies make sad confusion of the truth. We call this good and that evil to-day ; but to-morrow reveals our mistake, corrects our judgment, and compels a change in our vocabulary. The boy of ten, who sees happiness only in kites and balls, in sleds and skates, thinks it a sore affliction to be shut up in the hated school-house, under a stern master, compelled to learn the hardest lessons — this to him is the greatest evil you can put upon him. But, as the years flow on, and bear him forward into the activities of life, he finds that the greatest evil at ten, has changed into the greatest good at thirty, and opened for him ways of wealth and usefulness, and set him in the high places of honor and power. I think it is so with all our trials — yea, with all the evils of our world — that there is a germ of good in them, which by and by buds and blossoms into fruit. We do not like much the black and smutty charcoal, but it is what aature makes her diamonds of. The 40 GOOD IN EVIL. evil we suffer is only the black and sooty car- bon, which, when the necessary conditions are present, is converted into good, into the brilliant and valuable diamond. We ought, therefore, to be very slow in our judgment of the ways of Providence. What we need most of all, what you need, my suffering friend, is, Trust in God, Try to learn this lesson, and to apply it now in the days of your tribulation, when the body sinks under disease, and the spirit faints ; when your hopes grow dim, and the clouds begin to drift between you and the setting sun, and a darkness as of the night gathers about you. How beautiful was the simple faith of our childhood, when, however dark the night, however devious the way, we were ready to put our hand into the hand of father or mother, and walk forward with unfaltering heart, confident they would lead us to the shelter and security of our dear home. Accept and cherish the same sweet and childlike faith in God, who is also our GOOD IN EVIL. 41 Father. The path, by which he brings you on your way, may sometimes lead out into the darkness and the desert, may, as in the case of Joseph, lead down into Egypt; but forget not that God dwells in the prisons and palaces of Egypt, as well as in the tents of Jacob ; that he is present everywhere, and always, as a Refuge and a Comforter. Be patient and hopeful, therefore ; remembering that, however this sickness may terminate, the hour approaches, — " When all the vanities of Life's brief day Oblivion's hurrying hand shall sweep away ; And all its sorrows, at the wakening blast Of the archangel's trump, shall be as shadows past.** i>>^ IV. e Ulcsswg flf a Cfrwrntl ftictr;. There are briers besetting every path, That call for patient care ; There are trials and griefs in every lot, And a need for earnest prayer — But a lowly heart that leans on Thee, Is happy everywhere. S long as everything goes prosperously with us, no losses nor calamities, no sickness nor death, nor unusual expo- sure to death of those we love, it is not a dif- ficult thing to be cheerful, light-hearted and happy. It is very easy, under such circum- stances, to rebuke the questionings and mur- murings of those over whom the great water- floods of affliction have rolled; and who, in spite of all their faith, cannot keep back the THE BLESSING OF A CHEERFUL PIETY. 43 anguish-cry of the Saviour, — "My God, my God ! why hast thou forsaken me." But let any of this class suddenly come into any kind of trouble ; let some business mis- fortune bring them front to front with com- parative poverty ; or disease, attended with great bodily suffering, fall to their lot ; or death strike down some beloved member of the family circle — oh, then it is quite another thing. They can be very eloquent in urging upon others the lesson of trust and resignation under affliction ; but when they go down into the deeps, then it is their sorrow, and not another's. Then they talk very differently, and feel far otherwise than when the evil came to some acquaintance or neighbor, or even some friend. They learn the truth of the saying so often repeated, that it is easier always to bear other people's troubles than to bear one's own. Indeed, it is always easier to commend faith and submission to others, than to realize the blessing in our own souls. And yet the realization of this blessing 44 THE BLESSING OF in our own souls, is not an impossible thing. It is the product, largely, of Christian doc- trine and knowledge, of Christian effort and culture. It is the harvest-sheaves of wheat which all can sow, since God has placed the rich seed grain within reach of all. I do not intend by this universal phrasing of the thought, to be understood as saying there are not original and constitutional dif- ferences in men in regard to this matter. All men are not alike in their religious and moral structure, any more than in their mental ca- pacities, or in bodily strength and size. The Creator has made them different. Two men, of equal spiritual life and culture, having the same theological belief, the same confident faith in the Divine direction of all human affairs, will not bear the same trouble with the same serenity and uncomplaining patience — and only because in physical constitution, in nervous irritability, they are wholly unlike; created unlike in the beginning, and not so because of any spiritual training by the one, or any neglect of it by the other. A CHEERFUL PIETY. 45 Now, one of these men will face a great misfortune, or bear a long and painful sick- ness, or meet death with firmness and compo- sure ; and those beholding him set him down as a model Christian, a perfect religious man. The other will be overcome by these trials, he will bow to them as a reed in the wind ; his courage fails him, his nerves betray him, the physical man, the sensitive body, in its tremor and weakness conquers the spirit, and his words and manner convince the superficial observer that he is wholly wanting in faith and trust toward God, in religious life and personal piety. And yet nothing could be farther from the truth. It is not the man's faith or piety that are at fault, but his nerves, his excessively delicate and irritable physical constitution, played upon and swayed hither and thither by bodily pains or mental troubles, as the leaves of the forest are seized and swept to and fro by the fickle winds. I knew inti- mately a man of this sort, years ago, now in 46 THE BLESSING OF heaven. He was possessed of an excellent mind, cultivated by extensive reading, as truly Christian in life and spirit as any one I ever ministered to. But he was of a most sensitive temperament, extremely nervous, and keenly alive to every disturbing influence. It is easy to see how a protracted and very painful disease would affect such a person. And the last days of his life were clouded to many of his friends (not to me who knew him so well,) by exhibitions of fretful impatience, complaints and accusations, and an absence of that confidence and reconciliation to the Divine will, which his previous life authorized us to expect. But with a nervous system utterly shattered by his sufferings, I knew all this was to be set down against the physical and not against the spiritual man. Other men, with not half his faith or piety, but with nerves of wrought iron, had met their tria) with twice the courage and steadiness. I knew the soul was not faithless, but only that it could not control the quivering nerves, nor A CHEERFUL PIETT. 47 master the anguish of the frail and sensitive body. And we could see this in the seasons of lengthened relief and quiet, when the spirit was lifted for a moment out of the bodily wreck, and uttered itself in the old familiar dialect of holy trust and sweetest resignation. Let those, therefore, who are gifted with strong nerves, as well as blessed with strong faith, be patient with such as are overwhelmed by their troubles, remembering the words of Paul, — "For who maketh thee to differ from another ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive ? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? .... Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts ; and then shall every man have praise of God." — 1 Cor. iv. But we must be careful not to justify our impatience and complaint by forcing this view of the subject to an extreme. A just allow- 48 THE BLESSING OF ance should certainly be made for constitu- tional differences among men ; for an original endowment, in one case, of strength and en- durance entirely independent of faith and piety, and in another, for a frail and nerveless body, which is forever dragging the soul down into its own helplessness and gloom. Still we must not forget that, with multitudes having equal original gifts and opportunities, the results are widely different — and this from neglect of religious culture, from want of self-government, from cherishing an un- happy, dissatisfied and querulous temper. Giving to the exceptions named their full weight in the explanation*, it is nevertheless true that faith and piety, and the discipline of a Christian spirit and character, are a most important help to us in the day of trial — in misfortunes, in sickness, in bereavement, in our own death. It is nevertheless true that we can lighten our burthens, or otherwise, just according to the spirit in which we accept them. The same sickness or trouble to one A CHEERFUL PIETY. 49 person, fretful, resistant, disposed to see every thing, every event, on the wrong side, having no living faith in Providence, will press on him as with the weight of a moun- tain ; but to another cheerful, patient, trying to make the best of everything, trying to see God in everything, it will be only as a hand- ful of feathers. It is the part of true wisdom, therefore, to cultivate a cheerful, hopeful disposition. By always looking on the dark side, and hunting up evil things, a man can soon change the order of his thoughts, can soon beget a sour and disagreeable temper, and make himself as unhappy as he is offensive to others, and unjust to his Maker. On the other hand, the man who is always seeking for sunny spots, for green grass and flowers, is sure to find them; and to find, also, that the light and fragrance will creep, by some subtle process, into all the shadows of his heart — till by and by his whole life comes out into the sunshine, in spite of his misfortunes and sorrows. 4 50 THE BLESSING OF The truth is, there is always sunshine some- where. There is always something to be thankful for, even in the darkest life. We should never let the taking away of one bles- sing, however precious, blind us to the value of those that are left. We should not forget in the sickness of to-day, the many days and years in which we have enjoyed perfect health, and been free from pain, and able to go about our daily duties without fatigue or suffering. How few the days of storm and rain, compared with those that are calm and sunny. How short the seasons of bodily distress and anguish, contrasted with the long periods of ease and comfort. We should think of this more than we do. It would teach u s patience and resignation. If we count the days in which we are absolutely miserable, we shall be surprised to find how few they are compared with our complaints. And if we faithfully register every day in the year which brings us some sweetness, some enjoyment or some comfort, we shall feel A CHEERFUL PIETY. 51 rebuked for our many unjust accusations against our Heavenly Father, when we find how near the register comes to three hundred and sixty-five ! That was the true spirit of gratitude and submission exhibited by an aged saint, who in his poverty thanked God for a crust of bread, and the hope of heaven beside ; and who, when pitied for his unprotected lone- liness, replied, "I am never alone; Faith shuts my door at night, and Mercy opens it in the morning." It is wonderful how a pleas- ant disposition will lighten our burthens, and sweeten the wormwood of life. It is very beautiful, even when we are despondent our- selves, to see how the gloom of a sick cham- ber is sometimes illumined by the light of a cheerful piety, which will not let go its hold on God. The obscurest sufferer in this way becomes transfigured as with the glory of the Lord, and his faith and patience and sweet humility come to us with a ministry of reproof for our ingratitude toward Him, who has said 52 THE BLESSING OF for our encouragement and comfort, " I will never leave thee nor forsake thee?" A truly religious spirit takes up this prom- ise of the Lord, and, in sickness and affliction, makes it the rod and the staff whereon it leans ; and by help of which it is rested and comforted, in its weary walk through the valley of shadows. But, as said, this spirit of reverent submission and affectionate confi- dence toward God, is not the product of a miracle wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit ; but the fruitage of seed which we our- selves must sow. Some effort is needed on our part. The promise of peace is conditional upon our seeking it. Without a knowledge of God we cannot trust him; and knowl- edge is the reward of labor, of study. If we never seek, we shall never find. "Ask, and ye shall receive ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Knowledge of God and of his love for us comes first, and then confidence in his wise and beneficent direction of all our troubles A CHEERFUL PIETY. 53 and trials; and then, a calm and cheerful resignation to his will ; and then, an abiding peace which no sorrow, no evil can disturb — these are the natural sequences, linking into each other as cause and effect. What can these anxious cares avail, These never-ceasing moans and sighs ? What can it help us to bewail Each painful moment as it flies ? Our cross and trials do but press The heavier for our bitterness. Leave Ood to order all thy ways, And hope in him whate'er betide ; Thoul't find him in the evil days Thy all sufficient strength and guide. Who trusts in God's unchanging love, Builds on the rock that nought can move. \qmz m #i k imr? Lord may I be ready when death shall come, May I be ready to hasten home ! No earthward clinging, no lingering gaze, No strife at parting, no sore amaze ; No flitting shadows to dim the light Of angel pinions winged for the flight ; No cloud-like phantoms to fling a gloom 'Twixt heaven's bright portals and earth's dark tomb — But sweetly, gently, to pass away From the world's dim twilight into day. E ought always to live in such way as to be prepared for whatever the day may bring forth. Not that we should ever be living in the shadow of death, or in constant expectation of sickness or ca- lamity of any sort ; but with wise regard to the possibility of misfortune, sickness, be- reavement or death, at any moment. If we SET THY HOUSE IN ORDER. 55 keep this in mind, and reflect upon it as a possibility at any time, as a certainty some time, we shall be careful to set our house in order, and so dispose our spiritual and tem- poral affairs, that we shall never be surprised or alarmed, however sudden the event. This present sickness of yours has come upon you perhaps quite unexpectedly. Doubt- less, could you have foreseen it, you would have finished many things now left incom- plete ; you would have brought your business into more compact form, arranged your pa- pers, balanced your books, and gathered up all the loose threads in the web of your plans "and purposes, which this sudden sickness has sadly entangled and deranged. You do not know, no one can tell you, how this sickness will terminate. It may be that God, in his gracious mercy, will give you safe recovery ; and it may be that, in equal mercy, he will call you to bid the world a final adieu. At any rate, if you recover from this sickness, you step back from the open 56 SET THY HOUSE IN ORDER. grave only to approach it again in a few years, or a few months, perhaps. Are you prepared for either issue ? Is the soul ready for the change, strong in its faith, clear in its vision 9 Have you no errors to correct? no wrongs to redress? no short- comings to regret ? no sins to repent of ? are your worldly affairs disposed according to your wishes ? are there no last things you de- sire to do? no last words of direction and counsel you need to speak ? In a word : Is your house in order? If so, then happy are you, for no sickness can surprise you into con- fusion ; and death, however sudden, cannot alarm you. There is no duty a man owes to himself, or to his family and those who love him, so sacred and binding as this perfect preparedness for sudden sickness and death. Since we never know when they may come, we should never be in any other than a state of readiness to meet them. The true Christian proves him- self such by being ever ready, ever prepared SET THY HOUSE IN ORDER. 57 in all respects, whether as regards hlmBelf, those dependent on him, or the world at large. He lives every day mindful of the fact that he may be prostrated by disease, or come to his death by some sudden calamity; and there- fore, for this very reason, passes through life cheerfully and composedly, knowing that he if ready, ready to live or to die, as to the Lord may seem best. Therefore, in the fitting words of Zschokke, " Prepare thy soul that it may be ready to depart at any moment ; and see to it that thou fulfil day by day every duty toward those de- pendent on thee, and toward thy fellow-men. Do not flatter thyself with the hope that thou wilt have time during a long and lingering illness to put thy house in order. " Who knows what his end may be ? Who can in any way foretell whether he may not be cut off by some untoward accident? Therefore, prepare thy house, keep thy do- mestic affairs, thy worldly concerns, in order, 60 that, if thou be called away suddenly from 58 SET THY HOUSE IN ORDER. the midst of thy friends, everything shall be found after thy dissolution arranged with such perfect care, that there shall be no neglected parts, no confusion. The praise of the living will follow thee ; the blessings of thy loved ones will reach thee in the eternal abodes ; thou wilt have fulfilled one of the most sacred duties towards those who are bound to thee by the ties of blood. We may always take it for granted, that he who kept his domestic affairs in order was found prepared in those more important matters also that lay between him and God. Live and act each day so that after thy death, were it even to take place the next minute, thy family shall not be left in want, and no blame shall attach to thy name. For the good name of the departed must ever be the most blessed inheritance to those he leaves behind. Arrange thy affairs so that they may at any moment be laid before the eyes of strangers, as is always more or less the case after our demise. "Prepare thy house ! If thou leadest at all SET THY HOUSE IN ORDER. 59 times a life of piety, innocence, benevolence, full of active well-doing, and free from hatred or anger, such as Jesus thy Saviour taught thee, then sudden death can only be to thee a sudden benefit. Why shouldst thou dread to appear before God ? Art thou not ever in his presence? Hast thou not been, even from thy birth, one of his children, whom he holds in his arms, whom he watches over and pro- tects ? He knows thy short-comings ; but he knows also thy earnest efforts to correct them. He sees also the honest fight which, in order to be worthy of him, thou fightest against the temptations to sin ; he sees how often thou hast resisted and overcome thy tendencies to avarice or sensual enjoyment ; he witnesses thy endeavors to make amends for every fault by noble actions. Ought a child to fear to appear before its loving parent, even though it have not yet conquered all its faults ? Has not Jesus revealed to us the infinite mercy of the Father in all its beauty? Has he not given us assurances of his grace and his for- giveness ? " 60 SET THY HOUSE IN ORDER. Fear not, then ; but diligently ordering all thy worldly affairs, and walking after the ex- ample, and in the spirit, of thy Lord and Master, be prepared and waiting for the voice of the Lord. The measure of thy duties filled, the work given thee finished, the les- sons of earth all learned, thou wilt be ready, when that voice comes to thee, to answer as the ''child Samuel" answered to the heavenly call — "Here am I; speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." The bird let loose in Eastern skies, Returning fondly home, Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies Where idle warblers roam ; But high she shoots through air and light, Above all low delay, Where nothing earthly bounds her flight, Nor shadow dims her way So grant me, God, from every snare Of sinful passion free, Aloft through faith's serener air To hold my course to thee — No sin to cloud, no lure to stay My soul, as home she springs ; Thy sunshine on her joyful way, Thy freedom on her wings. VI. tospixeb Utttriiattotts fat % Sich Cjramfor. Father, — draw me after thee, So shall I run and never tire ; Thy presence still my comfort be. My hope, my joy, my sole desire ; Thy spirit grant ; — for neither fear Nor sin can come, while that is near. HE Lord is my light and my salvation ; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be afraid ? For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion : in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me ; he shall set me upon a rock. In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust. In 62 INSPIRED MEDITATIONS FOR the day of trouble I will call upon thee , for thou wilt answer me. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches ; How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God ! how great is the sum of them ! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand : when I awake, I am still with thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live : I will lift up my hands in thy name. For thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive ; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon thee. Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee : Let my prayer come before thee ; incline thine ear unto my cry ; For my days are like a shadow that de- clineth ; and I am withered like grass. 1 am counted with those that go down to the grave ; I am as a man that hath no strength : For thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, and in the deeps. Thou THE SICK CHAMBER. 63 hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction : Lord I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee. I am afflicted and ready to die : why hidest thou thy face from me? Look upon my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. Hear me, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is good : turn unto me according to the multi- tude of thy mercies. And hide not thy face from thy servant ; for my soul is full of trou- bles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts : all thy waves and thy billows Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me ? hope thou in God : for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance, and my God. For his anger endureth but a moment ; but in his favor is life : weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 64 INSPIRED MEDITATIONS FOR I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right; and that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me. Therefore will I not fear, for I know in whom I have believed, and am per- suaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him. The Lord hath chastened me sore ; but he hath not given me over to death. Therefore I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. 1 will go into thy house with praise offer- ings : I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. So wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee. What profit is there in my life when I go down to the grave? Shall the dust praise thee ? shall it declare thy truth? The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day : the father to the chil- dren shall make known thy truth. Nevertheless, O Father ! if this cup may THE SICK CHAMBER. 65 not pass from me except I drink it, thy will be done. The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. The flesh and the heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ; he leadeth me beside the still wa- ters. He restoreth my soul ; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the Val- ley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil ; for Thou art with me : thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. I am continually with thee : thou hast hold- en me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsels, and afterward receive me to glory. Therefore return unto thy rest, O my soul ; for the Lord hath dealt bounti- fully with thee. 5 VII. |}Hraw Cffttsolafems for % J5irh. In suffering be thy love my peace ; In weakness be thy grace my power ; And when the storms of life shall cease, God ! in that important hour, In death as life be thou my guide, And bear me through its whelming tide. UMBLE yourselves under the mighty hand. of God, that he may exalt you in due time ; Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame ; he remembereth that we are dust. His eyes are upon the ways of man; he seeth all his goings ; and he will not lay upon man more than is right. Though he cause DIVINE CONSOLATIONS FOR THE SICK. 67 grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you ; But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory is revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction : For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth ; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless it after- ward yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righte- 68 DIVINE CONSOLATIONS ousness to them that are exercised thereby. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth to him good. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed ; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. He chasteneth him also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain ; So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. His flesh is con- sumed away, that it cannot be seen ; and his bones that were not seen stick out. Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to destruction. If there be a messenger with him, an inter- preter, one among a thousand, to show man liis uprightness ; Then is he gracious unto FOit THE SICK. 69 him, and salth, Deliver him from going down to the grave : I have found a ransom. His flesh stall be fresher than a child's : he shall return to the days of his youth : He shall pray unto God, and he will be favorable unto him ; and he shall see his face with joy ; for he will render unto man his righteousness. He keepeth back his soul from the grave, and his life from perishing. Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man. It is good, therefore, that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Call upon me in the day of trouble : I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. I will strengthen thee ; yea, I will help thee ; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot ; yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear. Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and re- member it only as waters that pass away. And thou "shalt be secure, because there is 70 DIVINE CONSOLATIONS hope ; thou shalt take thy rest in safety ; When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie