which he had revealed for our race. live, ye shall live also."

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"Because I * *

It is for us to commune with our own minds on this glorious truth of man's immortal destination; and know how far we are blest with its assurance, its

hope, and its peace. It is a truth not to be preached merely, but to be applied. Death is everywhere around us sundering our most sacred ties blighting our fondest anticipations, and dissipating our brightest dreams of happiness in the enjoyment of kindred souls. It constantly admonishes us that those we most love are not our own- - but that he who gave them to us can, and may in the most sudden and unexpected manner, remove them from our presence and enjoyment below. He who came to minister the highest good to our race, found the time in his earthly ministry when he was called to say to those who were most intimately connected with, and especially dear to him, "Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more."

It is, indeed, but a little while that this world bebolds any of us. "We spend our years as a tale that is told; - here to-day, to-morrow gone." Now loved forms greet us kindred voices, kindred hearts and hands minister to our wants, to our enjoyments, to our highest delight. We but turn, and they have departed. The places that knew them shall know them no more forever. We behold age consigned to the tomb, and, while we look, youth has come up to take the place of age, to be consigned in its turn to this great mortal claimant of the family of man. We look not only upon the living, but are compelled to think upon the dead. It seemed but yesterday that they were in our earthly presence, cheering our hearts with their kindly voices, and giving us their

assurances of affection and love, all along life's way. In this interruption of our kindred being and enjoyment in this breaking up of life's most endearing and hallowed connections, we need satisfactory consolation. And this consolation is afforded us in Christ Jesus. He will instruct us in that wisdom given him of the Father. He will tell us that, if true to the calls of his voice, we shall be led into green pastures and beside the still waters of salvation; he will be to us "the way, the truth and the life."

There is a truth here spoken by Jesus, which I conceive to be of no ordinary consequence and expressed in the simple form of speech. In contrast with the world who shortly would not see him - he expressively avers to his believing disciples, "BUT

YE SEE ME."

I wish we all better understood the full import of these blessed words. I wish we were more thoroughly instructed in them. Then indeed would "our light" more frequently" rise in obscurity, and our darkness become as noonday." What is it to see Jesus to see him in that sense here intended in his own words of wisdom and truth? It is to know and to enjoy him. It is to be made rightly acquainted with his character, his mission, the laws of his glorious kingdom; it is to live near to him in the spirit of his precepts, so that we may become like God our Father. It is to have faith that can remove mountains of unbelief and sin-hope that is a sure and steadfast anchor to the soul- love that tires not, fails not in well doing, that prays without ceasing, rejoices evermore, in everything gives thanks. It is to acknowledge, obey and bless God when the way of life is prosperous and fair;-it is to be resigned to his will, in humble, confiding submission, when ills,

bereavements, and sorrows appear. Thus to be taught, thus to understand, thus to live, is to see Christ. It is to be in communion and fellowship with him who is the brightness of the Father's glory; who lived and labored for man; who died and rose again, "the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God."

And never, perhaps, is this presence of our Great High Priest more needful, than when death comes near us. It is then we feel the insufficiency of earthly support. It is then we seek that consolation which the world giveth not. It is then we are wont to look to the religion of Jesus—to the book of Christian Revelation to the appointed ministers of the Gospel to the church of the living God. It is under the weight of this affliction that not a few of our mourning friends now come around this Christian altar, to seek that guidance and support which He who afflicts us alone can truly and profitably impart. You sorrow, my friends. And in this sorrow you have much kindred sympathy. Age sorrows, that loved youth in its freshness and earnestness of life has departed; and youth mourns that its bright and pure companionship hath been so grievously and unexpectedly invaded. We mourn that the familiar face of our dear friend will no more greet us in this congregation - that her voice will no more mingle in the songs of yonder choir- that, in our social religious meetings, and in our Bible Class, her earthly presence will not again be known; but that with other loved ones, whose memories are now doubly dear to us, she has left our society here forever. 'Tis well that we mourn. "Jesus wept." And tears for the sacred dead are but the expression of those emotions which his example long since sanc

tified and blest. But let us not forget, in the indulgence of our sorrowing sympathies, to ask ourselves if in this mournful hour Christ in his truth is near to our souls. Do we feel the presence of the Comforter? Is Christ now seen by us in the spirit and power of his resurrection and life? Mingled with the deepest and most secret sorrows of the soul, is his voice heard, saying, "Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me?" Over all the sighings and moanings of stricken friendship, companionship and love, comes the assurance— "If the world heed not this affliction, I heed it, and will graciously sanctify its coming and its continuance. Behold in me thy helper and friend· the Resurrection and the Life. Because I live, ye shall live also!" If such be not our experience, may the Father of mercies speedily grant it, and open to us the way to that "abundant entrance" into the blessings and joys of his heavenly kingdom! But if such be our instruction and consolation, let us give thanks-thanks to him who giveth us victory over affliction and death, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let

So shall our affliction be sanctified, indeed; so shall the gospel of the Son of God be exalted and honored in our hearts, by our living example, and in the influence of such example on those around us. us seek-let us seek to honor this gospel more and more. We realize not as we ought our indebtedness to its holy ministries of grace and salvation! Think what we should now be without it. (6 How desolate," says an impressive writer, "must be the affections of a people that spurned this hope and trust! I have wandered through that far-famed cemetery that overlooks, from its mournful brow, the gay and crowded metropolis of France; but among the many inscrip

tions upon those tombs I scarcely read one- - I readto state so striking a fact with numerical exactness -I read no more than four or five inscriptions in the whole Pere La Chaise, which made any consoling reference to a future life. I read, on those cold marble tombs, the lamentations of bereavement, in every affecting variety of phrase. On the youth it was written that its broken-hearted parents, who spent their days in tears, and their nights in anguish, had laid down here their treasure and their hope.' On the proud mausoleum where friendship, companionship, love had deposited their holy relics, it was constantly written, 'Her husband inconsolable - His disconsolate wife — A brother left alone and unhappy,' has raised this monument; but seldom so seldom that scarcely ever did the mournful record close with a word of hope-scarcely at all was it to be read, amidst the marble silence of that world of the dead, that there is life beyond, and that surviving friends hope for a blessed meeting again where death comes no more."*

Thanks be to God, then and let us, from full hearts, respond to this glad exclamation of the apostle "Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" May it dwell with, and bear us up under all life's trials; may it be with us when heart and flesh shall fail; may it be our joy and our song through ages unending!

*Rev. Mr. Dewey.

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