The short December afternoon was closing in, as a little group of mourners stood round an open grave in, the peaceful cemetery at N—. There, surrounded by many who had gone before to be “with Christ,” they committed to His keeping the dust of one who had long known and loved His Name, and had served Him, too, with a quiet devotedness and consistency rarely equaled; and whose sudden departure to be with Him was to be mourned by many who had heard the truth of the gospel from her lips, but who, through the very suddenness of her home-call, had had no intimation of it. Thus it was that only her own nearest relatives were gathered there to sow the precious seed that shall surely spring up again in incorruption and glory, conformed to the likeness of His glorious body, Who died for her and rose again.
A few hours later, and they were gathered in the desolated home, where the question was raised about a suitable inscription to be added to the names already on the tombstone before it was replaced; and many were the texts of Scripture suggested. Presently one of the mourners said, “She told me once she would like Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) put on her grave.”
“Let it be so then,” was the unanimous response; but when it was drawn up, and the words filled in: “Also of E— W—,daughter of the above, who fell asleep December 19th, 18 —
There was one dissentient voice. One handsome lip curled in adorn; and the dignified form of her eldest sister was drawn up to its full height as she indignantly exclaimed, “I should not have chosen that for her! It is most unsuitable, she was so good! But if she wished it, of course, it must be!”
And so it was; and is now the epitaph of one of the most heavenly minded saints the writer ever knew.
Reader, what do you think of its suitability? Would you choose it as your epitaph? You are selecting your Christmas and your New Year presents, as she had been but a few days before; you are looking forward to the holidays, and the family gatherings, and the pleasantness of the coming season; but suppose you never see them? What if you, as she did, drop back suddenly, dead? What shall they put upon your tombstone? What is your hope for eternity?
“God commendeth” think of it! He recommends His love! He knows there is nothing else to satisfy, to delight, or to rest in, and He recommends it to you. Will you believe and receive, or despise and refuse it? Is it worth having? Is it worth trusting? Would you trust the friend who risked his life to save yours? Would you believe in his love? How much more then, since “when we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!” Not when we were good, not when we were His friends, but when we were sinners, when we were enemies, offending against His majesty and His rights, then “Christ died for us” not risked, but GAVE His life. For whom? For “us”; we who were sinners, He died for us. Can you make it still more personal? Will you take it home to yourself and say, “Since I am a sinner, He died for me?”
The loved one spoken about above did so, she owned her title of “sinner”; and His rights as Saviour; and to all eternity will glory in that love which God commendeth to sinners.
Will you join her?
T.