WHILST sharing the afflictions of others, I was about this season plunged into one of my own. The playmate of my childhood, the friend of my riper years, a beloved sister, was suddenly removed. And yet not suddenly, for sickness had long wasted her frame. To her oppressed and weary body everything became a burden; and the experience of her heart, as to surrounding things, found expression in the language of Scripture: "I have no pleasure in them" (Eccl. 12:1) ECC 12:1.
How chequered is human life! How varied our portion; yet all ordered of God! How the sovereignty of God is asserted in the creation around us! how especially so in the lives of His people! Yet, if our hearts were subdued to this testimony, how much sorrow we should be spared! how easily we should triumph over all affliction!
The inquiry, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" expressed the assured conviction of Abraham that it could not but be so (Gen. 18:25) GEN 18:25. "It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good," was the submissive assent of Eli, under the prospect of a judgment which his own carelessness had provoked (1 Sam. 3:18) 1SA 3:18. Yet faith advocates the right of God at the sacrifice of self.
It adores Him Who "giveth not account of any of His matters," and rests in quiet on the fact of His character. "A God of truth and without iniquity; just and right is He" (Job 33:13; Deut. 32:4) JOB 33:13 DEU 32:4.
It pleased God to take to Himself this beloved relative. She was doubly dear to those who loved her, from the fact of many years' patient suffering. Her life had much of chastened sorrow in it. Health early played the truant to her system, and strength ebbed fast away in seeking after it. Sweet, precious sufferer! the thoughts of thy long struggle with ill-health, even after a lapse of years, quickens the pulse of sympathy anew. Time, that so blunts the edge of strong impressions, has not worn out this. Years steal on youth; ripe age overtakes it. Something is learned in that strange school, experience. Consideration finds a place in foolish hearts; and then how deep the thrill of strong emotions!
There was a time when the departed and those left behind were locked in each other's arms. Death comes, and separates them, and holds the poor dust until it moulders. Yet memory is a skillful housebreaker; picks subtle locks, and laughs at bolts and bars; calls up the dead, and vividly embraces them; and as friends meet gladly who have been long asunder, so does our memory draw on the past, and clasp with more devotion faded objects. And such it is with thee, departed sister! It is not that those who love thee would recall thee. Far otherwise. But they have glimpses of thy person, and gaze on thy features until thy faded form becomes instinct with life; and affection, which has long been restrained, bursts bounds again, and though gone, and long ago, thou livest, sister! and that for good; even as a friendly monitor! For such thou wart when living, and being dead, thou still speakest.
Funeral rites are briefly chronicled in these few words: “Dust to dust, ashes to ashes.'' Friends gather, and are separated; return whence they came, move onwards with the tick of life, until they too are summoned from the crowd by the same messenger.
It was so with the few who were gathered together on this sad occasion. I remained behind awhile with the bereaved household; needing comfort, yet acting comforter.
The Word of God was precious. Some of us read together how "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus"; how His grief at others' WOE called forth the words, "Behold how He loved Him" (John 11:5, 36) JOH 11:5-36 . "God manifest in the flesh"; divine, yet human; human, yet divine, wept over man: "Jesus wept." The spotless, sinless One is touched with grief. Such sorrow! Eternal love in human form found its expression in large, rolling tears, that man might comprehend that mighty love.
The Word of God is powerful, and we found it so. There were two of our little company drinking at this fountain, and their hearts were full to overflowing. The Holy Spirit took of Christ's, and showed it unto us.
Good light is needed for a finished picture.
“In Thy light shall we see light" (Psa. 36:9) PSA 36:9 . When God the Spirit teaches, Christ is the subject. “Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way?” (Luke 24:32) LUK 24:32 .
Such are precious seasons: present joy, and future recompense. Spring is succeeded by summer; sowing by reaping. Truth in our hearts is called for in our lives; and often quickly, too. And those two friends were very soon found in circumstances where nothing but the love of God in Jesus could sustain them.
The youngest was summoned first to pass “the valley of the shadow of death"; but not until the grace of God so fully shone in her heart that she entered it courageously. Faith held firmly by the promises, and found them substance. She was taken to her rest, leaving behind a testimony to His faithfulness Who had called her into His kingdom and glory (Psa. 23; 1 Thess. 2:12) PSA 23:1-6 1TH 2:12.
Her friend remained for other scenes and deeper trial. Never did a sweeter, gentler spirit inhabit a human body. Placed in circumstances of affluence, she appeared the only one uninfluenced by them. With a right in her position to command, her spirit was one that would submit. Fortune (which, alas to many is their only title to respect) added nothing to her merit. She was placed providentially in a position that to many would be an object of envy, as if to show the grace and lowliness of her spirit to walk in it. Humility is before honor: God Himself put honor on humility; the Lord Jesus humbled Himself (Pro. 15:33; Phil. 2:8) PRO 15:33 PHI 2:8 . As a wife and mother, she was exemplary; as a child, she comforted the declining years at a widowed mother; as a friend, God's poor found her such.
But let us own, that what was to be admired in her character was the work of grace within her.
A fearful disease seized upon her. The best advice the metropolis afforded was all in vain to arrest its progress. Now indeed the comforts of the Gospel were needed; divine support alone could sustain her, and it was amply vouchsafed. Necessarily much confined to her room, she searched her Bible diligently. She underlined portions which more particularly struck her mind, and thus left behind her a precious and striking memorial of the workings of her soul.
Life, abstractedly considered, is a joyous thing; the trials which we meet with do not change that fact. Wearisome days and nights may be appointed unto us: "Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7) JOB 5:7 . But still life, existence, is God's gift to His creatures. Death is the opposite, and nature shrinks from it; struggles hard against the enemy; protects the part invaded; summons all aid against encroachment, and only yields to overwhelming force.
Philosophy sought in vain to unravel the mystery of man's decay: mankind had lost the key to their history. God in His mercy revealed it in His Word. Death is the wages of sin; "But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23) ROM 6:23 . We die because we are sinners: " In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17) GEN 2:17 . Adam did eat, and died, and entailed death on his offspring. We enter into a world where death reigns, because sin is there. Sin cries, with a loud voice," Pay me my wages "; and one after another make up the reckoning; generation after generation pass into the insatiable jaws of death. Some sink like lead, are horrorstricken at his aspect, groan in their agony, and pass away. Some (how few!) smile at his terrors, open their besom to his dart, bid him strike home, and cry exultingly, as he pierces their vitals, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:55-57) 1CO 15:55-57.
“The one of whom I am writing was amongst these few." The 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? “was her triumphant experience (Psa. 27:1) PSA 27:1 . The disease gained rapidly upon her, and after some months' residence in London, she was brought home to die. I was engaged in service at my usual abode. Returning home one evening, I was led to think much about her. My spirit was oppressed, and after a restless night, I felt imperatively called to go and see her. I could riot resist the impression, and I took the rail the following morning.
How striking are such impressions! how, in the history of God's people, such instances have arisen! In "Biographical Notices of Eminent Servants of God" (by S. Clarke, 1678), is given a remarkable instance of a minister who awoke troubled and anxious about a friend; so much so, that he arose at midnight, and hastened away some miles distant. Strange providence! His friend, under mental trial, had resolved upon suicide. The rope was attached to the beam; a few moments more, and he would have entered eternity. The arrival of the minister at this juncture arrested his hand; he confessed his purpose; they prayed together. The darkness was dissipated from his soul, and with humbler penitent heart he confessed his sin, and was restored.
When I entered the apartment of my sick friend, she stretched out her hand, and never shall I forget the look with which she greeted me, and her words, “I prayed yesterday that the Lord would send you; and here you Are!
As she was thus praying, my heart was troubled about her a hundred miles distant.
We recognized the finger of God, bowed together in prayer, which was graciously given suitable to her need.
That night she was seized with violent hemorrhage. After three days' patient suffering her spirit was released. Her consolations in the Gospel abounded: and the heart of a fond husband and beloved child have this comfort in their bereavement, that their loss was her eternal gain. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor. 5:1) 2CO 5:1 .
J. W.