the crown of thorns-第18部分

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ggested。

I　maintain；　moreover；　that　such　speculation　is　not　all　idle。　　It　serves　to　quicken　within　us　the　thought　of　how　near　the　dead　may　be　to　us；　to　purify　that　thought；　and　to　breathe　upon　our　fevered　hearts　a　consoling　hope。　　And　when　I　combine　its　intrinsic　reasonableness　with　the　spirit　and　spiritualism　of　Christianity；　and　that　intuitive　suggestion　which　springs　up　in　so　many　souls；　I　can　urge　but　faint　objection　to　those　who　entertain　it；　and　would；　if　possible；　share　and　diffuse　the　comfort　which　it　gives。　Nearer；　than；　than　we　imagineclose　as　in　mortal　contact；　and　more　intimatelymay　be　those　whom　we；　with　earthly　vision　behold　no　more；　visiting　us　in　hours　of　loneliness；　and　affording　unseen　companionship；　watching　us　in　the　stillness　of　slumber；　and　reflecting　themselves　in　our　dreams。

But；　whether　we　indulge　this　notion　or　not；　let　us　realize　the　relation　which　we　have　with　the　departed　by　the　ties　of　mutual　spirituality。　　Let　us　not　coldly　restrict　or　weaken　this　relation。　　If　the　material　world　is　full　of　inexplicable　things；if　we　cannot　explain　the　secret　affinities　of　the　star　and　the　flower；let　us　feel　how　full　of　mystery　and　how　full　of　promise　is　this　spiritual　universe　of　which　we　are　parts；　and　whose　conditions　we　so　little　know。　　Let　us　cherish　that　transcendent　faith；　that　quick；　spiritual　sympathy；　which　says　of　the　departed；　〃They　are　not　dead；　but　sleeping。〃

III。　　Finally；　we　have　with　the　dead　the　relation　of　discipline。　Though　we　should　see　them　only　in　the　abstractions　of　memory；though　it　should　be　true　that　they　have　no　spiritual　intercourse　with　us；yet　their　agency　in　our　behalf　has　not　ceased。　　They　still　accomplish　a　work　for　us。　　That　work　is　in　the　moral　efficacy　of　bereavement　and　sorrow。　　In　their　going　away　they　lead　our　thoughts　out　beyond　the　limits　of　the　world。　They　quicken　us　to　an　interest　in　the　spiritual　land。　　as　one　who　looks　upon　a　map；　and　listlessly　reads　the　name　of　some　foreign　shore；　so；　often；　do　we　open　this　blessed　revelation　not　heeding　its　recital　of　the　immortal　state。　　But　as；　when　some　friend　goes　to　that　distant　coast；　that　spot　on　the　map　becomes；　of　all　places；　most　vivid　and　prominent；　so　when　our　loved　ones　die；　the　spiritual　country　largely　occupies　our　thoughts　and　attracts　our　affections。　　They　depart　that　we　may　be　weaned　from　earth。　　They　ascend　that　we　may　〃look　steadfastly　towards　heaven。〃　　If　this　is　not　our　everlasting　home；　why　should　they　all　remain　here　to　cheat　us　with　that　thought？　　If　we　must　seek　a　better　country；　should　there　not　be　premonitions　for　us；　breaking　up；　and　farewells；　and　the　hurried　departure　of　friends　who　are　ready　before　us？　　I　need　not　dwell　on　this　suggestion。　　We　are　too　much　of　the　earth；　earthy；　and　bound　up　in　sensual　interests。　　It　is　often　needful　that　some　shock　of　disappointment　should　shake　our　idea　of　terrestrial　stabilityshould　awake　us　to　a　sense　of　our　spiritual　relationsshould　strike　open　some　chasm　in　this　dead；　material　wall；　and　let　in　the　light　of　the　unlimited　and　immortal　state　to　which　we　go。　　We　need　the　discipline　of　bereavement　in　temporal　things；　to　win　us　to　things　eternal。　　And　so；　in　their　departure；　the　loved　accomplish　for　us　a　blessed　and　spiritual　result；　and　instead　of　being　wholly　lost　to　us；　become　bound　to　us　by　a　new　and　vital　relation。

But　these　loved　ones　depart；　no　merely　to　bind　our　affections　to　another　state；　but　to　fit　us　better　for　the　obligations　of　this。　Perhaps；　in　the　indulgence　of　full　communion；　in　the　liquid　ease　of　prosperity；　we　have　scantily　discharged　our　social　duties。　　We　have　not　appreciated　love；　because　we　have　never　felt　its　absence。　　We　have　shocked　the　tenderest　ties；　because　we　were　ignorant　of　their　tenderness。　　We　have　withheld　good　offices；　because　we　knew　not　how　rare　is　the　opportunity　to　fulfil　them。　But　when　one　whom　we　love　passes　away；　then；　realizing　a　great　loss；　we　learn　how　vital　was　that　relation；　how　inestimable　the　privilege　which　is　withdrawn　forever。　　How　quick　then　is　our　regret　for　every　harsh　word　which　we　have　spoken　to　the　departed；　or　for　any　momentary　alienation　which　we　have　indulged！　　This；　however；　should　not　reduce　us　to　a　morbid　sensitiveness；　or　an　unavailing　sorrow；　seeing　that　it　is　blended　with　so　many　pleasant　memories；　but　it　should　teach　us　our　duty　to　the　living。　It　should　make　our　affections　more　diligent　and　dutiful。　　It　should　check　our　hasty　words；　and　assuage　our　passions。　　It　should　cause　us；　day　and　night；　to　meet　in　kindness　and　part　in　peace。　　Our　social　ties　are　golden　links　of　uncertain　tenure；　and；　one　by　one；　they　drop　away。　　Let　us　cherish　a　more　constant　love　for　those　who　make　up　our　family　circle；　for　〃not　long　may　we　stay。〃　　The　allotments　of　duty；　perhaps；　will　soon　distribute　us　into　different　spheres　of　action；　our　lines；　which　now　fall　together　in　a　pleasant　place；　will　be　wide　apart　as　the　zones；　or　death　will　cast　his　shadow　upon　these　familiar　faces；　and　interrupt　our　long　communion。　　Let　us；　indeed；　preserve　this　temper　with　all　menthose　who　meet　us　in　the　street；　in　the　mart；　in　the　most　casual　or　selfish　concerns　of　life。　　We　cannot　remain　together　a　great　while；　at　the　longest。　　Let　us　meet；　then；　with　kindness；　that　when　we　part　no　pang　may　remain。　　Let　not　a　single　day　bear　witness　to　the　neglect　or　violation　of　any　duty　which　shall　lie　hard　in　the　heart　when　it　is　excited　to　tender　and　solemn　recollections。　　Let　only　good…will　beam　from　faces　that　so　soon　shall　be　changed。　　Let　no　root　of　bitterness　spring　up　in　one　man's　bosom　against　another；　when；　ere　long；　nature　will　plant　flowers　upon　their　common　grave。　　〃Let　not　the　sun　go　down　upon　our　wrath；〃　when　his　morning　beams　may　search　our　accustomed　places　for　one　or　both　of　us；　in　vain。

Thus；　if　the　dead　teach　us　to　regard　more　dutifully　the　living；　they　will　accomplish　for　us　a　most　beautiful　discipline。　　Their　departure　may　also　serve　another　end。　　It　may　teach　us　the　great　lessons　of　patience　and　resignation。　　We　have　been　surrounded　by　many　blessings；　and　yet　perhaps；　have　indulged　in　fretfulness。　　A　slight　loss　has　irritated　us。　　We　have　chafed　at　ordinary　disappointments；　at　little　interruptions　in　the　current　of　our　prosperity。　　We　have　been　in　the　habit　of　murmuring。　　And　now　this　great　grief　has　overtaken　us；　that　we　may　see　at　what　little　things　we　have　complained；that　we　may　learn　that　there　is　a　meaning　in　trouble　which　should　make　us　calm；that　we　had　no　right　to　these　gifts；　the　privation　of　which　has　offended　us；　but　that　all　have　flowed　from　that　mercy　which　we　have　slightly　acknowledged；　and　peevishly　accused。　　This　great　sorrow　has　stricken　us；　piercing　through　bone　and　marrow；　in　order　to　reach　our　hearts；　and　touch　the　springs　of　spiritual　life　within　us；　that　henceforth；　we　may　look　upon　all　sorrow　in　a　new　light。　Little　troubles　have　only　disturbed　the　surface　of　our　nature；　making　it　uneasy；　and　tossing　it　into　fretful　eddies；　this　heavy　calamity；　like　a　mighty　wind；　has　plunged　into　the　very　depths；　and　turned　up　the　foundations；　leaving　us；　at　length；　purified　and　serene。　　I　believe　we　shall　find　it　to　be　the　general　testimony　that　those　who　have　the　least　trouble　are　the　loudest　complainers；　while；　often；　the　souls　that　have　been　fairly　swept　and　winnowed　by　sorrow　are　the　most　patient　and　Christ…like。　　The　pressure　of　their　woe　has　broken　down　all　ordinary　reliances；　and　driven　them　directly　to　God；　where　they　rest　in　sweet　submission　and　in　calm　assurance。　　Such　is　the　discipline　which　may　be　wrought　out　for　us　by　the　departure　of　those　we　love。　　Such；　and　other　spiritual　results；　their　vanishing　may　secure　for　us；　which　we　never　could　have　gained　by　their　presence；　and　so　it　may　be　said　by　some　departing　friend；some　one　most　dear　to　our　hearts；in　a　reverent　sense；　as　the　Master　said　to　his　disciples；　〃It　is　expedient　for　you　that　I　go　away；　for　if　I　go　not　away　the　Comforter　will　not　come　unto　you。〃

As　I　have　already　touched　upon　the　region　of　speculation；　I　hardly　dare　drop　a　hint　which　belongs　here；　though　it　grows　out　of　a　remark　made　under　the　last　head。　　But　I　will　say　that　it　is　not　unreasonable　to　suppose　that　the　departed　may　perform　a　more　close　and　personal　agency　than　this　which　I　have　just　dwelt　upon。　Often；　it　may　be；　they　are　permitted　messengers　for　our　welfare；　guardians；　whose　invisible　wings　shield　us；　teachers；　whose　unfelt　instructions　mysteriously　sway　us。　　The　child　may　thus　discharge　an　office　of　more　than　filial　love　for　the　bereaved　parents。　　The　mother　may　watch　and　minister　to　her　child。　　The　father；　by　unseen　influences；　win　to　virtue　the　heart　of　his　poor　prodigal。　　But　whether　this　be　so　or　not；　certain　are　we　that　the　departed　do　discharge　such　an　agency；　if　not　by　spiritual　contact　with　us；　or　direct　labor　in　our　behalf；　by　the　chastening　influence　that　their　memory　sheds　upon　us；　by　uplifting　our　thoughts；　by　spiritualizing　our　affections；　by　drawing　our　souls　to　communion　with　things　celestial　and　with　God。

Let　us　see　to　it；　then；　that　we　improve　this　discipline；　that　we　quench　not　the　holy　aspiration　which　springs　up　in　our　sorrow；　that　we　neglect　not　the　opportunity　when　our　hearts　are　softened；　that　we　continue　the　prayer　which　first　escaped　our　lips　as　a　sigh　and　a　call　of　distress；　that　the　baptism　of　tears　lets　us　into　the　new　life　of　reconciliation；　and　love；　and　holiness。　Otherwise；　the　discipline　is　of　no　avail；　and；　it　may　be；　we　harden　under　it。

And；　finally；　let　me　say；　that　the　faith　by　which　we　regard　our　relations　to　the　departed　in　the　light　that　has　been　exhibited　in　this　discourse；　is　a　faith　that　must　be　assimilated　with　our　entire　spiritual　nature。　　It　must　be　illustrated　in　our　daily　conduct；　and　sanctify　every　thought　and　motive　of　our　hearts。　　We　should　not　seek　religion　merely　for　its　consolations；　and　take　it　up　as　an　occasional　remedy。　　In　this　way　religion　is　injured。　　It　is　associated　only　with　sorrow；　and　clothed；　to　the　eyes　of　men；　in　perpetual　sadness。　　It　is　sought　as　the　last　resort；　the　heart's　extreme　unction；　when　it　has　tried　the　world's　nostrums　in　vain。　　It　is　dissociated　from　things　healthy　and　active；from　all　ordinary　experiences；from　the　great　whole　of　life。　　It　is　consigned　to　the　darkened　chamber　of　mourning；　and　the　weary　and