Page:Letters to Mothers (1839).djvu/306

 of material things, that can furnish type or shadow of such a contrast? Was it not in the mind of the eloquent Pascal, when he said, "the glory of our faith, shines with much greater brightness, by our passing to immortality, through the shades of death."

How many instances have we known, of not merely a calm departure, but a joyful translation, to the realms of bliss. A pious clergyman of Scotland, had lived to a venerable old age. One morning, after breakfasting with his family, he reclined a while in his chair, silently meditating. Suddenly he spoke, "Daughter, hark! doth not my Master call me?" Asking for his Bible, he perceived that his eyes were dim, and he could no longer read its precious words. "Find for me, said he, the eighth chapter of Romans, and lay my finger on the passage, "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." "Now is my finger placed upon these blessed words?" Being assured that it was, he said, "Then God bless you, God bless you all, dear children. I have refreshed myself with you this morning, and shall be at the banquet of my Saviour, ere it is night." And thus he died.