ars, the quickening, softening,
subduing and resuscitating power which dwells in the clouds of darkness and
of storm; and the heart, wounded and bleeding, too often fails to realize
the light and glory which loom up from the grave. But when we look upon the
cold, pale face of the dead, in the light of a hopeful resurrection; when
their silent forms move in the light of those saving influences which have
been exerted upon us, we learn the necessity of bereavement; the mournful
cypress will become more beautiful than the palm tree, and in view of its
saving power over us, we can say, "it is good for us that we have been
afflicted!"

"The path of sorrow, and that path alone,
Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown.
No traveler e'er reached that blest abode,
Who found not thorns and briers in his road.
For He who knew what human hearts would prove,
How slow to learn the dictates of His love;
That, hard by nature and of stubborn will,
A life of ease would make them, harder still;
Called for a cloud to darken all their years,
And said, 'Go, spend them in the vale of tears!'"

Who will not admit that it is an act of real kindness for God to remove
little children from this world, and at once take them as His own in
heaven? This is surely an act of His mercy, and for their benefit. It
arrests them from the perils and tribulations of mature life; it makes
their pilgrimage through this vale of tears, of short duration; they escape
thereby the bitter cup of actual sin, and the mental and moral agonies of
death. It is well with them. How true are the following beautiful verses on
the death of children, from the pen of John. Q. Adams:--

"Sure, to the mansions of the blest
When infant innocence ascends,
Some angel brighter than the rest
The spotless spirit's flight attends.
On wings of ecstasy they rise,
Beyond where worlds material roll,
Till some fair sister of the skies,
Receives the unpolluted soul.
There at the Almighty Father's hand,
Nearest the throne of living light,
The choirs of infant seraphs stand,
And dazzling shine, where all are bright!"

Christ became a little child, that little children might receive the crown
of their age and be eternally saved. He took them in His arms, blessed
them, and said, "of such is the kingdom of heaven." And we are told that
"out of the mouths of babes and sucklings He has ordained strength." The
sweetest hosannas before His