ts tiny
grave to the full-eared corn or gorgeous flower--these are nature's mute
utterances as to the possibility of this great truth, which required the
unfoldings of "a more sure word of prophecy." But the Gospel has fully
revealed what Reason, in her loftiest imaginings, could not have dreamt
of. Jesus "hath brought life and immortality to light." He, the Bright
and Morning Star, hath "turned the shadow of death into the morning." He
gives, in His own resurrection, the earnest of that of His people;--He
is the first-fruits of the immortal harvest yet to be gathered into the
garner of Heaven.

Precious truth! This "word of Jesus" spans like a celestial rainbow the
entrance to the dark valley. Death is robbed of its sting. In the case
of every child of God, the grave holds in custody precious, because
redeemed, dust. Talk of it not, as being committed to a dishonoured
tomb!--it is locked up, rather, in the casket, of God until the day
"when He maketh up His jewels," when it will be fashioned in deathless
beauty like unto the glorified body of the Redeemer. Angels, meanwhile,
are commissioned to keep watch over it, till the trump of the archangel
shall proclaim the great "Easter of creation." They are the "reapers,"
waiting for the world's great "Harvest Home," when Jesus Himself shall
come again--not as He once did, humiliated and in sorrow, but rejoicing
in the thought of bringing back all His sheaves with him.

Afflicted and bereaved Christian!--thou who mayest be mourning in
bitterness those who are not--rejoice through thy tears in these hopes
"full of immortality." The silver cord is only "loosed," not broken.
Perchance, as thou standest in the chamber of death, or by the brink of
the grave,--in the depths of that awful solitude and silence which
reigns around, this may be thy plaintive and mournful soliloquy--"Shall
the dust praise Thee?" Yes, it _shall_! This very dust that hears now
unheeded thy footsteps, and unmoved thy tears, shall through eternity
praise its redeeming God--it shall proclaim His truth!

"LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO BUT UNTO THEE, THOU HAST THE _WORDS_ OF
_ETERNAL LIFE_."

27TH DAY.

"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said"--

"A little while, and ye shall not see me; and again, a little while,
and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father."--John xvi. 16.

The Little While.

Long seem the moments when we are separated from the friend we love. An
a