"Passing Away”


Go to the babbling brooklet, and let the burden

of  its song sink  deep  into  your  heart 

As it ripples along toward the mighty ocean 

it seems ever to be murmuring,  "I am  passing 

swiftly passing  away."  Turn  to  the 

lofty oak, and learn well the lesson it teaches, 

Look at its faded leaves, and the many dead 

and  leafless  branches  upon  it;  does  not 

the  sight  send  the thrill  of  pain  and  sadness 

to  your  heart?  Ah!  We find written 

there,  in  characters  too  plain  to  be    

mistaken,  those words  so  fraught with sorrow, 

"passing  away."  Can  naught  be  found 

which  fadeth  not?  We  pause  before  this 

rose-tree  just  blossoming  into  beauty 

Surely, a  thing  so  beautiful  must  be  lasting. 

   With eagerness we  examine it.  Alas 

it withers.  Not a  leaf  is  perfect.

Thus we  may view all  things  in  nature, 

We find  "passing  away" indelibly written

on each leaf and flower;  we hear it breathed 

in  the  sighing  and  moaning  of  the  wind, 

and sung by the pattering raindrops;  while 

the laughing, dancing waters of the brook, as 

well as the grand rushing of Niagara, weaves 

it into  a merry song,  unconscious that 

thousands of hearts  are heavy  and  sad from    

realizing its meaning.

Oh!  Would  you  know the full  import of 

those  simple words,  "passing  away,"  go  to 

the silent  churchyard.  Stand  alone in that 

solemn  place,  and  there reflect  upon  them. 

We  know it is  but  the  imagination  of  our 

own  hearts, but still  it  seems  SO  real  that 

we  can  with  difficulty  make  ourselves    

believe  that  a  low  murmur  does  not  arise 

from  the  silent  sleepers  there,  "We  have 

passed  away;  you  may  soon  follow  us." 

Yes,  "man cometh forth  like  a flower,  and 

is  cut  down;  he  fleeth  also  as  a  shadow, 

and continueth not."  Well  has the prophet 

expressed  it in  words  like  this:  "The  earth 

mourneth  and fadeth  away;  the world    

languisheth and fadeth away;  the haughty   

people  of the  earth  do  languish."

Weary of beholding things that wither at 

the touch, we  again inquire,  Is  there  nothing

 which  escapes?  Is  there  naught  that which

endureth?  Yes, every  kind  word,  every 

good  thought  and  act,  is  registered  in 

Heaven beyond the reach of  the  destroyer 

A faithful  record  is  kept of  all  our  deeds, 

both good  and  evil;  and these  things  pass 

not away.  These  things we  must  meet  in 

judgment.  How necessary, then, to  have a 

record which will  continually speak  in  our 

favor,  that  when  called  to  render  an  ac- 

account,  we  may  stand  acquitted  before  the 

Judge of all the  earth.

The year 1868  is  also swiftly passing by.

"Yes; the year is growing old, 

And his eye is dim  and bleared."

The  events  of  this  year will  soon  be    

numbered with the things that were;  yet a book 

of  remembrance  has  been  faithfully  kept, 

and we will  be  justified  or  condemned   

according  as  our  deeds  have  been  good  or 

evil.  Let us seek  to  have our  lives such 

during the  coming  year,  that we  may have 

secured  to  us the  "inheritance,  incorruptible, 

 undefiled, and that fadeth not away."

"Passing  away."  How  plaintively  is 

the sad  story of  man's fall  and  its  effects 

breathed  out  in  these  simple words.  All 

things  around  us  fade  and wither  away    

because the curse is  here.  Beautiful and   

glorious  will  the new earth be.  There shall be 

no more curse, neither the effects  of  it;  for 

the things  that  now  are  will  have  forever 

passed away.  The  faithful  people  of  God 

will then receive eternal life in a land where 

nothing  shall  fade,  and  where  the  words 

passing  away shall  forever  be blotted from 

remembrance,  while  all  nature shall  bear  a 

new  inscription  and  sing  a  happier  song 

for  all  shall  be  fadeless,  and  never  pass 

away.




YI