fellowship with their departed loved ones, through faith in
Christ. This, while it hallows the remainder of life with the rich,
mellowed beauty of the changing leaf, and ripening grain, and shortening
days, lays the foundation of that perfect happiness for which our homes
are intended to prepare us; their joys alluring, their separations
pointing, us to heaven.

II.

THE FEAR OF DEATH ALLEVIATED.

Yea, and moreover this full well know I:
He that's at any time afraid to die
Is in weak case, and (whatsoe'er he saith)
Hath but a wavering and a feeble faith.

GEORGE WITHER.

Unless we know the customs of the wandering shepherds with their flocks,
one verse in the twenty-third Psalm, so often quoted in view of death,
appears abrupt, but otherwise appropriate and very beautiful. One of a
flock is expressing his confidence in God, his Shepherd: "When I have
satisfied my hunger from the green pastures, he makes me to lie down in
them; and the still, clear streams are my drink." Then a thought occurs
which appears as though a dying man were speaking, and not a sheep: but
it is still the language of a sheep. Keeping this in mind, let it be
remembered that the shepherds wandered from place to place to find
pasture. In doing so, they were sometimes obliged to pass through dark,
lonely valleys. Wild beasts, and creatures less formidable, but of
hateful sight, and with doleful voices, made it difficult for the flocks
to be led through such passages. There was frequently no other way from
one pasturage to another but through these places of death-shade, or
valleys of the shadow of death,--which was a term to express any dark
and dismal place.

Now, let us imagine a flock reposing in a green pasture, and by the side
of still waters, conversing about their shepherd, their pastures, and
streams. One of them says, "In the midst of all this peace and
contentment, there is a thought which spoils my comfort. We cannot stay
here forever; we are to go, presently, beyond the mountains; they say
that there are valleys, in those regions, full of dangers. My
expectation is, that we shall be torn to pieces. My enjoyment of these
pastures and waters is nearly destroyed by my forebodings about those
valleys."

Another of the flock replies, "Have we not an able, faithful,
experienced shepherd? Have we not seen his ability to defend us in past
dangers? Is he not as much concerned for our defence and safety as
ourselv