ternal life;

5. And they shall never perish;

6. Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand."

Here we find directions to duty, as well as promises of future good.

Since it is more important how we live than how we die, and since death
is merely the arrival at the end of a journey, the beginning, progress,
and history of the journey determining what the arrival is to be, we
shall do well to dismiss our borrowed trouble with regard to the manner
of our departure out of the world, and be solicitous only with regard to
the right discharge of present duty. We read, "Precious in the sight of
the Lord is the death of his saints." The death of every child of his
is, with God, an object of unspeakable interest; his own honor is
concerned in it; its influence on survivors is of great importance; it
will be among the means by which God accomplishes several, it may be
many, purposes of providence, but especially of his grace. "No man
dieth to himself." Great interests are involved in his death, beyond
his own personal welfare. Now, if we have lived for God, he will make
our death the object of his especial care, and will honor it by its
being the means of promoting his glory. Instead, therefore, of gloomy
apprehensions as to dying, we should cherish the noble wish and aim that
Christ may be magnified in our body, whether it be by life or by death.
If our life has been a walking with God, "THOU ART WITH ME" will be a
perfect warrant, now, and in death, to "FEAR NO EVIL."

III.

THE SEARCH FOR THE DEPARTED.

No bliss mid worldly crowds is bred,
Like musing on the sainted dead.

BISHOP MANT.

We seek in vain, on earth, for one who has gone to heaven. Though better
informed as to the objects of our love than they who lingered about the
deserted tomb of the Saviour, and were asked, "Why seek ye the living
among the dead," we nevertheless find ourselves, in our thoughts,
searching for them; so difficult is it at once to feel that they are
wholly and forever departed. There is an affecting and beautifully
simple illustration of our thoughts and feelings, in this respect, in
the search which was made for Elijah after his translation. Fifty men of
the sons of the prophets went and stood to view afar off, when Elijah
and Elisha stood by the Jordan. Elisha returned alone, and these men
could not feel reconciled to the loss of their great master. They were
not persuaded that he had gone to heaven, no more to retu