need no candle,
neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they
shall reign forever and ever.--Rev. xxii. 5.

Dearly beloved, this is the "Night of Weeping;" but oh, remember, that
it is written in His Holy Word that God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor
crying, neither shall there be any more pain.

As we stand by the bedside of our loved ones, and watch them wasting
away with disease, and as we behold their love, their patience, and
Christian fortitude, we think of earth's bitter trials and earthly
relationship, and of the strong tie that binds heart to heart. How
touching the parting words to her only son she so tenderly loved,
"_Be faithful, humble, meek, and constantly keep at the Master's
feet, until He calls you up higher. Be kind and gentle to your sister
Esther._" To her Pastor she said: "Preach the Gospel uncolored!" We
look upon the sinking form of a dear wife and mother, or brother, or
sister, or husband, or friend, and as we sadly muse upon the fact that
we held sweet counsel together and walked to the House of God in
company; and we softly whisper to the physician is there no hope of
recovery? Can you not save that young and precious life, so dear to us,
so gentle, so loving, so kind, so sympathetic, so hopeful? And as in
response to our inquiry, we receive the look of pity, and the sorrowful
shake of the head, it is then, in our deepest agony, amid blinding
tears, and hearts almost crushed to despair, we turn to our great
Father above, and we ask, why must we part? Oh, God, can you not spare
him? How can I live without him?

Providential bereavements are sad scenes in life, for the scythe of
death stops not to ask if they be sweet and precious to some fond wife,
or mother, or brother, who knows? whom their heart chose. On! on! he
pursues his desolating work, amid their sighs, their cries, and tears.

But beloved, there is no tearing of heart from heart in Heaven. There
is no death there; there is no sorrow there; there is no sin there. I
often think of the words of the Apostle as peculiarly appropriate to us
in the hour of sad bereavement: "These light afflictions are but for a
moment, but they work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory."

I have had persons tell me when God has suddenly removed loved ones
from their midst, that God had forsaken them, that He had forgotten to
be gracious. But