THE FAMILY ALTAR

September 11.

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Phil. 1, 21.

"I am no longer disposed," says a Jew in writing to another,

"to laugh at religion, or to plead that Christianity has no comforts

in death. I witnessed the last moments of my worthy gardener,

and wish I may die his death ; and if there is happiness in another

life, this disciple of Jesus is assuredly happy. When the physician

told him he was in extreme danger: 'How/ said he, 'can that be,

when God is my Father, Jesus my Redeemer, heaven my country,

and death the messenger of peace? The greatest risk I run is to

die, but to die is to enter into complete and endless bliss/ His

last words were, (I die, but what need that trouble me ? My Jesus

is the true God, and eternal Life/ " There are countless such in-

cidents where Jews and unbelievers have been deeply impressed

by what they witnessed at the bedside of dying Christians, and by

it many of them have been led to accept Christ as their Savior.

0 it is a blessed thing to make Jesus and His saving Word your

one and all, your light, your hope, your joy in this poor fleeting life.

Living in daily communion with Him, the Conqueror of death and

the grave, you can enter the dark valley free from the hopeless

fear and trembling that seizes on the unbeliever in the inevitable

hour; for "dying grace will Jesus give you for your dying day,"

and you will only lose the burdens of this passing world and gain

instead the bliss, the glory of that "inheritance incorruptible, and

undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you"

by your blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. What a glorious,

blissful exchange!

No, no, it is not dying

Heaven's citizen to be,

A crown immortal wearing,

And rest unbroken sharing,

From care and conflict free.

Xo, no, it is not dying,

To hear this gracious word,

"Receive a Father's blessing,

Forevermore possessing

The favor of thy Lord."

Oh, no, it is not dying!

Thou Savior of mankind!

There streams of love are flowing,

Xo hindrance ever knowing;

Here drops alone we find.