This  is  Avhat  we  want.  It  is  good  for  a  man  to  get  alone,
and  then  in  silence  think  upon  his  own  death,  and  feel  how
time  is  hurrying  him  along :  that  a  little  while  ago,  and  he
was  not — a  little  while  still,  and  he  will  be  no  more.  It  is
good  to  take  the  Bible  in  his  hands,  and  read  those  passages
at  this  season  of  the  year  which  speak  of  the  Coming  and  the
End  of  all,  till  from  the  printed  syllables  there  seems  to  come
out  something  that  has  life,  and  form,  and  substance  in  it,
and  all  things  that  are  passing  in  the  world  group  themselves
in  preparation  for  that,  and  melt  into  its  outline.  Let  us  try
to  live  with  these  things  in  view.  God  our  Friend — Christ
our  living  Kedeemer ;  our  sympathizing  Brother ;  our  con-
quering Champion  :  the  triumph  of  truth,  the  end  of  w^rong.
We  shall  live  upon  realities  then:  and  this  world  will  fade
away  into  that  which  we  know  it  is,  but  yet  can  not  realize
— an  appearance,  and  a  shadow.
Lastly,  God  insures  that  His  children  shall  realize  all  this
by  affliction.  Job  had  admitted  these  things  before,  but  this
time  he  spoke  from  the  ashes  on  which  he  was  w^rithing.
