CONSOLATORY SAYINGS. 32-3 



geous cloudland,' and the 'world of dreams ! ' Alas ! for 

 the difference now greater than that of light and dark- 

 ness, between the confiding; imaginations of vonth and 

 the actual knowledge of after-years ! Eomance and 

 reality ! the peaceful repose of early and undoubting affec- 

 tion, and then — the battle of life. Who can relieve us 

 from the body of sin and death ? vain is the help of man ; 

 may we lock evermore to that Eock which is sure and 

 steadfast, and which, in its serene brightness, overlooks 

 and illumines the darkness even of the valley of the 

 shadow of death (making death itself a shadow), and which 

 the waters of Jordan cannot overflow Yet in read- 

 ing the Word of God, although my views of God's provi- 

 dence and scheme of redemption were very dark, I was 

 not without consolation, and I often dwelt with pleasure 

 on such passages as the following : — ' The Lord is nigh 

 unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as 

 be of a contrite spirit.' 'The sacrifices of God are a 

 broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou 

 wilt not despise.' 'He healeth the broken in heart and 

 bindeth up their wounds.' ' Sorrow is better than laughter, 

 for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made 

 better.' ' To this man will I look, even to him that is of 

 a poor and contrite spirit and tremble th at my word.' I 

 fear I trembled not at the 'word,' though my soul was 

 disquieted within me ; though broken down by my sorrows, 



