22 MEMOIROF 



they must die game. They put on as smooth a face 

 as they can, to impose on the spectators, and die 

 firmly. But this is all deception : the true state 

 of their minds at the very time, nine times out of 

 ten, is worse than the most horrible imaginings even 

 of hell itself. Some who have led lives adapted to 

 sear their conscience and petrify all the moral sensi- 

 bilities, die with a kind of indifference similar to 

 that with which a hardened convict submits to a new 

 infliction of disgraceful punishment. But the man 

 who dies as a man ought to die, is the humble- 

 minded, believing Christian; one who has tasted 

 and enjoyed all the blessings of creation; who has 

 had an enlightened view of the wisdom and glory 

 of his Creator; who has felt the vanity of merely 

 worldly pursuits and motives, and been permitted to 

 know the mercies of a blessed Redeemer, as he ap- 

 proaches the narrow house appointed for all the 

 living. Physical death may cause his senses to 

 shrink and fail at the trial ; but his mind, sustained 

 by the Rock of Ages, is serene and unwavering. 

 He relies not on his own righteousness, for that 

 would be vain ; but the arms of mercy are beneath 

 him, the ministering spirits of the Omnipotent are 

 around him. He does not die manfully, but he 

 rests in Jesus ; he blesses his friends, he casts his 

 hope on One all-powerful to sustain and mighty to 

 save, then sleeps in peace. He is dead, but liveth ; 

 for He who is the resurrection and the life has de- 

 clared, ' Whoso believeth on me, though he were 

 dead, yet shall he live/ t And whosoever liveth and 

 believeth in me, shall never die/ ;; 



