304: WHATEVER IS, IS BEST. 







judgment upon, or criticise the wisdom of the Omnipotent 

 God ! How know we but that a single change, the slight- 

 est alteration of a simple law, would go jarring through all 

 the universe, throwing everything into confusion, and bring- 

 ing utter chaos, where now all is order. The mother sees 

 her little child die, she lays it in its coffin, and surrenders it 

 to the grave, and her heart rebels against the Providence 

 that snatched away her treasure. In her agony, she appeals 

 reproachfully to Heaven, and asks, ' Why am I thus be- 

 reaved ?' Foolish mother I impeach not the wisdom of 

 your bereavement. Mysterious as it may be, know this, that 

 in the councils of eternity your sorrows were considered, and 

 the decree which took from you your darling, was ordered 

 in mercy. Pestilence sweeps over the land ; a wail is on 

 the ah*. Peace, mourners, be still ! The pestilence has a 

 mission of mercy, mysterious as it may be .to us. The storm 

 lashes the ocean into fury ; tall ships, freighted with human 

 souls, go down into its relentless depths ; a shriek of agony 

 comes gurgling up from the devouring waters ; a cry of woe 

 is heard from a thousand homes over the wrecked and the 

 lost. Peace, again, mourners I The storm has a mission of 

 mercy. It may never be comprehended by us here, but 

 when the veil shall be lifted, as in God's good time it doubt- 

 less will be, we shall see how the pestilence and the storm, 

 that cost so many tears, were essential to the harmony of a 

 glorious system, a perfect plan, and that seeming sorrow was 

 at last the occasion .of unspeakabie joy. -Let no man say 

 that this or that law, or operation of nature, were better 



