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that amid these frowning precipices and impervious shades and wildly 

 dashing waters, and with death at hand, it was far more important to 

 have been the humble child of God, the devoted follower of Christ, than to 

 have been the man of gold, or of distinction and fame, or even a sceptered 

 king, Avith destitution of this grace ! Ah ! the Avell earned fame, the dis- 

 tinctions of our departed friend and brother, have here no power in im- 

 parting joy and comfort to those who loved him in life, and to whom he is 

 doubly dear in death ! — their hope, and joy, and strong consolation is bas- 

 ed on the simple fact that Dr. Mitchell laid all his honors, and loved to 

 lay them, at the feet of Christ and around Ilis Cross ! — that there he hung 

 his hopes of Heaven— that there he planted his expectations of Life Ever- 

 lastino; ! He was an humble child of God, and a Christian ! In that fact 

 there is comfort, joy, strong consolation ! When father, or mother, or 

 child, or brother, or friend passes from earth, let me know they are in 

 Heaven, and among the blood-bought and ransomed, and I cannot unduly 

 grieve ! Who would call them back from their rapt scenes of angelic 

 joy, and again attach the chains of sense, and affix the stains of sin to their 

 freed and pure spirits/ Earth is fleeting and mingled are its scenes — its 

 joys are at best but transient ! there is no treasure worth securing, save 

 that which is laid up in Heaven ! Moral victories are alone worthy the 

 effort, and the energy of the deathless spirit of man ! 



" Man knoweth not his time and the sons of men are snared in an evil 

 when it cometh suddenly upon them I" This is Truth, and it teaches us 

 that evil oftentimes comes upon us in an hour when we least expect its 

 approach! The future is all before us, and we must meet it; but its 

 scenes are with the Deit}' — an impenetrable veil covers it from your vision 

 and mine — we tread at best but a darkened path, and know not our time 

 of trial ! It may occur in our happiest hours, and amid scenes of gushing 

 joy ; the cloud may gather and loom up, and burst within an hour ! What 

 reverses have been witnessed in this changing world between the rising 

 of the sun and the lengthening of its shadows ! What, as in the present 

 instance between the going down of that orb of light and the breaking of 

 the day ! Death often steals on dying men unheralded — no note of 

 warning precedes his approach ! Some whilst pressed with care, engros- 

 sed with business, and all unprepared, are hurried away — others engaged 

 in the pur^^uit of pleasure, and with no sense of danger, suddenly feel his 

 touch, stilling the pulsations of life, and bidding them up to the Judg- 

 ment ! Some in life's morning and the hey-day of their being, as they 

 fondly fancy, with the world all before them ! Others with hoary locks, 

 and shortened steps ! some prepared with armor on— with loins girt about, 

 and their lamps trimmed and burning ! Others amid their course of fjlly 



