Graham's Magazine Vol XXXIII No. 5 November 1848Various
General
Graham's Magazine Vol XXXIII No. 5 November 1848
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
The young man bowed his head, and crossed his arms upon his breast, as
he sadly replied, "God's teaching--but where, O, my father, may it be
found, save where I have vainly sought--among his works?"
The old man, without reply, drew a manuscript from his bosom, and
laying his hand on the arm of the other they walked forward together
over the smooth sand, while he read aloud high and burning words,
which the ear of his companion drank eagerly in. Upon that silent
shore, in the still evening air, arose that clear voice, uttering to
the astonished sense of the young heathen philosopher the argument of
Paul the Apostle, in which he persuades the Corinthians of the
resurrection of the dead. He read on and the other listened as one in
a dream, and the sun had gone down over the wide sea and outspread
sands where they walked alone, and one silver star came forth in the
west, the lovely Vesper, and looked at its image in the quiet wave, as
the old man read, with tears which would not be restrained, the mighty
conclusion, "O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy
victory?"
CHAPTER II.
Behold another scene in the shifting panorama of a life. In a poor and
humble chamber, on a mean couch, lay one dying. It is evening, and he
is alone. Fearfully sounds the gasping breath and the low moan,
terrible is the look cast upward in anguish. The hurrying tread of the
busy multitude is heard without, the sound of music and merry voices,
and trampling of steeds and rattling of wheels, and still he lies
there alone. He is aged and poor, and his kindred have forsaken him,
for the heathen creed taught nothing better than the leaving such as
he to struggle alone with the last enemy. The light of evening waxes
fainter and fainter, and now a step is heard on the threshold, and a
form enters, dimly seen in the fading twilight. It is the same we
beheld on the seashore hearkening to the words of eternal life. The
seed there sown germinated soon under the culture of that faithful
teacher. In that heart it found a good soil, and it sprung up, and
bore fruits manifold of faith and temperance and heavenly wisdom. That
divine word taught him to seek his suffering fellow mortals and
minister to their necessities. This was not his first visit to this
poor dying man, and he was welcomed even now with joy and gratitude.
How gently did he smooth the pillow, how tenderly support the sinking
frame, how kindly bathe the brow and wet the parched lips. Philosophy
had not taught him this. O, no! occupied in high meditation, she swept
past the couch of suffering humanity; "commercing with the skies," she
forgot that man's mission is to his fellow man, and that his life's
business is to do, not altogether to think. Christ had taught this
young disciple a new, a different and a better lesson; and he sat
there now, patient and humble beside the dying man, regarding him, not
as an atom, soon to be swept from an aimless existence, but as an
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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