“I must just write a line to express my heartfelt sympathy with
you in your sad, sad bereavement. Dear old George! What an
irreparable loss to you and all his old friends! I have myself
been heavy-hearted ever since I heard he had been called away
from us, and shall never think of his cheery voice, his hearty
greeting, his kindly, loving words, without a sharp pang of
regret that I shall no more in this life meet with him I loved
so well, and admired as the finest specimen of the high-minded,
earnest, true-hearted English gentleman it has been my lot to
meet with. He was too good for this hard, selfish generation,
and he is in God’s mercy called away to that better world,
where love and truth and peace dwell undisturbed in the
presence of our blessed Lord. May we, my dear Tom, have grace
given us so to fight the good fight of truth and faith, that
when our work is done we may be called thither to join your
dear brother and our other loved ones, who have gained the
victory over self and the world, and have been called to their
rest before us.”
CHAPTER XI.
_CONCLUSION._
On looking through the preceding pages, I have been struck with one
special shortcoming. I am painfully conscious how poor and shallow the
picture here attempted will be, in any case, to those who knew my brother
best. Nevertheless, those for whom it was undertaken will, I trust, be
able to get from it some clearer idea of the outer life of their father
and uncle, but of that which underlies the outer life they will learn
almost nothing. And yet how utterly inadequate must be any knowledge of
a human being which does not get beneath this surface! How difficult to
do so to any good purpose! For that “inner,” or “eternal,” or “religious”
life (call it which you will, they all mean the same thing) is so
entirely a matter between each human soul and God, is at best so feebly
and imperfectly expressed by the outer life. But, difficult as it may be,
the attempt must be made; for I find that I cannot finish my task with a
good conscience without making it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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