"Not all things else are half so dear As is His blissful presence here" to be silenced by death? Then were he a strangely conquered foe, and not stingless, if for one hour he could separate us from the enjoyed love of Christ. But no, "blessed be the Victor's name," not for a moment. "Death is ours" and "absent from the body" is only "present with the Lord." So that we may answer the Preacher's word, "A man hath no pre-eminence above a beast," with the challenge, To which of the _beasts_ said He at any time, "This day shalt thou be with Me in paradise"? Let the Preacher groan, "all is vanity;" the groan is in perfect--if sorrowful--harmony with the darkness and ignorance of human reason; but "_singing_" alone accords with _light_; "Joy cometh _in the morning_," and if we but receive it, we have in "Jesus Risen" light enough for perpetual, unending, song. CHAPTER IV. But we must follow our Preacher, who can only turn away with bitterness from this closed door of Death, once more to take note of what is "under the sun." And sad and sorrowful it is to him to mark that the world is filled with oppression. He has already, in the previous chapter, noted that "wickedness was there in the place of judgment and iniquity in the place of righteousness," and the natural consequence of this is oppression. Wherever men have _power_ they use it to bring forth _tears_; therefore far better, cries Solomon, to be out of such a scene altogether; yea, better still, never to have come into it at all. Have we no sympathy with the Preacher here? Does he not give expression to one sad "touch of nature that makes the whole world kin"? Do we not recognize that he, too, was traveling through exactly the same scene as we find ourselves to be in? That tears were raining on this crust of earth in that far-off time, exactly as they are to-day? Yes, indeed, it was a tear-soaked earth he trod, as well as we. But then that other man was also in the same scene exactly, who said, too, that it was certainly "far better" to be out of it; but--precious contrast! _that_ was because of the loveliness and sweet attraction of One known outside of it; whilst the very needs of others in the scene--those "tears," in a way, of which the wise man speaks, and which he knew no way of stopping--alone kept him in it, and made him consent to stay. For Paul had "heard a sweeter story" than Solomon had ever in his wisdom conceived; had "found a truer gain" than all Solomon's wealth could give him; and his most blessed business it was to proclaim a glad tidings that should dry the tears of the oppressed, give them a peace that no oppressor could take away, a liberty outside all the chains of earth--a spring of joy that tyranny was powerless to affect.