More than at any other time, a solid foundation for comfort is needed in times of deep grief. Then the hosts of darkness press round the dismayed spirit; clouds of darkness roll across the mental sky; the sun and all light is hidden; in the storm-wrack the fiery darts of the wicked one fall thick as rain. Every long-accepted truth is questioned; the very foundations seem to dissolve. A firm foothold, indeed, must we have on which to stand at such a time. Faith must be seen not at war with her poor blind--or at least short-sighted--sister Reason, but in perfect accord, leading her, with her feebler powers, by the hand. But here is where the world's efforts to comfort--and, indeed, alas, the worldly Christians too--lack. Sentimentalism abounds here; and the poor troubled heart is told to stand fast on airy speculations, and to distil comfort from wax-flowers, as it were,--the creations of the imagination. How solid the comfort here given in contrast with all this. _God_ speaks, and in the _Light_, that with clear yet gentle ray, exactly meets the needs of our present distress,--in the _Love_ that in its infinite tenderness and beautiful delicacy knows how to heal the wounded spirit,--in the grand _authority_ that rests on no other word or testimony for proof,--and yet in the perfect, absolute _harmony_ with the whole scope of His own holy word, we, His children, recognize again His voice; for never man could speak thus, and we are comforted, and may comfort one another. _It is true_. _It is divine_. We shall meet the Lord in the air. Happy journey that, in such a company to such a goal,--to meet the Lord! Who can picture the joy of that upward flight? What words extract the comfort of that meeting,--the Lord,--our Lord,--alone with Him,--"together with them,"--in the quiet chambers of the air! _Seventh_.--"And so shall we ever be with the Lord." There is an eternity of unmingled bliss. How short the time of separation, oh ye mourning ones, compared with this! The pain is but for a moment, whilst there is a far more exceeding and eternal weight of comfort.