THE MOTHER'S DEATH.

BY J. G. ADAMS.

"GONE?" solemn question, blighting word; how piercing now its sound,

Heard by that group of loved ones, in their sorrow gath ered round

The hallowed couch, where faith, and hope, and love, their strife will close

With death's dread power, and bear the prize up to its pure repose!

And yet no outward strife is here, no conflict sharp, no

groan;

The flickering pulse, glazed eye, and brow with shadow o'er it thrown,

Are all the fearful signs perceived; but see, these do not

stay:

The pulse is still, the eye has closed, the shadow passed

away.

Gone! yes, as flies the summer cloud, as fades the silvery

light

Of morning's star in the blue heaven when day dispels

the night,

So hath the MOTHER's spirit gone-life's course and duty

done

Where shines on God's redeemed the light of heaven's eternal sun.

Farewell, thou fondest, dearest, best; we will not once repine,

That, free from grief and pain, the joys that never end are

thine:

Though hard to see thy face no more with loved ones here below,

No murmuring wish shall be expressed; our Father bids

thee go.

Yet thou wilt leave in dearest form thy bright example

here,

And we will seek to follow it; and thou shalt still appear To us a mother and a guide, as clothed in angel light; Thy presence shall dispel the gloom of earth's bewildering night.

Our strain shall cease, for thou art now where sadness cannot come,

With other loved ones who have left our happy earthly home:

Thou dwell'st in joy ineffable, where strains of rapture

ring

Through courts celestial, music such as angel voices sing.

Live on, sweet mother, in thy joy, and purity, and love; We would not bring thee back from that high, blissful seat above,

But rather wait our Father's word to join thee in the praise Which RANSOMED EARTH shall to his name in ceaseless anthems raise !

Farewell, thou fondest, dearest, best; we will not once re

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.3 pain, the joys that never end are

to set thy face no more with loved ones below,

Noms. We shall be expressed; our Father bids

Yet thou wilt leave in dearest form thy bright example Lere,

And we will seek to follow it; and thou shalt still appear To us a mother and a guide, as clothed in angel light; Thy presence shall dispel the gloom of earth's bewildering night.

Our strain shall case, for thou art now where sadness cannot come,

With other loved ones who have left our happy earthly

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e on, sweet "would r

no. metfable, where strains of rapture

music such as angel voices sung.

other, in thy joy, and purity, and love; bring thee back from that high, blissf

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ait our Fater's word to join thee in the raise SOMEL EATH shall to his name in ceaseless