The Burial of Mr Chamberlain.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 58, 10 February 1885, Page 4

The Burial of Mr Chamberlain.

; Th pillowing .is the . address 'delivered by Mv T: R. Walton at the 1 grave.—-: ,;,.,.;. „.,-■-- i" Our Father and our Mother God!! jl-B.y whosoever name we pall .T;liee on earth, or wherever.on bended khee the thoughts of\ mortals praise Thee, let us remember ;that! Thy light fills every atom 'of space.;', and that Thou sDeakesjt.to all if we. will but listen to Thy voice. ' The*,pi*esent season of the year, w.|tli, , its : ripening grain, jand abundant fruits : of the earjth, foils' not m lifting 'our l thoughts to tli'e bountiful gjver.'of every blessing. Let iis praise Thee as the stream and the ocean praise Thee,' as the'' mountain 'm solemn '• grandeur, or the deep darkened caverns of the i shore. -Tire stars'in their orbits praise Thee, as they perform their revolutions m harmony with : tlie law of light thou hast given them as" their guidance, keeping time to the bidding of Thy will, they move on through space, for ever held m the circle Thou gayest to be. the. law of their being. Oh ! let us small atoms m the great sea of souls be thus held to Thy great spirit by the oVe Vtjib^lj& ? <ghain of love that binds us to Thee. Let us praise Thee for that ,life that is beyond death- for that better, land— that more extended' range of vision, that higher and more glorified city, where the soul, no longer m fetters, no longer bound down to the material sense, basks m the . bright sunlight ■of Thy truth. Link upen Jink, aye endless is, the chain, that binds us with the Infinite. There are none so Jiigh m heaven, that will not bend , to earth and drop a tear, on the sorrowing ones below, and are ever near to. comfort the widow and the father-j less m the : hour ; of bereavement. The hand of death has been laid upon a loved one, to whose remains; we pay the last earthly, tribute of respect. .Around the :open. grave stand those who have been bound by the strongest ties, of love and affection; We canriotr fully realise the power and fulness of the love existing between a fond and faithful wife, and the partner of her joys and sorrows a g6dd arid noble husband. Neither can we fathom the depth of that love, contained m the breasts of those children, bereft, of a kind and indulgent father — one whose example will ever shine forth, us a bright light to guide them m the way theyshould go. It is but right to speak well of the departed, and 'let .his faults and failings be forgotj ten. It is the more cheerful to know j that o\*r )dear friend' and brother lived a life' remarkable for its integrity. "To err is human to forgive divine."" He erred not wilfully but acted well his part.. We may learn from tlie grave the necessity of living together m peace, for life is indeed short.' l 'Although our departed friend had reached the autumn of his earthly life, yet how short does thaij, Ji& seem. How much has , been accomplished; how mnch re-' mainedto perform. Life at the best ! is but short. -We ,aU have a mis-: sion to perform, by leaving the world better than wje found it ; and by acting nobly and well, death may come when it will-— will ; find us ready. Let us pass beyond the grave, and behold the chains of love which'birjd sbitl to soiil, thought with thought, for true affection survives the tomb. Let us feel that living spirit, m our. midst — and not alone, m Templesconsecrated for its worship— not alone: where human hands and heads have fashioned wonderful forms of devotion -riiQt where alters and shrines pour forth incense as offerings to the Most Bighr— but let us, look* into: the sacred temple; .of the heart, which is the shrine of the ever living spirit., inhere is.jts real presence felt, an<J ever found, inspiring us, protecting us, leading us" onward to that higher life miscalled death. Let prejudice and superstition :Be • dismissed. Then will the, angel -of Light, Ueason, and Truth roll away the stone from the sepulchre:°-* j rhcn will those who walk on the shores of time with weary plod--ding feet,j and hearts heavy with anguish, see the bright light beyond. There is no ; death ! It is but a step from the outer to the inner temple — - from the material to the spiritual — - from death unto life, i Sown m corruption, raised m incorruption. sown a mortal body, raised a spiritual body -^changed in'ithe twinkling of an eye. Oh death ! where is thy sting ! Oh grave ! where is thy victory ! Death is the close of life's alarms, Tbe watch light on the : ! The clasping iu^immortal 'arti)s; : Of loved ones gone before.? Death is a song from seraph lips, 'The duyspring from nn high ; The ending of the soul's eclipse — Its transit to the sky. The grave is about to conceal from light the earthly tenement, the outward form, of bur dear friend and brother— the beloved of his household as a husband and a father. Sickn,ess ( and suffering reduced the once robust and marilyframe ; but sickness arid suffering, long- continued, left no stain, no blemish, on the noble,., mind. Reason was not impaired. The thonght of death conveyed no fear and trembling. All things were subjected by him to the test of reason, nought was accepted otherwise. God's great and noble talent was not allowed to moulder m a napkic^ri^i this respect do we feel proud, to place him foremost m the ranks of the advanced and liberal thinkers of this blessed 19th century. Would that many more would apply the test of reason before accepting blindly the inventions of man. which have given birth to Bigotry, Superstition, and Intolerance. We trust that the sons and daughters will follow m the footsteps of their father,

and carry out. m all earnestness the great desire of his heart—the prom-, ulgation of trnth, and liberty of thought -'the only true ReUjjion — our duty to God, our Neighbour, and Ourselves.. Sorrow and ffiiction may bow down to the earth those who are left to mourn, out let them not.mourn as those without hope; The pangs ot bereavement wilj .. subside* the. tear =of sorrows , will cease to fall, when the sweet consolation is fully re^.i alised. "That there is no dea^h." m the words of a true spiritualist, Humanity pausing on the mount of vision, sees its fellows passing from the shores of one. eternity to another, one by one they move, with downcast faces. to the tomb, and: the way both to the living and the dead seems jdark and drear. Who t has riot lost Aifr' 6ll^' an d has not wished it were possible for that friend, to return ? What would not be given for just one glimpse of the loved one, whose pVthly form lies still and cold —for one Wjird.fr.qm the sweet voice ; husht'd. in /death ? Are all these hopes and longings vain? Thank God!. ISfq ! The dead are human still, and being human, they, live and love. Unseen they are everywhere. Peath. has no power over them. The grave caiinot keep them back. Oh ! death . where is thy sting? where } grave, thy victory? A yoice from the great beyond shouts forth m triumph, " Lost m the joys of life."" Ah, we need not sorrow, for we know the dead are alive. Those we ioveso dearly and so well are not gone fur ever. In the loss of earthly friends, we see the vine growing up on the side of the fences, and passing over the top, tihz flower is on the other side, and none the less sweet than if we had it here ; for they are radiant with the Fathers glory !. They are not dead, tliey are near at hand ! Our eyes with spiritual vision can at times pierce the thiri veil, and see the shining form of loved pries, walking m the sunlight of another ancl a brighter life. They are not dead to us, .But as bright stars unseen We hoid that they are ever near, Though death intrudes between, Like some thin cloud that veiiri : • from sif>'ht The countless spangles of the night. ' "■ Oh ! Living spirit of Life and Love, uplift our hearts that our aspirations if on tlie wings of the evening, and on the breath of the twilight hour,' and on Wie soft sounds of music), may arise to Thee, and our songs "be blended with the voices of angels whilst our thoughts are m unison with 'those that praise Thee for evermore. God, Father, Spirit, Life, Eternal source of Truth, breathe Thy inspiration upon us. May Thy power kindle the flame that is within our hearts. Open bur lips until we speak only the truth', until we utter only Thy wisdom and Thy love. We will j sing Thy praises forever m thoughts, and m deeds of loving kindness, until we praise Thee m thought, m word, and m deed, forevermore ! Amen. •..-<...