Yet for him, over whom the heavenly host rejoiced that day, why should we mourn? Should we not rather take up the song of praise? Should we not rather, while we lift up our hearts in thankful gratitude to Him who loved him and redeemed him, give utterance to thoughts such as these:

"To weep for HIM? to weep for whom?

The loved on earth-the saved in heaven;
Triumphant o'er the narrow tomb-

His sorrows past-his sins forgiven-
What! weep for HIM? it must not be-
Our tears would blot his victory.

"Nay! hymn his flight in rapturous songs;
For he, in death's embrace, hath done
With human griefs, and fears, and wrongs;
His fight is fought-his triumph won;
The immortal crown is round his brow;
He dwells beside the Saviour now.

'Weep not! or weep as those should weep
Whose hope is stronger than their sorrow:
To-night our loved and lost ones sleep,

But Christ will bring them back to-morrow!
We shall not long lament them here;

Our home is in a brighter sphere.”.

MOULTRIE.

Then let us, while our hearts burn with these thoughts,

follow him to his place of rest

THE BURIAL PLACE.

The place is silent; rarely sound
Is heard those craggy hills around;
No hum of business, dull and loud,
Nor murmur of the passing crowd,
Nor soldiers' drum, nor trumpet's swell,
From yonder fallen citadel,

Nor sound of human toil or strife,
In that lone valley, speaks of life;
Nor breaks the silence, calm and deep,
Where thou, beneath thy burial stone
Art laid, in that unstartled sleep

That living eye hath never known.

347

In one of those deep ravines near Sebastopol, undisturbed now by other sound than bell of browsing sheep, is the burial ground of the Light Division. Thither very shortly the precious remains were borne to their last resting-place, with all a soldier's honours. A white stone cross was placed over the grave; and at its foot a few summer flowers were planted. These simple lines record his early death and blessed end:

"SACRED TO THE MEMORY

OF

CAPT. M. M. HAMMOND, 2D BATT R. B.,

WHO WAS KILLED IN THE ASSAULT ON

THE REDAN,

8TH SEPTEMBER 1855;

AGED 31 YEARS.

'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.””

In the country church of Nonington, the parish of his own

home, a tablet has also been erected, bearing these

"TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE,

WHICH GAVE A

CHRISTIAN LUSTRE TO THE LIFE,

AND A

BLESSEDNESS TO THE HONOURABLE DEATH,

OF

MAXIMILIAN MONTAGU HAMMOND,

CAPTAIN IN THE 2D BATTALION OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE; THIRD SON OF W. O. HAMMOND, ESQ.,

OF

ST ALBAN'S COURT, IN THIS PARISH.

HE FELL AT THE ATTACK ON THE REDAN,
BEFORE SEBASTOPOL,

SEPT. 8TH, 1855: AGED 31.

"They which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ' (Rom. v. 17).”

AND now, perhaps, that we have followed this Christian soldier through his short but speaking life, it might not be out of place to introduce a few of those numerous letters, in which, after his departure, many a sorrowing friend strove, as he would have done, to lighten the pressure of heavy grief, by paying each their several

tributes to his worth.

Not alone on his own immediate circle; not alone on his regiment; not alone on the bosom of his family, was the strong hand of grief laid by his early removal; but there were those who, with quick perception of the sterling value of his character, holding positions of trust themselves, mourned his loss upon larger than mere personal grounds. One who holds high office in the state, and no speaker of light words without consideration, on hearing his name among those who had fallen, said of him, "that he looked to him as the man whose influence would be felt to be of untold benefit to the army;" and again, on another occa

sion, in almost similar words-"that he looked to him as the regenerator of the army." Another, who faithfully discharged his sacred office as a minister of Christ, during the whole of the Crimean campaign, said, in words scarcely less valuable," Of course, I feel for the family; but it is for the nation that I feel most. I look upon his death as a public calamity."

Colonel, now Major-General L***, who for some years commanded the battalion in which Captain Hammond was, says, in a letter from which we have already made many extracts:

"October 30, 1855.

"It was my happiness to be associated with him, both in public and private, for the last ten years of his life; and I may truly say, that some of my happiest days were spent in his society. Many a time has he soothed my troubled spirit, with a tenderness I shall never forget; many a time sympathised in my trials; while his even temper, and his peculiarly bright smile, gladdened my heart. Very pleasant was our intercourse; and truly delightful was it to see his rapid growth in grace, and the consistency of his course, "shining more and more unto the perfect day.” Nor was his bearing, as an officer, less to be admired from the heartiness with which he acted; combining great firmness with kindness; and obtaining considerable influence over both officers and men. The day on which he fell within the Redan, the service lost an officer of no common merit. . . .

"From the day that he first joined with us in our searching the Scriptures, he never looked back. He