faithfully she was loved, how tenderly she was cherished, in sickness and in health, by the husband she has lost. It were vain to deny, for the feeling was expressed by all, that men were surprised at this-it was evident to all observers that his years exceeded, far exceeded, hers; and when his sickness was found to be unto death, and at last the blow was struck, we could not express our wonder at the madness of her grief. What then, my brethren, is the lesson, which we may derive from that scene of utter wretchedness, which, as most of you are well aware, I have neither assumed nor heightened, to produce a transient effect?—It is this-often has its truth been proved, never perhaps more forcibly than now-that if woman be honoured and cherished as she ought to be, as the best and earliest gift of God to man-and her love returned, and her weakness allowed for, and her faults forgiven-that neither infirmity nor age will make her forget the faith which she pledged to man at the altar of her God-that she will watch, with almost superhuman strength and patience, the feverish and broken slumbers of his dying bed-and, when all is over, and she is left in the world alone, that language cannot express, nor thought conceive, the sense of utter desolation, which comes over the soul of the widowed wife! Let us pray for her, and for all who are, like her, afflicted, and distressed, and desolate-May the Father of the fatherless, and Defender of the widow, in his own good time, “abate their anguish, assuage their pain, and wipe away their tears," as shall seem to Him most expedient for them!—And oh! above all, may He cause them to know and feel, that there is no medicine for the broken heart, no balm for the wounded spirit, save only in the blessed gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. FINIS. REV. J. E. N. MOLESWORTH, M.A. RECTOR OF ST. MARTIN WITH ST. PAUL, CANTERBURY, AND REV. THE EARL OF GUILFORD. published AT THE REQUEST OF THE CLERGY PRESENT. LONDON: PRINTED FOR C. J. G. & F. RIVINGTON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD, AND WATERLOO-PLACE, PALL-MALL. MDCCCXXX. |