Phillip de Commynes [pp. 405-411]

PHILLIPPE DE COJIM YNES.
his peculiarly Divine ministration, as his sovereign hand severs the bands of death. The prediction that his blessing would assuage the
pangs of suffering, and quench the tears of
affliction, formed the foundation of all his miracles. Whlen at the gates of Nain he arrested
the bier, about to deposit its burden in the
grave, iwas it simply to display an act of omniscient power that inspired him? It was only
a fuineral-a procession of unpretending people
that advanced-a woman in distress accompanied it, and she was a widow. Thle Master
spread forth his arms of compassion over the
mournful train, and touched the bier. His voice
penetrated the dead man's heart, as it uttered
the command, "Young man, I say unto thee,
Arise! A4id lze gave hiuz to his mother."
The same beneficent act of Godhead was
repeated in giving back the servant to the centurion-the little daughter to Jairus. The dclisciples and assistants were unbelieving, saying
one and another to the father, "Trouble not
the Master; thyl daughter is dead!" No doubt
the crowd gathered within the house of mourning thought also within themselves, What is
dead is dead. The spirit has fled; it has forever passed away-the affliction can not be reversed, neither in the world below, nor in the
heavens above. In the skies her spirit will indeed be a fraction of the great whole, united to
a imyriad of similar nonentities. But thy daughter here will be no more thy daughter there.
Accept, then, submissively thy destiny. Forget! On the contrary, our Christ says, "Child,
awake!" And she rose firom the couch, where
she lay- sleeping, and hle gave her to her fathec.
Let us seat ourselves near Mary, as MIartha
speeds her way thither with the joyful exclamation, The Master is here, and calletli for thee!
Alas! it is too late. I\My brother is dead-corruption has alreacldy touchedl him-and the soul
of Mlary faints for lack of faith. Christ, in
gentle reproof, speaks, " Did I not say unto thee,
that if thou woulcdst believe, thou shouldst see
the salvation of God?" Jesus groanted in spirit. Jesus wept! Behold how he loved him,
cried the Jews. And they were not deceived
in this. Where some refined spirits can only
perceive a vague expansion of humanizing love
the Jews recognized a strong personal friendshirp. Behold lowxv he loved him! And the
man Christ, who so loved Lazarus, commanded
to " Take away' the stone!" And ire spake still
furthrer, "Lazarus come forth!" Lazarus did
not answer this call as a stranger, nor did this
resurrection evoke a new, unknown, or indifferent being. No. It is Lazarus who arisestire Lazarus whom Jesus loved. It was the
brother who loved Mary and Martha; and
Christ gave him to his sisters.
There is a joy in believing. Could the apostles re-assemble in the morning of the resurrection with joy, and not believe in each other's
identity? Here, in this house of our earthly
pilgrimage, we fall into the lowest abyss of
grief. We are ofttimes cheered by no outward
joy. Eternity reserves this for us, and without alloy of pain. As twilight gathers about
us, or the pall of midnighlt surrounds our pillow, or storms burst over our happiness, our
dead come to us in pleasant visions. And are
they not ministering spirits, sent to bear us up
in the fearful struggle with the adversaries of
life? Mystery! Yes, there is mystery; but
the things revealed belong unto us, and I
find them beautiful and plain enough to satisfy
my longing. By faith "women received their
dead!" Thanks be unto thlee, O Lord! "Do
not fear, only believe." I do believe that thou
wilt not deceive me. There shall be one general
reunion, where our souls will be forever withl
the Lord! I repeat these words, so tremulous
with hope, in full assurance of their truth. My
heart salutes you, O country in the skies! On
your slhores, so bathed in light, I recognize my
dearly beloved. You are there, whom the dying
eyes of a father rested upon in tender love. He
has heard your salutation in the world above,
and the almost Divine smile which rested upon
his lips in death, the last sublime gleam that
returned your sorrowing look of love, has been
repeated in the presence of our Christ, whose
love illumines all.
PHILIPPE DE COMMYNES.
HE first part of the memoirs of Philippe
tde Commynes, whlichl embraces the reign
of Louis XI, King of France, from 1464 to
1483, appeared at Paris in the year I524; and
the second part, whichl extends to the death of
King Charles VIII, in I498, followed not long
after the other. The entire work has been
received, by its contemporaries as well as by
posteritsy, with every mark of interest and approbation. The Emperor Charles V made it
his favorite reatding, and carried a copy constantly with him. From I524 down to the middle of the present century, these memoirs have
gone through no less than fifty-four editions in
French, twelve editions in Latin, five in Italian,
five in German, five in English, four in Dutch,
three in Spanish, and one in Swedish. Nor, if
we consider the intrinsic value of the work, vill
this extraordinary popularity be thought sur
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