But this is only the dark side of bereavement.  The eye which then weeps may fail at the time to behold through its tears, the quickening, softening, subduing and resuscitating power which dwells in the clouds of darkness and of storm; and the heart, wounded and bleeding, too often fails to realize the light and glory which loom up from the grave.  But when we look upon the cold, pale face of the dead, in the light of a hopeful resurrection; when their silent forms move in the light of those saving influences which have been exerted upon us, we learn the necessity of bereavement; the mournful cypress will become more beautiful than the palm tree, and in view of its saving power over us, we can say, “it is good for us that we have been afflicted!”

  “The path of sorrow, and that path alone,
  Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown. 
  No traveler e’er reached that blest abode,
  Who found not thorns and briers in his road. 
  For He who knew what human hearts would prove,
  How slow to learn the dictates of His love;
  That, hard by nature and of stubborn will,
  A life of ease would make them, harder still;
  Called for a cloud to darken all their years,
  And said, ‘Go, spend them in the vale of tears!’”

Who will not admit that it is an act of real kindness for God to remove little children from this world, and at once take them as His own in heaven?  This is surely an act of His mercy, and for their benefit.  It arrests them from the perils and tribulations of mature life; it makes their pilgrimage through this vale of tears, of short duration; they escape thereby the bitter cup of actual sin, and the mental and moral agonies of death.  It is well with them.  How true are the following beautiful verses on the death of children, from the pen of John.  Q. Adams:—­

  “Sure, to the mansions of the blest
  When infant innocence ascends,
  Some angel brighter than the rest
  The spotless spirit’s flight attends. 
  On wings of ecstasy they rise,
    Beyond where worlds material roll,
  Till some fair sister of the skies,
    Receives the unpolluted soul. 
  There at the Almighty Father’s hand,
    Nearest the throne of living light,
  The choirs of infant seraphs stand,
    And dazzling shine, where all are bright!”

Christ became a little child, that little children might receive the crown of their age and be eternally saved.  He took them in His arms, blessed them, and said, “of such is the kingdom of heaven.”  And we are told that “out of the mouths of babes and sucklings He has ordained strength.”  The sweetest hosannas before His throne, doubtless proceed from cherub-lips, and they glow nearest to the bright vision of the face of unveiled glory.

  “Calm on the bosom of thy God,
    Young spirits! rest thee now! 
  Even while with us thy footsteps trod,
    His seal was on thy brow.”