The Argosy — page 67: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

52 The Channel Islands. support, we gazed upon a scene that the coming years would never efface from memory. After a quick but stormy passage, for the last time we entered the quiet waters of Guernsey harbour. Our stay was drawing to a close. For three weeks the comfortable shelter of Old Government House had been our head quarters, and we had always returned to it with feelings of pleasure; even as, when the hour came, we left it with regret. But time runs on, sometimes all too quickly. For us, in these days, the sun will not stand still, or go back ten degrees, and we have no Joshua to command it, and no Hezekiah to pray for it. The beauties and glory even of this world are greater than our minds can always fully realise, and our souls bow down before them in silent adoration of Him by whom are all things and for Whose pleasure they are and were created. But after all we have them only occasionally. They come before us and vanish as a dream that is told. Summer gives place to winter, when nature dies, and the heart grows sad, while yet living in hope of spring. And presently, almost before we know it, our own life’s spring-time has changed to summer, aS Our summer must one day yield to winter, when the golden bowl will break and the pitcher go for the last time to the fountain. It must come, and our days are fleeting, and life is sad, and saddest of all the inevitable fact that all things change ; friends fall away, loved voices that made our music are hushed, and eyes that were our delight are closed, and our heart has gone with them to the silent land, while we remain behind, sad and solitary pilgrims. And so, will not one of our greatest charms and delights in the next world be our eternal youth, where, if we gain experience and make progress, it shall not bring to us furrows and grey hairs, or pain or sorrow, or memories full of regrets, or consciences laden with re- morse ; the miseries of life shall be no more, and the mistakes of life shall have been turned aside to bear good fruit. Eternal sun- shine and eternal youth, and happiness and companionship without measure. And everlasting spring in nature, and we ministers of boundless realms: melodies around us and within us that ear hath not heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. Then— Al) hail the hour when Heaven’s celestial chimes, Shall ring our souls to that eternal shore, And safe within those everlasting climes We clasp our loved and lost for evermore! GEomicbooks.co