THE

VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH;

OR,

The Valley of Light and Life.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."-Ps. xxiii. 4.

B

"So I will calmly watch and pray,

Until I hear my Saviour's voice
Calling my happy soul away
To see His glory and rejoice."

EAUTIFUL words in this Psalm! Precious thoughts! What a comfort this verse has been to many, many souls—a supporting pillow for the last sleep! David looks at the future as if actually present before him, and he sees himself just entering the gate of glory, safe home.

This valley is the last in the Christian course;

but it is really the entrance into life; it is the very threshold of the glory, the antechamber to the presence of the King.

Everything about death is solemn. It tells us what sin has done. "The wages of sin is death." Yet it is but the shadow of death to the believer; the substance is no longer there; the sting is taken away; it was buried in the heart of the Son of God on Calvary. The believer is not to stand or remain in the valley, but only to walk through it. It is the light beyond which causes the shadow; there can be no shadow if no light. The Sun is shining over there, the Sun which never sets; therefore I will not fear the shadow. This is the promise for us: "My grace is sufficient for thee." We know not how near we may be to this valley; but grace will be given when the time comes. If we belong to Christ in life, He will be with us in our walk through this valley, and He will lead us into our eternal home. Now we need living grace, then we shall require dying grace; but it will not be given us before we require it.

Take comfort: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." This is to be with Jesus. One with Him in life, one with Him through the valley, one with Him for eternity. Take warning: We cannot die in the Lord if we have not lived in Him. Are we united to Him by faith now? If it is well with

THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

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us now, we need not fear to-morrow; for He hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

"One life to live, one death to die,
And then one long eternity!

One life: oh, live that life to God!"

It is the surroundings of death, the fancies we connect with it, which make us shrink back. It is a striking fact that those who in lifetime have had a great fear of death have generally passed away with a cheerfulness and peace which they never expected, or have known nothing about it.

Believers may think of this valley as sleep. We shall not know the moment any more than we are conscious of the exact moment when we sink into sleep. We have never seen ourselves fall asleep; we shall never see ourselves enter the valley.

"Through the valley of the shadow I must go,
Where the dark waves of Jordan roll;
But the promise of the Shepherd will, I know,
Be the rod and the staff to my soul.
Even now, down the valley as I glide,

I can hear the Saviour say, Follow Me!
And with Him I'm not afraid to cross the tide.
There's a light in the valley for me."

But there is a precious thought for us here. We may not have to walk through this valley. Our Lord and Master may come first for His Church,

“and . . we shall be caught up to meet Him in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thess. iv. 13-18.) This is the believer's gospel, Jesus is coming! "Looking for that blessed hope," &c. (Titus ii. 13.) This should be our attitude. This hope must have a purifying effect upon our lives. (1 John iii. 3.) "And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." (1 John ii. 28.)

We are never told in the Bible to look forward to death, but to this "blessed hope." Let us be waiting and watching for our Lord's return. (Luke xii. 36, 37.) This "blessed hope" will brighten our lives, and bear us up above many troubles and cares. And when we see our dear ones, who are safe under the shelter of the Blood, enter this valley, how sweet, how comforting, to think that we may meet again so soon; for those who sleep in Jesus will He bring with Him when He comes. Let us pray for our dear Lord's return. Let us ask Him to come. "Now, therefore, why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?" We need not fear for our dear ones not yet awakened. The prayer, "Come,