Quote of the Day

Thomas(Stonewall) Jackson's first wife died in childbirth(the child died as well).  In a letter to his aunt at the time he writes:  "I frequently go to the dearest of earth's spots, the grave of her who was so pure and lovely -  but she is not there.  When I stand over the grave, I do not fancy that she is thus conlined, but I think of her as having a glorified existence."  For a long time he visited her grave daily…In one of his note-books appears the following entry, showing his desire to profit by his great sorrow:  "Objects to be effected by Ellie's death:  To eradicate ambition; to eradicate resentment; to produce humility.  If you desire to be more heavenly-minded, think more of the things of heaven, and less of the things of earth.

Quote of the Day

You must not be discouraged at the slowness of recovery.  Look up to Him who giveth liberally for faith to be resigned to His divine will, and trust Him for that measure of health which will most glorify Him and advance to the greatest extent your own real happiness.  We are sometimes suffered to be in a state of perplexity, that our faith may be tried and grow stronger.  "All things work together for good" to God's children.  See if you cannot spend a short time after dark in looking out of your window into space, and meditating upon heaven, with all its joys unspeakable and full of glory; and think of what the Savior relinquished in glory when he came to earth, and of his sufferings for us; and seek to realize, with the apostle, that the afflictions of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  Try to look up and be cheerful, and not desponding.  Trust our kind Heavenly Father, and by the eye of faith see that all things with you are right and for your best interest.  The clouds come, pass over us, and are followed by bright sunshine; so, in God's moral dealings with us, he permits us to have trouble awhile.  But let us, even in the most trying dispensations of His providence, be cheered by the brightness which is a little ahead.

Thomas(Stonewall) Jackson

 

At a time when his second wife(his first wife died) was ill and away from home recovering

Quote of the Day

February 14th.  Stonewall Jackson to his wife:  Your delightful letter of six pages received a welcome reception this evening.  I am thankful to see that our kind Heavenly Father is again restoring mother to health.  I felt uneasy about her, and thought that Joseph had better make a visit home.  I have made the restoration of mother's health a subject of prayer; but then we know that our dear ones are mortal, and that God does not always answer prayer according to our erring feelings.  I think that if, when we see ourselves in a glass, we should consider that all of us that is visible must turn to corruption and dust, we would learn more justly to appreciate the relative importance of the body that perishes and the soul that is immortal.