Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-01-18
From the Federal Republican.
SABBATH REFLECTIONS.


Returning to the barren womb of nothing
Whence first they sprung; then might the debau.
| chee
Untrem5ling mouth the Heavens; then might the
| drunkard
Reel over bis full bowl, and when tits drain'd
Fill up another to the brim, and laugh
AT the poor bug-bear Death.--Then might the
wretch
That's weary ofthe world, and tir'd of life,
At once give each inquietude the slip,
by stealing out of being when he pleased.
----------Buti if there is an hereafter,
And that there is conscience uninhuenced,
And suffered to speak out, tells ey'ly man,
Then must it be an awful thing to die lBLAIR.
DEATH, is continually sounding ia
our ears. The familiarity of the subiecI
las tended TO harden our hearts, and rem
der the feelings caIlous TO the important
truth 6 hat it is appointed unto all men
once TO die" We read the obituary Of
our neighbor, with less concern and re-
Election, than we notice the changes Of tn,
atmosphere. We hear of the havoc il
fields of slaughter, aud thoughtless sigh
or expression Of establishment at most is all
that escapes us. We do not consider thai
here ten thousand souls. are fixed in never
ending bliss, or remediless woe.
FelIow-creatures beings who experien.
ced similar passions andfeelings with those
which agitale our systems. We act as il
. we had no LOT or part in this matter" Is
here not among you, my readers, some
one who has Witnessed the expiring pangs
of a beloved parent; or parent who has
wiped the cold dews Of death, from the
brows of dying child? Have you clio
sed the eyes Of departing brother or SIS
ter, aud, your utieraDce almost choaked
with grief, you could scarcely ariicuIate
the sad farewell? | can enter into your
feelings; | can judge your agonizing heart !;
can read your distracted mind. The
friend, the guide of my youth, the prop Of
my age, has gone TO return no more!
The eye which sparkled with parental
affection, is forever dimmed--the hand
which gently pressed mine on the bed OF
0t utU7 10 INV CUtu~~ VIZ WUEut Is SWtttit
rioting on the cheek which SO lately man
tied with health.
To you,the afflicted survivor, the world
and its concerns are alike indifferent
your throbbing heart takes no part in its
mirth or amusements--your pleasures are
entombed with the departed object Of your
affection, and you are ready to excIain
with the bereaved monarch, would to
God ] had died for thee" Sinful as has
been your past days, you are now disposed
to lift your heart TO him, who has promis.
ed to be friend TO the friendless, a hus
band TO the widow, and father TO the or
pban. You are now DESTROYS to prepare
TO meet him who never can return TO you,
in realms Of glory. The prayerless lips
can now lisp praises TO the living Cod
But alas alas! how soon are these feel
ings banished? The world and its allure
ments steal upon our affections. engross our
attention, and the dreary tomb has hardly
closed its mouth on the deceased, than he
is forgotten, his memory erased from our
hearts. or remembered but at intervals, land
then with Indifferent regret!
"Hearts wounded, like the wounded air,
Soon close; where pass'd the shaft, no trace il
found.
As from the wing no scar the sky retains;
The parted wave no furrow from the keel;
So dies in human hearts the thought OF DEATH"
lnconsiderate being is man
How soon may We not follow the FRIEND
of our bosom? Certain it is we must die
and who shall tell the period which Goo
has appointed for that event? Could
proclaim to you in prophetic truth, "thii
year thou shalt die" what would be YOU
feelings, aud how different your employ.
ment? And what surety have you that you
will not die this year, this month, nay, thi.
week? Visit the tombs which surround
your city. Read the lettered MARBLE
What age is there exempted? You find
every period OF life from the little infant
who has hardly entered on this world be-
lore its spirit has winged its flight to ano-
lier, up. to decrepid old age.
Youth and health are no security a.
gainst the attack Of death; and that you are
unprepared will be no plea TO induce the
unweicome visitor to Withhold the fatal dart,
when the Almighty fiat has decreed "thou
halt die.' You are forming brilliant
schemes for business or earthly aggran
dizement, but are you sure you will live
10 witness the maturing Of your ingenious
plans or jealous exertions? Could draw
side the veil Of mortality which obstructs
our sight, and grant you view OF futn-
rity, could you procure access TO the d.
vine DEGREES, and read the period allotted
for your existence, then when old age was
secured, you might trifIe away the inter-
yening time But oh hazard not your