Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-05-06
.Jnisrfilastcus.
rEoM raE cAraoLIc aIscELLASr'
BIRTHDAY SOLlL0QUY.


Tis past. another year is rolpd away;
And time, once more, has brought my hatai Gay
All those past circfing heavens bounty ient
n,, SOW nv soul. how have these hours beer
SPENT ,.,,
xyb., CONQUEST DER nv soul have obtained!
what passion is subdued, what virtue gained,
What fault is crushed, what error IS aolurea
Wha, vanity cashered, what folly cureai
Have with nsustry improved the snare
OF talents. Heaven committed to my care!
Have been fslthful in TIL important trust
Bo,h 10 nv God, myself. and neighbor JUST
Have been careful to preserve from SIN
That spark of Heavenly FIRE that burns Within'
Daily adorned the best, immortal part
And kept jealous eye upon my heaFt
And does my breast no thought OF WISH com
ceal,
For which, il known, my cheeks blush might
feell
Nave I that precious talent, time, well used.
And ne'er til invaluable gift abused!
Have with care for Heavenly wisdom sought.
And have practised what that wisdom taught
Has reason still been victor OF the held,
Nor did IL once 10 rebel passion yieid
nv conscious art declines the strict survey;
Blush without, the blots within betrsy.
polles ON foles. faults on faults arise,
Some les ser spots and some OF larger size.
o time, thou precious treasure, how have
Re CARELESS of thy value, LET thee n $
How have laylshed thee, thou costly store,
How many years have sunk to rise no more!
Another year is now begun It's race,
While time glides on unseen with rapid pace.
Let me regard each future hour as gwen
By the SUpREMg. to make me ripe tor Heaven;
Seize ev'ry rising moment as it springs;
an1 Heaven on the wings. o.
How many in the gaudy spring OF life,
Fer racked by secret anguish, care or strife,
Have behed like morning clouds decay
Aud set just in the dawn of rising day:
Upon the Stage of life appeared, looked round,
And 10 another scene were never found.
Say then, nv soul, what cause canst thou assign,
Why He, who cut their thread, has lengthehd
thinel +
Was it for worth or merit OF thy own! ~
Ali no, twas Heavens indulgent love alone.
Ten thousand times have deserved like tate,
hut Heaven was patient and compassionate.
While ], regardless of the mighty loan,
Took the intrusted talent as my own,
And ON a thousand trifies vainly spent
That time, which Heaven to be improved had
lent.
How do mankind this precious gilt abusef
Nine parts in ten the precious gilt abuse;
Squsnder the ne'er to be recovered store;
More worth than all the wealth OF lndla's shore,
Nor crowns, nor kingdoms, nor whole worlds
can buy, 4
o! Time, one hour, from thy vast treasuryi =
Immense thy value, sure, since thou vast lent
BY Heaven to purchase Heaven, if wisely spent;
Yet, mortals, who enjoy the mighty loan.
Beneath the cumbrous burden tire and groan,
And generously upon their friends bestow
A heavy load, they know not where to throw;
~
On all, who to accept it can be found
Nor its nestjmable worth perceive,
Till tits too late that treasure to retrieve.
d. In vain the Preacher speaks, in vain he writes
In vain the sage philosopher indites;
We hear, we feel the bright conviction clear.
Pet, still in vain believe, in vain we hear;
We still go on tho still they write and preach,
And rarely practice what their precepts teach.
Tn important truths. tho priest With moving art,
Make bat slight impression on the heart;
A tide of pleasures and tide OF care
Erase the imperfect characters writ there's
'ris Death alone pathetic Preacher) can
Imprint these truth deep in the breast OF man. |
One single sentence spoke by him does more
Than all their oratory did before. |
But all! too late he speaks, We hear too late
Our glass is run, determined is our fate,
And now our squandered moments to regain |
With ardent groans we wish, but wish in vain;
Whole worlds we'd freely give, if worlds we
had
But one poor hour to parting life to add.
Nor wealth, nor worlds can purchase the poor
hour,
We've now the will to mend. but not the pow'r.
reversed our case by Deaths emphatic skill,
Before we had the pow'r but not the will.
Time, long abused. now rings our passing knell,
Death op'es the eternal gates to Heaven or
Hell. ... &c.. -,.... ss..
Amazed we view the deep, the dark abyss. I
Which leads to everlasting woe or bliss.
Fears pass on fears, in ghastly horror drest,
Within. without. on every side distrest;
Black scenes before; it back we turn our eyes
The ghosts of our departed days arise; ...,
Those Slaughtered friends, who by our folly
bed, ,
Call loud for vengeance on their murders
head.
Conscience pleads guilty so the heavy bill,
Conscience Just Judge, and faithful witness still.
Full Of distractng horrors pale we stand,
Gasping and trembling on the dreary strand;
Death drags US headlong down the dreadful
steep,
Anaz d we plunge into the boundless deeps
One instant lands US on the unknown shore;
ErERNIrX's begun and TINES no more.
III.
THE WIFE.-An eloquent au,