Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-05-02
From the Baltimore Chronicle.
THE SABBATH.

THE SABBATH.
Aside from all the inqlietudes Of business,
| the daily vexatuns of lie human heart, the Sc
ductons of pleasure, and the gnpe of uvarlce,
we are allowed by our beneicient Creator,one
day in every seven, which is dedicated 10 re-
pose. Even the horse, whose NECK bears the
marks Of human tyranny, and the toll worn OK.
participate III the general quiet ol the day -
| There seems ,hen, that general pause aud sus-
pension from the bnstlIng cagcrness oi busy
life, as II brutal strength no less than lilenectu-
| I'll ascrndancy, required some sort oil vacation
from the intensity OF their respective labois.-
What would be ihe state, the condition, not
| only Of human but Of animal nature, 1t 40 re-
spite OF this Kind was alowedl The question
Is easily unswered-we should become the mere
slaves of selt.interest the groyelliug and grumb-
ling children OF sordid avarlce tro.m tie cradle
to the Tomb; Garth would be converted into
garden hit ior bear fights and men INTO animals
as ierocious. Humanity, hath, honor, virtue,
integrity, philanthropy and benevoIence, would
become words without meaning. In order to
counteracl the effect of these absorbing pas-
slons to teach to man duties more high and
more important, to make him feel all the ten
der and eudearing relations of social being,
and to prepare him for q state, in which all these
exquisite associations may be INDUCED 10 their
fullest extent, one day in every seven hos been
devoted. Let us look for moment, at tile lin.
portance Of this benefit. We will cite merely
one passion, and that is friendship, in proof
Of this assertion. How heart consoling it ls to
find one bosom, that can be made the repository
! of all our Joys and our sorrows our smiles and
our tearsl How is prosperity enlIVcred, how
is adversely solaced by such communioni we
seem to live double life, to have one breast
| responding to all the sensations OF our own; If
tie cares and the business OF life divide US, it
seems to tear the heart-strings from the heart
In absence how uneasy we are-we cliide eve-
ry adverse gale that detalns tie long-wshed for
intelligence OF our friend; on his return, behold
the expanded arms 10 welcome his arrival, and
the eyes overtowing with tears OF transport
| When ue dies, how often does surviving friend.
ship press with restless footsteps the grass green
| turf, where the ashes are sumberIngi With
what fervency does the heart dwell Oh his last
look OF tenderness-how does it hoard up every
| relick, consecrated by the touch OF affection,
with what mournlul enthusiasm does it dwell
on every characteristic notion, attitude and
| look, and manner. and gesture. and counte-
nance, and smile and irown OF an object so dear!
Oh, how poor, now sterile is biography, to por-
Tray the thousand nameless pleasures Of friend
ship, to enter into the sanctuary OF the liuinsn
heart, and to sketch with her pencil, those I'M
defined and undcfnable joys aud sorrows, that
constitute enjoyment. What then shall we
think OF the Immortality of this passion. where
no tomb rears its grass green mound, to inter-
rupt the tide of affections SO dear; where no
false friendship can exist, where there is norh-
ing but confidence and love in their fullest per-
| tt,a,S ttoo
butes of God. Can the renzied dreams Of the
perior enjoyment!
And yet these are poetic visions-they may
be regarded as scrptural truths. Therefore
love 10 God is made the first, and love 10 our
neigbbor the second duty and the sincerity of
the latter is made the standard, by which the
former is to be mcasurd. The argument
seems to run thus, If man oveth noths neigh
Dor whom he hath seen--li yvIi taiI3; nolh!:::ss
about your neighbors and friends from whom
you are perpeluay receiving kindness and
beneits-if such cndearing qualities presented
by one before your eyes, make no impression
Of gratitude confidence or affection; It you re-
gard this individual still us stranger, how can
| you love a beneiactur Notwithstanding the
amount of his benefits, be they ever 80 great,
| whom you have never seen-the sight OF the in
divdua inspires no gratitude: how much less
then is love or gratitude inspired when this Be-
ing is invisible. Thus are the hoest affections
of the human heart, love to the Deity, made evil
dent 10 mankind, by our love to our friends and
neighbors. We make these general remarks to
shew the importance of the Sa. .bnlh-thc day
devoted to the indulgence Of affections SO holy
it may therefore be said that the notorious
volator of that day, does all in his mower TO de-
privy friendship of its endearinenta, benevo-
lence Of its proper influence, and all the gener-
ous affections, their huld upon the heart; he
endeavors 10 exlingnist what little of philanthro-
py remains uncontaminated by the polluting
breatl, Of seliinterest; he is neither friend to
his family or 10 himself.