The Madisonian., 1840-01-28
MISCELLANEOUS.


MISCELLANEOUS.
The following eloquent and touching pas
sages are from discourse delivered in New
York on SUI day, by the Rev. DR.. KREBs, in
reference to the late appalling steamboat dis
aster in Long Island Sound:
Text Matthew xxiv,: 44.-IN sucn AN
HOUR AS yE THINK NOT, THE SON OF MAN
coMETH."
Your thoughts have anticipated me, in the
melancholy illustration Of this topic, furnished
by the terrible calamity Of the past week.
On Monday last-luden with precious
stores of merchandise, and with the more
precious lives of men and women--the ill-fa-
ted steamer Lexington left The wharves Of
this city.
What various emotions filled the breast Of
her ,hapless crew. There were some who
were sad for the moment because they were
departing from the society Of beloved friends
but soon. the very excitement of the depar-
lure, the presence Of the crowd, the buoyant
and rapid flight through the yielding wave, the
anticipation OF other companionships, the ma
tural love of change, or the hope OF joyful re-
turning -dispelled the transient sorrow.
But there were others, more heavily and
acutely preyed upon by grief; hearts that
could we have read them, would disclose a
brooding melancholy of despair, for bereave-
men,s and for blighied Joys. The widowed
wife, in the freshness of her bereavement.
goes to convey the remains Of her deceased
husband to the favorite resting place among
the graves Of his kindred On the other
hand-for in such scene the most opposite
conditions and feelings are crowded into near,
but unsuspected proximiy-ihere were per-
haps more, who indulged a spirit Of hilarl,y.
There were some who hoped, within few
hours, to be folded in the embrace Of ardent
ly beloved and eagerly expecting friends
The husband and the father trusted soon to
meet the endeared circle whom but lately he
saw installed in their delightful home.
"rhe long g-abscnt traveller, who had es-
capped the pers of foreign climcs, where for
wears he bad wandered and toiled, and had,
with equal success, escaped the dangers OF
the seas, and the terrors of wintry shipwreck
with which our e-bound coast threatens the
mariner, and alas too often, even recently,
has slrewn our shores with destruction and
death Such one there was, who had avoid
ed all other more probable disasters, and thus
far safely returned, seemed TO see within his
certain reach the welcome and the shelter
which he was hurrying to enjoy in the bosom
: of his family. There were yet others who
departed from the tender circle of wife, child
rem and friends, and thought that after the
brief period of necessary absence, they would
return again to their sacred, home bred Joys.
There were gathered together the Christian
and the sinner, the giddy and the gay, the
lover Of pleasure and the stricken in heart
there were the humble and the obscure, and
there also were the eminent, the honorable
man. and the counsellor, and the cunning ar
lfcer, and the eloquent orator." and the en-
terprising merchant. My hearers do you
remember when on the last Subbath while
attempting 20 dissuade you from presumptuous
confidence in regard to the future, quoted the
admonition Of the apostle James Doubtless
it fell unheeded on many ears. TO others II
seemed mere Scripture commonplace, to
say, Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-
morrow we will 90 into such a city, and con-
tinue there year, and buy and sell, and get
gain, whereas We know not what Shall be on
The morrow For what is your life ! II is
even vapour that appeareth for Iiitle time,
and then vansheih away. For that ye ought
TO say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do
this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your
boas,ings-all such rejoicing is evll.' And
again sought to impress you with the lnJnnc-
ton Of the wise man, " Boast not thyself OF
tomorrow for thou knowest not what day
NAV bring forth" All who believed, who
felt who Of you ever reflected on the truthful
and solemn thought Alas 1t would have
seemed Just as unmeaning, and Just as much
like the gloomy croahing of a distcmpered
zeal, had they heard it, to many Of that crew
who embarked on Monday who never reach
ed the desired haven whittier they were
bound. who dreamed not Of peril or oil death,
who met the coming of the Son OF man in
most unexpected way, and" n such an hou
as thev thought not = Was there not fearful
truth in the warning How is II confirmed
by this melancholy disaster
But there were "the mighty, and the pru-
dent and the wise,r the lighthearted youth,
and the delicate and helpless woman. With
the eagcrness Of appetite they sat down to the
evening meal i; and IN the customary solIcl-
iude with which all who travel have made nc
qulitance in similar circumstances. they
thought to procure comfortable berths for the
repose of the night. But what fearful sur
prise disturbs and destroys their security =