Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-12-10
N e. IL T.

The beautiful prospect o. earth il lost in
obscurl,y, aud no longer Illuminated by the
sun, IT ceases to delight. Day has relrca,ed
and ITS last traces arc gone from the horizon /:
but the scene that has succee eded is calm and
holy. The dark blue sky elluers with thou.
sands OF worlds, rolling amidst that vast cx.
panse, and, without volco Of sound, telling
ui The unspeukable gorles of God. All Is
silent not sound interrupts the musings OF
hln who contempates the starry heavens I;
he gozes on systems lnnunierable, tho won.
deriul works OF God; and, rising from ter
resrlal tlnngs,he is lost III The thought OF Him
who created aud sCs,alns tue universe.
And night Is hallowed by many u sacred
remembrance. Ii was Ut night, when ,he
shepherds were watching Their focks on he
plains Of Bethlehem, that the angels descend
ed with The lidIngs Of the Saviour's birlh, and
"multude ol the heavenly host" IN raptur.
Gus music sang, "good viii to men" In the
cold hour Of the night Jesus vert to The
mountains, and while "fnxes had. holes, and
birds oi the air had Desls," lie had not where
! 10 lay hls head ! but IN the darkness aud
solitude he prayed and struggled for our sal
|. satlon. AZ night, when tho waters Of Cc-
dron reflected the pale moon beams and the
II sparkle of innulncrable stars, our Rpdcemer
wandered with his disciples, aud then he was
/ betrayed into the hands of sinners for W., to
suffer insult, and cruelty and death; and the
shadows had hot departed before the sun.
beams oi The first day OF the week, when tina,
bright messenger Of heaven descended, for
lear Vi whom the soldiers trenblcd, aud be.
came rs dead men, and the triumphant Sa.
viour uro'c IN glory from his sepnIchre.
\ Night Is sacred to the mourner. The
I bfiehlncss and hustle Of The day but III ac
cord with sorrow. lie meets the cold gaze
\ Of the lhoughlless aud the unsyinpulhlzlny
aud he longs tor the time Of silence. And
When night comes ~ It's peaceful stiffness,
N and no eye Is HAed on him but the eve Of his
heavenly Father, his thoughts soar away 10
the regions of immortality. There the eve
/ oi faith gaZes Oh those who "haye washed
| ,hcr robes and made them white in the blood
/ os Tie i.nnO, and Oh angels those bright
| spirlls who minister before the throne -
i lhrie he listens 10 the music Of eternity, and
wrapped III celestial musings, he leaves be.
hlnd this little world aud vanishing sorrows
lie kn,ws that his light affections, which
are bat Tor moment shall work out for han
far mure aud exceeding, even an eternal
weight at giory;" and he besses the hand
that has wounded bln, aud the grief, that has
\ led his affections irom The earth.
4 1T is sweet, amidst the calni subllmlty Of
II night, to think that Those We love mos, dearly
are, perhaps, looking down from their seat,
! oi holy blcsscdncss upon the poor wanderer.
they have left ~ The wilderness, and To feel
an Invisible claim uniting US TO the wo Id {
/ spirlis, aud 10 The parents aud friends who
have departed before us. But 1t il swectcr,
far swrc,er, 10 picture lhe bowng before the
! throne OF God, anG that God guiding us by
! his own Almighty power aud wisdom Then
!, Ne feel that tncy have not left US alone /; that
\ We have better father and Il better frlend :;
and instead at mourning our own loss, we
rejoice IN their blcssedncss. For death H.
HE Christian Is the portal through which hr
passes to The glory Of heaven. His Saviour
lia. thrown light over the grave--has oidcd
the dark valley, and purchased for ban in,.
mortal JOY aud with delight "hr grasps the
mighty vsIon," enters the presence Of IL.
King OF kings, and casts his crown at the
feet Of him who died 10 procure for bin that
transporting happiness.
Mos grand most beautiful, is that dark
vnut with is thousand lamps, and most holy |
coniempIaiICns ought II ever to produce -
BAT our minds are too seldom fitted tor such
musng. How often do we forget the hand
oi God and wonder on admlrng his works,
yet needless Of himself; o. Thou who did
hi first command tie light TO SHINE on, OF
Garknrss, shiuc into our hearts, that the !
beauties OF thy vast creation may lead as To
love thee, Ill we arrive at that blessed world. |
where we shall contemplate thee, not darkiy |
through The medium OF thy works, aud often |
by sin, hut face 10 face clearly aud sinlessly. /
and forever. Lad,s Gaiiand