Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-11-19
Tile DYING HOUR.

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THE DYING HOUR
If the experience Of the dying hour
could be faithfully written, the thoughts
that then filllhe brain, like the last inhab.
itants Of a crumbling temple, and the feel
ings that then occupy the chilled heart,
be revealed to the eye Of sense, what a
view would bo displayed The period Of
dissolution brings with it emotions OF Pc
culiar character. There arc NJ that time
operations through which the soul never
before passed. Nothing appears in It's
old aspect. Like a splendid hall, which
has been hung in new drapery, each OBJ
iect wears different dress. Opinions,
tha, the strongest force Of argument could
not compel to withdraw ffom the mind,
then hastily depart; prelu ices that root
ed themselves more and more deeply, al
every attack, then bend Be iorc the blast
cherished feelings, that the bosom bad
ever chung to, then are hated, and desires
,hu, had ever found home beside ailcc-
TONS altar, then are banishod. What
fearful change is this, that then befalleth
the spirit 7 Are the faculties then so
weakened as to prevent It from thinking
and feeling Alright No; it now sees
things as they are. Falsehood has ceas.
ed to obscure it's vision. Truth. long de-.
prvcd OF her authority, long forced 70
crouch like n slave, obtains her rightul
station, and shows that the pretended ma
ture of the word, is very unlike its real
character o, what all hour is this -
When the soul is aroused to the true rela-
tons Of objects--when mistakes are seen,
but alas, too late for correc,lon--when
eternity's importance and awe enter into
the decisions, wishes, and feelings OF the
mind
The hour of death In this brief space
the pas, is reviewed. How treacherous
memory may have been on thousand &c.
casions, she now acquits herself with n
deity. Omits she now to unroll the re-
cord. which her hand had 50 often clasp
cd Is she like the trumpet, that blow
eth an uncertain soundf' Life's histo.
nv her tongue now repeats for
gotten scenes are recalled, and buried
events are brought up before the eye
Over the long path which we have made,
she leads US; here she stops to mediate
on some dark deed there she shows an
other way into which passion hurried US.
Have we injured frienasl Have the true
and fond bosoms on which we rested been
pierced by the darts or unkindnessl Mem
ory presents il. Have we performed acts
oil generosity Have the oesolation OF
the widow been cheered, and the lonell-
ness Of the orphan been relieved by us
! Has the path of one individual lost a thorn
by our instrumentality, or the wreath OF
love had one rose added by our hands p
! Delighted with the occurrence, memory
repeats it in strains of exnltatIon. Crowd
ed into this narrow period, the moments
resemble the waves that now dance IN tho
sunlight 10 the music OF the breeze. and
now flow on in solemn silence beneath the
shade Of overhanging boughs. But does
the past alone employ the fugitive hour
| That hour, imagination also makes her
own. Whatever may have numbered us
operation is now removed. LoitIer and
lreer than ever scars it wing. Over the
highest summit ii easily rises, borrowing
life from death itself.
The dying hour tits then that Time
and we arc parted. Though he may have
led us over a diversified way, we then for
sake hun he continues to travel on, II
4 his own course, but we are ushered into
new condition. Cares cease TO distress. =
The last tear falls from the eye, the las
SIGH escapes from the bosom. Darkness
gathers upon The earth, relieved only b,
that pure light which proceeding from
Heaven hath power to glld the CLOSING
scene. Mortality. shrink not from TN
hodrl Pursue yirtue-let religion be tn,
study, O man, and whenever and wherey
er this event occur it shall find thee hop
PLY prepared, Whether death meet The
( al tho door when midnight rcigneth, 2
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