Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-10-05

~ "Ns N"S eSaiS SathStl1l III HeT
eyes. 'He did all for the best. But,
sometimes, when felt unusually de-
pressed, it, instead of opposing, as you
say, he had met me with tender sYmpa-
thy-had spoken some plying word
had seemed to feel with me and for me.
1t would have been like oil upon the wa.
ters Of my troubled heart. was weak.
know. and vain, and foolish. But
could not see this all at once. Oh, how
often and often have wished for some
woman's breast upon which to lay my
head But my weary path had to tread
alone
Mrs. Hartley, was touched at this.
Deeply do now blame MYSELF she
said, for not having followed the promp-
tlnss OF my heart when you first felt the
heavy hand Of misfortune. 1t was deli
cacy that kept me aWay-but now ack-
nosledge ii to have been false delica-
cy'
"A visit from an old friend who could
truly enter into my feelings, and help
me to bear up under painful trials, wonld
have been felt as a great kindness, in
stead of an intrusion: II would have
helped TO reconcile me to the change
which | had TO endure. But to have
every tie of friendship at once severed
to have Loneliness ami neglect added to
my other sources Of pain, was to crush
my spirits to the earth How | bore up
under all these circumstances I hardly
know. Not in M own strength, | am
sure
In that you have spoken truly. my
dear FRIEND Mrs. Hartley said quickly,
and with much emotion. Not in cur own
strength are we able to bear up under any
afiliction, much less one SO severe and
Iall-pervading as that through which YOU
have been called upon to pass. Though
your earthly friends stood aloof, yet One
Was intimately nigh TO sustain you, and
and impart strength according to your
day. And He has sustained you far bet
ter than could words of comfort and.
sympathy from any earthly friend. 1t
rejolces my heart to find that you have
learned to see the source from whence
true strength cometh.'
Il spoke but from deep sense of my
own weakness Cecilia replied to this.
Il cannot say that have been able truly
TO see the source from whence my
strength has come
You acknowledge an overruling Prov
idence.'
'Yes-l believe there is general o.
verFuling Providence.
And Providence regarding every
particular in mans life
That; / believe, is thought By many
to be the case. But don't Know
There is, have do doubt, general Prov
idence.'
Can there be any such thing, my
dear, as a geneaal providence, except
such as is made up Of particulars. A
whole cannot be conceived of without its
parts, from which the whole subsists. IT.
there is in regard to you, general prov.
Idence, it must be in consequence of an
aggregation Of particular providences.
But we need not reason upon this sub. |
ject. The word Of God fully instructs
US In regard to it. Even the very hairs
OF your head are numbered, was not spo-
ken as an unmeaning sentence. How
strikingly does it set forth the consoiing
doctrine Of particular and intimate
providence
But does not that seem a strange prov !
idence that should so suddenly cast
down, and SO painfully affict any one as
| have been afflicted
'We were born TO an eternal exis-
tence?'
'Yes fully believe that
TO which our brief stay upon this
earth will be as nothingS
Yes
Very well. Now from this fact, what
does reason teach you would be the op-
erations of Proyidence?' Would they
mainly regard this natural life. or an e.
ternai lfe?'
AN eternal life, should think Mrs.
Merlin said. after thoughtful pause.
Yes. certainly. For ;ha, is of inf
mite importance
Then you can understand. l suppose,
how if 1T were necessary to our eternal
good, even the deepest affections would
be sent:'
Yes
And can you not also understand an
mother and kindred truth, that as the
Lord is being Of infinite goodness, from
which must necessarily flow infinite COM
passion, he never suffers any to be Attic.
ted, unless it is necessary for their spir-
itual good!'
i suppose that would follow, uecessa-
rily.'
Very we'll. Then endeavor, in all
to make an application of this
truth to yourself. Let it be under your
feet as something to stand upon firmly. |
Let it lead you to close self-examina-
ton, land determine you to oppose every
principle that you discover within your
bosom that is rot true, and every affec-
ton that is not good. Then will you
be enabled to extract sweets from Bit |
ter cup--to find even in the gloomy night,
some bright star, to guide you. Pardon