Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-09-10
RELIGIOUS IS.
Live not to Yourself.

Live not to Yourself,
On the fra little stem in the garden hangs the
opening rose Go ask why it hangs there? 81 hang
here" says the beautiful flower, "to sweeten the air
which man breathes, TO open my beauties, to kindle
emotion in his eye to show him the hand Of his God
who penciled each leaf and laid them thus on my bo
som. And whetheryou find me here to greet him eve
ny morning, whether you find me on the lone noun
tain side with the bare possibility that he will throw
me one passing glance my end is the same. ] live not
to myself"
Beside yon highway stands an aged tree, solitary
and alone. You see living thing near it, and you
say, surely that must stand for itself alone. "No"
says the tree "God never made me for purpose so
small. For more than hundred years have stood
here. In summer | have spread out my arms and
sheltered the painting focks which fastened to my
shade In my bosom have concealed and protected
the brood of young BIRDS as they lay and rocked in
their nests; in the storm have more than once re-
coived in my body the ligh,nng's bolt which had else
DESTROYED the traveller; the which ! have ma
tured from year to year, have been carried far and
near, and groves of forest oaks can claim their
on my top for the humming- bird which has paused and
refreshed its gidGy wing, ere it danced away again
like blossom of the air. for the insect that has found
a home within the folds of my bark,--and when can
stand no longer, shall fall by the hand Of man, and
shall go to strengthen the ship which makes him lord
of the ocean, and to his dwelling to warm his hearth
and cheer his home. | live not to myself"
ia tbo C,lvnr
brook in the distance resembling the ribbon of silver,
running aud leaping 1t dashas oyousy and fearless
ly down. Go ask the leaper what it is doing. 81 was
born" says the brook, "high up mounan but there
| could do no good; and so am hurrying down, run
ming where can, and eapng where must but hast
ening down to water the sweet valley, where the thrs
ty cattle may drink, where the lark may sing on my
margin, where | may drive the mill for the accommo-
daton of man, and then widen into great river, and
bear up his steamboats, and shipping and finally plunge
into the ocean, to rise again in vapor, and perhaps
come back again in the cloud to my own native noun
tain, and live my short life over again. Not drop of
water comes down my channel iii whose bright face
YOU may not read, "None Of us Weth to himself"
Speak now to that star that hangs in the far verge of
heaven, ana ASK Inc DTISI SpdlhlCI Nliul IL upHS
there? It's voice comes down the path of life and cries
am mighty world. ! was stationed here at the
creation. ! was among the morning stars that sang
together and among the of God that shouted for
Joy at the creation Of the earth
AYE, was there
When the radiant of creation broke,
And the world in the smile OF God awoke,
And the cmptv realms of darkness and death
Were moved through their depths by his mighty breath,
And the orbs of beauty and spheres of flame
From the void abyss, by my riads came,
In the JOY of youth, as they dartcd away
Thloughhc widening wastes ofspace to play,
Their silver voices in chorus Iung
And this was song the bright sung
Here, among the morning stars, hold my place, and
help to keep other worlds balanced and in their places,
l have and mountains, and support myrads of
immortal beings on my bosom and when have done
this, send my bright beams down to earth, and the
sailor takes hold of the helm and fixes his eye me,
and finds his home the ocean. Ofal the count
less hosts of my sister stars, who walk forth IN the
great space of creation not one-not one lives and
shines for herself"
And thus God has written upon the flower that
sweetens the air upon the breeze that rocks that flow
or on Its stem, upon the ram drops that swell inc NIGH
ty river upon The dew drop that refreshes the smallest
sprg of that its head in the desart, upon
the ocean that rocks every swimmer in its chambers,
upon every penced shell that sleeps in the caverns
ofthe deep, as well as uponthe mighty sun that warns
and cheers the millions of creatures that live in his
Light upon all has he written, "None of us veth to
himself"
And if you will read this lesson in characters still
more distinct and striking, you will go to the Garden
of Gethsemane, and hear the Redeemcr in prayer
while the angel of God strengthens him. You will
read it on the hill of calvary, where voice that might
be the concentrated voice Of the whole universe OF
God, proclams that the highest, noblest deed which
the Infinite can d. to do good to othersto live not
to himself-ReU j. Todd