The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1846-03-11
From the Mother. Mar,rine.
CTERFTLyESS, 1 CHRISTIAN DTTT.

clERgFrLSESS, 1 CHRISTIAN DTTT.
They have i wrong impression Of truC
religion. who regard il - aasiere or glOO
ny. VISIONS ways are pIeasanIness
and all her PATHS are peace" "Ths
fruit Of the Spiri, is love. joy, peace, long
suffering, geiliieness. goodness, faith, meek
ness, temperance. IN such a cluster
there can be no bitterness. Love casieth
out fear; joy is unspeaksble and full oI
glory; peace passelh understanding; long
suffering gives patience; genlleness curbs
passion; goodness brings sonlenimcni
faiIh inspires confidence; meekness nc.
psesscs anger; temperance imparis hsahh.
How then can he, IN whose soul such fruil
Is i5uBd, be regarded as child Of sorrow
Is he not rather child of peace. who may
rejoice in his heritage with JOY unspeak.
able and full OF glory,
Too many christians, however, give &C.
casion Of reproach in this matter. They
are impatient under petty trials, frc,fnl un-
der s.sRRSIn.!e@ssas sssaal IN saagsg agg
be made for diversity Of natural temporal
ment. Some arc always disposed to look
on the cloud rather than the Sunshine;
to remember the hours Of darkness rather
than the days Of peace; and such .em-
peramcn, yill shade and color their reli-
gious character. There is, however. a
duty binding on US all "to lay aside the
sin that doth so easily beset u.s." God
commands us TO be cheerful, not with the
JOY Of the world, but to joy in God. Re-
joice in the Lord always; rejoice ever.
more, are the directions OF the Apostle.
Why are not these commands as binding
as any found in the sacred pages! And
il so, there is plain duty for every chris
tian to cultivate a cheerful, happy temper,
remembering that "godliness with con.
tentmsnt is great gain"
This duty | propose TO illustrate by a
few familiar suggestions. love to look
upon religion as the light sent 10 scatter
darkness, the balm TO heal all our woes
and hence ! love TO see her welcomed, and
those whom she blesses with her smile,
sitting under the shadow OF her wing, hap.
py and full of JOY. And why should il
not be so! Religion does not deprive us
Of any sources Of joy, but rather adds
countless blessings 10 our cup. What
does she take from us! Does she cloud
the sunshine that plays around our path,
or withhold the rain that waters our herr.
tage! Does she veil the moon or stars
from our eyes. and clothe the heavens in
darkness Does she crush the flowers
beneath our feet, or blight the yerdure on
which we tread! Oh, no but new beau.
ties, new voices of melody are given to all
the works of God. No eye enjoys them
more, no heart has deeper sympathy
with them, than the christians. They
are his-his sons, as fathers work, a
fathers gift, They speak in his ear a
fathers power, wisdom, love and care.
Does religion darken social or domestic
life , Docs she sunder the blessed ties oil
affection, or quench the love Of man Ia
fellow-man No; but she hallows all ;
she makes all more tender. She com.
forts, she blesses every household into
which she enters. In their joy she binds
heart to heart in closer bonds and purel
enjoymen,s. In their bereavemen,s she
whispers the hope of eternal reunion.
What then takes she awayi Go, look
on earth's son. Mark that Keeling drunk.
ard, his imbecile body, his besotted mind
look in upon his wretched family,
From his lips religion would dash the cur
of death, TO his body restore health, TO his
mind peace, to his household happiness
Look on that child Of mirth, In the gid.
dy dance, amid the sound of revelry and
the gurgle of wine. he grovels, seeking
pleasure, but finding sting, Him reli
gion would lead from these broken els
terms, and pour into his soul tide of JOY
that will flow without ebb for ever more
Are these gloomy workings--thcse the