Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-02-11
The Sky-Rocket Disciples.

READER, you have doubtless seen a sky
rocket. You saw it start in flash-go his
sing with its fiery train into the sky-spark-
lie for a moment, and leave all in darkness
again.
The Rocket, besides being the glory " of
stupid starers and loud huzzas," has some
other uses. 1t affords good illustration of
the character of "certain of the disciples"
There are some who start cut of the spir-
itual slumber now and then, like the rocket
bursting out of the darkness. Some flash
or other sets them in blaze. They were
powder, inert enough under the lock and key
Of the magazine. But the spark has fallen
and ignition has taken place
Now the suddenness of the start is not so
much the object of rebuke, as that moral
state which makes any thing like a start ne
cessary. Disciples, lights of the world"
should shine on like the unwearied sum-
Kindled once, they should burn with in
creasing brightness forever
The rocket dashes furious on its way-so
do some disciples. II is not the steady march
and firm step of the disciplined soldier-the
cool, determined advance of the veteran.-
The disciple, who so lived that he requires
to be started before he can do his duty, will
be likely to start offin some cratic course
as the rock, whose hardness requires powder
is likely to be scattered in dangerous frag-
ments. "Then you would rebuke all prompt
ness in religion" That hasty and rash in
ference of yours is the very sky-rocket sort
of proceeding at which / aim. | condemn
not enlightened, well directed zeal and en-
ergy in doing good. would throw my
whole body, soul and spirit into the scale in
favor of such course But l do condemn
fury and fierceness. l would not have man
leap in such haste from his bed, as to throw
himself through the window into the street
| rejoice in the speed and energy of my
horse, but beg of him not to dash the We
hicle to pieces. | would have my little SOL
promptly obey my commands, but not in sucl
haste as to knock his little sister down o.
break his own limbs over chair.
But the rocket. There it flies, brilian
and sparkling. But suddenly all is dark
ness So with that disciple. lie does no
endure. There was light and flame. Blu
they are gone out. He was swift winged
but his wings were wax. They have melt
ed. He flies no longer. Runs No =
Walks then No, not that. He has stop
ped movement altogether. Rocket like, h
has burnt All his glory has departed. Thu
transient CLEAN has left still deeper dark
ness.
Suppose that rocket to solloquise as i
goes cleaning up the sky. Such splendor
such elevation, such power, to excite the ga
ping wonder of the multitude, may well ex
cite some complacency. Thus" this i
grand How delightful to soar thus. Wha
a splendid train points out my path | ri
val the very stars of the armament A few
more of us would confound the sun AM
make the moon ashamed" SO of some vehe
ment disciples. "Give us but few kindre,
spirits, and how we would drive the Charlie
of salvation. As it now is, the great mas
of Christians around us look like rushlight
at MONDAY"
" You poor sorry thing" said the Rocket
as it saw the feeble glimmering of distan
lamp, "you poor sorry thing, burning dow
there all alone, nobody notices you. Yo
had better 90 out and done with it. Ho,
insignificant p
The Lamp modesty replied, "I canno
go like thyself. dear brother, cleaning int
the sky but trust have an useful thong
an humble employment, where | am. An
as for going out, am living, among othe
things, to do thee kind Office in return ft
thy present scorn. Notwithstanding all tn
present glory and triumph, l am expectin
every moment summons to thy funeral.
will shortly be true, brother, that ifthere b
anything of all thy glory worth looking TO
they will need my poor aid to find it, an
furnish it for decent burial"
A lamp in Zion, shining with a clear an
, steady light-afrm, faithful, enduring chri
tian, is better than a sky-rocket disciple
flashing and dazzling for an hasty momen
, and then sinking suddenly into darkness.
; Boston Recorder.