Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-06-08
Human Life.

Reader, have you ever looked out upon the
deep, when it had become the sport of the tenn
pest Have you seen its restless agitation .
Have you marked it's multform changes Have
you listened to its murmurlngs, as its proud
waves we're borne along and dashed upon the
shore? And then have you marked how the
winds subside, and the storm abates its fury, and
the dark clouds dispense, and the king of day
looks forth again, and the waves obey the man.
date, "Peace, be still" and all is calm once
more? This is but mirror Of human life. Its
changes are as mighty and as sudden And yet,
we hurry on, i'll calm and sunshine, torgetful
that the storm is to (ollow-that the surface we
ride upon will not always be thus unrpped-
that it will be torn again by the fierce storm wind
its pillows rising to the stars, perhaps to bury us
forever in their descent. All how many no.
bic bark, " with mast, and helm, and pennon
fair" has thus gone down.
But life is a mysterious, as well as changelul
thing. The wonderful connection between mind
and body, how they are linked together, what
are their mutual relations and dependencies, how
they unite their agency in supporting life, how
the ties that bind them together are sundered by
death, in what manner, and through what medl-
UNI the immortal part is borne upward to its
source, how, after the mortal part has been long
dissolved and mingled with the dust we tread
upon, it will be terminated by the deathless spF-
it-aII this is yelled in mystery. Who can I'M
rayel it? Who can solve 1t p!
1t is wisely ordered, however, that this life
should be scene Of change, thing uncertain,
and unknown. 1t is we'll that it is neither all
sunshine, nor all shade, neither all calm, nor all
storm. 1t is well that it is scene of toll and
pain, as we'll as of rest and ease. There must be
bitter mingled with the sweet Where we find
the rose we must expect the thorn Thus we
shall be better fitted for the immortal life which
lies beyond the grave.
Life is problem, 1t is aproblem which eacI
one must solve for himself Ne matter how OBJ
scure and disconnected its successive steps, or
how small and seemingl insignificant the links
in the great chain of reasoning, or how lofty it:
heights, or low its depths. Every step must be
taken by each man for himself every knot unit
ed every mystery unraveled, every height seal
ed and every depth fathomed. Upon the ability
of each one to see and take the successive steps
and to tear away the mystery that shrouds them
depends his success in the accomplishment O.
life's great end What is the great business o
| life 1t is to prepare for another, and hIghci
state of being. 1t is to acquire that education
and discipline, and form that character, which
will best qualify man for the future and eterna
existence which awaits him. If this be not the
case, why those rich mental endowments will
which he is furnished! If these powers of mine
are not intended to be chiefly developed hercal-
ter, why are they not permitted to be carried tt
| full nor(action here9 Whv is If that the means
of discipline which man here enjoys are SO pre-
cisey adapted to exert upon him that influence
which will best fit him for future existence, ra
ther than the present! Why these instructive
longngs after such state of existence-long
ings which will not be repressed Why this in
stinctive belief that the lifetime of the soul
intending Who can give an answer to thos
questions, except upon the suppositon OF tu
ture world, for which it is our chief bushes
here to prepare ?-RecOrdcr.