Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-01-17

A SKETCH FoRTHE CLOSE OF THEYEAR
M JOHN u. wARLAsD.

bat IN the issue elevated and exalted.
Ii evey opportunity, for which you are
my debtcr, has not been improved as it
might have been-yet you have done
well, though others have done better.
Moments have been lost. and you must
have been more than mortal not to have
suffered some to pass by unimproved
and + r,unate is it for you at This hour
thai these were in your more juvenile
days"
you took from me the wife Of my
bosom-O what can have gained by
shat loss 7"
II gave her 10 thee. and ] took her
away. So far, we are even. But you
have been the gamer. Look have ]
net pissed mnch to your credit on that
score, Were not your thoughts, be-
fore called her away, centered on the
earth, and did not raise them to
heaven 7 What .possesion of earth,
though but little inferior in beauty to
angels, will you weigh against an in
heritance in the realms Of bi.s, where
you " i'll again meet your partner !
stole her from your bosom, il is true
but did | not plant principles there,
which have sinre sprung up and I'M
parted new existence to your soul
principl that will ou,live the perish
,ng tabernacle Of clay which eneloses
,hrm. Sorrow you have known by this
bereavement but you came forth from
,he trial like gold from the furna CO.
"But you might have spared my
only boy, just budding into lovelincss
and beauty p
"Blame not my actions; ! do the
will ofOne higher than us all. He
was cut down ere The temptations Of
the world nred him astray from the
paths Of virtue-ere the blast of its im-
purities had suIled his pnre spirit
You are a gamer 10y these losses, and |
have given you much credi, in my
Ledger on their account"
"You have temptations innumerablc
aLIlnst me; 1T is like lending me false
COIN
Yes !" he replied, land you may be
thankful tina, you have resisted 50 many
of then--and enabled me to give you
70 much credit therefor. They are no
base coin, but the true touchs,ones Of
The soul- the tests of its purity. In
resisting them consists true merit--in
sich cubinss Of the spirit, in such
checking Of the weak part Of our ma
ture, you have come off conqucror
may times and oft, and in this have
shown yourself superior to thousands
who have horne the names of phios-
piers and sages. have given you
chlnces To err. but you turned away
from them and Instead your being
my debtor have become yours True
greatness consists as much in avoiding
errors, that have been committed by
men since the world began, as in doing
great actions"
You took from me all my fortune
the accumulated earnings Of years Of
toll, labor. and suffering"
Suffering! Honor not with that
name the rubs which you get in the wal
for riches. You were reduced from
atfluence to poverty was not your soul
wrapped up in the love ofgain Were
not riches your God--your idol 2 Did
yoH not often take from others, that
you might enrich yourseIf' gave
YOU IN opportunity to learn lesson of
prudence and wisdom but il passed by
unimpro,ed, You went on, from day
To day, adding to your almost exhausted
stnck-had | not taken from you what
was dearer than life, you would now
trcmble at my account against you"
IL im content" | exclaimed "you
have dealt fairly with me. Strike the
balance; ifit goes agains, me, am un-
Lone-the f'ut lie at my door %
1t is done II thought it not am
your debtor to a very small amount !"
81 then am the dun Pray, take
your own time--if you please pass
the balance to MY cred, OIL the new
page"
mo must begin again square,
Here is my note, payable in eternity.
When presented, will be there to take
up. IL is for small sum; but by the
time il comes due, when you and the
nation of which you arc a part, are no
more, it will be trebled, billions Of
times, and out-valuc all the possessions
fthis world"