The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-03-27
SHORT PATENT SERMON.
BY DOW, Ja.

How the four seasons in four form
appear,
Resembling human life in every forn
they wear :
Mr. HEARERS. shall preach 10 you, upol
I this occasion, in laconic syle-wen file,
with meaning, or replete with nothingness--
whichever you may choose. You are abou
to perform another annual round in your NOR
tal existence--or, rather take another hitct
towards the Dark Valley of Death, where
beggar and king, friend and foe, lie down
as costly together as a couple of dead rab.
bits Don't be too sure Of not slipping up,
and receiving fatal fall before you reac h
the mile stone upon which is written Janu
AIRY /, 1882. Be careful what road you take
Consider also, we'll which is the better mode
of travelling-Putting boiler in your stom'
achs, and raising the steam with alcohol, is
very unpleasant and dangerous way getting
along. You are liable to run off the track
and do irreparable damage TO your reputa.
,ions, if not to your carcases. Because why
Reason is not your engineer. If You
straddie the high.mettled mare Of fancy, she
may kick up her heels before you know il
and pitch you headlong into the dust of SO.
Der reality. The re is much beautiful seen.
cry on the road that leads from this year to
the next. To see, appreciate and admire it
all, advise you to perform the journey on
foot. Take the staff of hope in your hard
have your knapsack well filed with faith
and fortitude The latter article ir first
rate under shirt wher blow the cold winds
OF adversely. Put plenty of bread and,
cheese Of charity in your pockets-be eco
nomical in your expense-and keep scratch
ing the gravel, as indusriously as an old
hen with family of fourteen chickens.
You viii go slow at the fastest; but then
you will have chance 10 behold the beau.
ties Of the everchanging landscape. and
thus lar experience the pleasures Of life's
pilgrimage. know, however, that you will
not all take the same road, nor trot along
with the same Jog Some will go one way.
and some another. Some will wander far
away from the paths of propriety--ramble
through the woods in search Of the wild
flowers Of pleasure, which are fascinating
70 the eye, but as wanting in fragrance as
the blossoms that bloom upon the bonneits
of our city bellies. Some will take short cuts
some cut across lots, and find themselves
at last where it is impossible for them to be
found
My friends, how many do you suppose Of
those around us-say take the whole human
live stock OF New York-wil lack the wind
10 hold out till the first of January nextl
More, perhaps, than you imagine. Ere a
single month shall have rolled over you,
hundreds of ) our fellow creatures will have
fallen by the way-side. Many and many
who now fancy that they have got good
foohold, and have both physical and men,
tai strength to hold out for twelvemonth,
will be compelled to lay down 10 die, just
as the buds begin opening and the birds
commence singing. Its rather hard, but 1t
caa't be helped-as an old maid (an ac-
qualntance of mine) remarked when | told
her that young men preferred external atrac.
lion 10 intrinsic worth.
My worthy friends! 10 come little closer
TO my text, the four seasons of the year are
as emblematcal Of human life, in its differ.
ent stages, as any picture that could possibly
be painted by the pencil Of Nature. Spring,
with her young buds and opening blossoms,
is emblematical of youlh-=when the jessa-
mine, violets, and other flowers of Joy and
happiness spring up as suddenly from the
warm, rich soil Of the heart as toadstools az
ter an April showeh Summer, with her
green leaves and thick foliage, is fair rep.
resenia,ive of mahhood@swhsn man is in
the full prime, vigor and vitality of being.
He finds the loveliesi OF flowers surrounding
him wherever he strays but no new ones
starting to bloom in the garden of Hope 1t
is mid summer with him, and he must make
up his mind 10 soon fade, as fades the most
beautifulest Gas my friend Shakespeare would
say of American calico, when dipped in
tub of hot soap-suds. Autumn is a capital
counterpart, d age. His gray hairs and
frosted whiskers plainly tell to his cotempo-
iaries, the men of years, that the rosss in
lie s wfea'as ara ,s-' as. %.%isiing, anu sas'
nothing save the sun Of Immortality can re-.
new their brightness and beauty. Winter
whispers death and the tomb. The snow
flakes that SO lightly fall, i,se feathers, upon
the graves of our kindred, remino rs OF 'ne
SHOWS that gently descend upon the already
hoary head of extreme old age. But the old
man soon dies, and goes 10 his long home,
about which we living mortals know no more
than caterpillar does Of future butterfly ex-
istence.
Ny dear friends! new year is now before
you, make the most and the best OF it you
can. So mote it be
II Several persons concerned in the
spiritual knockings in Milwaukee city, have
80 4 r n <xlxf uxk.st