The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1852-01-03

! affairs of earth! How sad the lot of man.
The hand Of industry would hang feebly
down, and the stir and carnestncss of lfs
would give place to lascitude, dispair, and
death. Ours, then, are the pleasures of
hope, for which we offer Thanksgiving TO
God.
But another remains to be noticed
pure, rich, deep, and inexhaustable. al
lude TO the pleasures of derotion. Too
many, fear. have suffered themselves to
fanish in the midst of plenty, by neglect
ing to seek for ''fullnees of ioy'' from this
the only fountain which munificcnt God
has provided for man. Others may ask
IN the sccrn and unbelief Of the great
Captain Of Syria's host ,-"Arc not Arba-
ma and Pharpar better than all the streams
of Israeli" Are not the amusement..
the successes, the honors, and the gains
Of earth sufficient to satisfy the most ex-
orbitant desire? We answer no. They
have not, do not, cannot, were never in
tended 10 satiate the quenchless thirst
within for perfect bliss. Until we apply
to the "blest Fountain" opened for us bv
our 1ncarnate God, disappointment must
be our doom! Here the burthened heart
may find deliverence from its burden
the homeless wandercr in the orphanage
of rebellion may find Fathers house,
and Fathers care. Here the lvid lep-
rosy Of sin may be washed to whiteness,
and the death Of transgression changed to
life and hope.
| Nor is this all the purging away of
sins that are passed, and restoration to the
favor and friendship of God, is but the
vestibule, the mere porch of the majestic
temple which we enter. Beyond it lies
the "peace which is as a river, and the
Righteousness which is as the waves of
the sea"-the 'joy that is unspeakable
and full of glory" and the boundless. bot
tomless, shoreless, ocean Of infinite love.
And could we but see and hear as the
spirits Of the just made perfect, we should
doubtless behold the shining ones of heav-
en- thronging the concavc above us; and
the very air would become vocal with the
rustling of their golden pinions, as they
hastcd on errands of love and good will to
those who worship God. The mountains
and the valiics would be seen thronged
! with the ''chariots and the horsemen of
fire." sent forth to guard the righteous on
their journey TO the skies. Nay, more;
the spirit of the truly devout, though
housed in this tabernacle of clay, will
poise itself on the wings of devotion, and
swiftly passing-far beyond sun, moon
and stars-alght amidst the shining hosts
of the redeemed, and surrounded by the
inet1able glory join the deep-toned anthem
of the mighty seraphim; or pressing to the
very feet of the King immortal, invisible,
and eternal, pour forth its gratitude ''un-
to Him who hath loved it and washed it
in his own blood" and ''made it meet for
the inheritance of the saints in light
Oh! how transcendanIly benevolent is
that God who has thus provided for the
bliss Of his creature, man! Well may a
poet exclaim-
''Rivers of love and mercy here,
/ In = rich ocean 0in
! Salvation In abundance flows.
Like foois Of milk and wine.'
These are the cnnobling pleasures Of
which kind Creator has made us capa-
bic; and for our full qualification in which,
ample provision is made. And for these
; should we most devoutly olier up our
thanksgiving to God.
A second cause of gratitudeis found in
our social condition. /. Life-the gift of
God, is ours. Some of our dear friends
have ''gonc to that bourne from whence
no traveller returneth." We have COM
mitted their ''dust, unto the dust as it
was" and their spirits have gone to the
God who gave them. The active limb,
the beating pulse, the glowing check, and
the sparkling eye, lie cold and still in
death. We will most sacredly cherish
the mementos of their affection and while
we bedcw their graves with the tears Of
remembrance, we will most devoutly bow
to the sovereign arbitrament of Him who
doeth all things well. Indeed, in our be-
reavcments, we have much cause of graf
itude; for though we weep yet it is not a.
those who have no hope.
The little one, torn from the bosom Of
an afectionate mother by death 5 cold hand,
is freed forever from the ills and woes of
time-and is now embraced in the COM
passionate arms of Him who said "suffer
little children TO come unto me, and for
bid them not, for Of such is the kingdom
Of heaven"
The man Of years, or middle age.
whose peace was made with God, called
home; Ike the veteran, ''when wars are
o'er"-waves high the victor's palm, and
wears the well won laurels Of the con-
! querer amidst the beatitudes of the heav-
en- Of heavens! And though We may SEQ
them not again on earth, yet the resuree-
tion morn shall give them back; and we,
if found worthy, shall join with them in
the glorious shout, Of the redeemed from
earth, over their last nemy,-pEATH,-
swallowed up in victory.
i 2. Health, that first and most important
of temporal mercies; upon which all 9TH