The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-08-12
TIE THRESHOLD OF LIFE.

i /
Rev Bishop Doane Of New jersey TO tbs
E graduating class of young ladies, Al. 81. Ma
lry's Hall, Burlington, delivered At the re-
ficeat Commencement" Of that Institution
/. lin March of The present year. tis alike
worthy ofperGsal, not merely from it ex
tsen,e beauty and imPressseness, but from
the lesson Of instruction and affectionate
!exhoF,aiion it ,caches. |, also shows 10 .
marked degree "what manner Of man.
I,Iie right reverend speaker is.-Ed. Cour.
i tFrosa the Hammer Of the cross)
! Beloved ones. you stand upon the thres-
hoid of your life. "Some natural tears"
One long, last, lingering look. One .imid,
lhaIf.nquiriag, forward glance. And i 10
Ipassed. /. was much less to pass the ku.
uicon.
Beloved ones, while yet we stand TO-
igether on the threshold, hand 10 hand,
bear, pressed to loving heart, let me,
for the last, loving time, address you
as M children. Never before was i tru-
ily SO. There are times, ssmollid ten,Por0
! fanii,' as poet hints, at them: moments
when the hart sofens to the tongue
| times of sorrow. times Of common danger,
times Of q common suffering; when tender
est natures grow more tender, and besrfs
lths, cling more closely. You have been
mine, at such time; BEsosI, children Of
mp sorroto And in the light Of your dear
eyes, and ID the nusic Of your loving lips,
and 10 the swelling OF your fond hearts, !
have found comfort, such as daughters on-
iIy give. The tenderer, The ,Tuer, the
more touching, the more treasured, In my
hear, Of hearts, for all the months, and all
the wears, ita, we have lived, and loved TO-
gether; and that some Of you were laid, as
tender lambs, upon my boaom, By the dear
Shepherd Of Us all, before your months
we're counted, yet IN years.
Beloved ones, YOU are an Old mans
daughters; and for the comfort Of your love
he gives vou--t is ell he has to to give
his love, his blessing, and his prayers. Be-
loved ones. never looked upon you with .
pang before. The kindling eye, the curl
ing liz, the cleaning smile, the murmured
welcome; these met me always, when |
came to yoa; and made sunshine in the
shades, place of life. How sadly, different
nows Az, when loving mother sends her
eldest daughter ,c her newly welded home
And tears make showers, in sunshine.
with the smiles upon her face. And she'
looks every where for what she has yet IN
her hand. And goes, "a dozen times to the
sne place for what she might know is not
there. And presses both her hands upon
her bosom, which she feels bursting.
And looks anxiously again, and still
again, for the invidious carriage which II
to bear away her darling. And hears the
wheels, before they fairly turn. And still
repeats, and repeats, the tEite and needless
caution. And feels that she shall certain.
INV forget what she most longs to say.
And not say what she feels because she
feels it most Farewell.
Beloved ones, you stand upon the tbres-
bold of life may not keep you back.
would not, if | might You came here
10 prepare for it. God calls you now to
enter en- it. | must speed the parting
guests. although they take my heartstrngs
eut with them. lspeed you, my beloved,
in the name and strength of God. ] speed
YOU in the might and merit Of the Cross.
speed you. in The cleansing comfort Of tho
Dove. /, is GODS world. You are bis
children. If YOU trust Him. He will shell
ter you. lfyou submit to Him, lie will
guide you. If you love Him, He will save
you. Take with you, my beloved, as
your inseparable companion, His most holy
word. Make il the book of your hearts
and your lives. Never leave your cham
bers withou. portion Of il in your minds,
Tor meditation through the day. Never
leave your chambers without acknowledge
ing, upon your knees, the answer that bles-
sed YOU for your pillow, aud invoking The
divine protection to restore you to it again.
Seek, with frequent foot, the place where
PRAYER is made Make it your BETHLE-
uEm-fhe house of liring bread, Nor deem
YOU have it, FOR The nature of your souls,
for Heaven;tiIl, with true, pentant and
faithful hearts YOU feed ON that which your
dear Savior blessed, and said: This is my
body
Beloved oaes, vou are to stand, one day
upon the threshold Of another life. That
which YOU now enter is but the longer or
the,shorter road 10 leadiyou tot. How long,
how short, He only knows who is himself,
TuE LIFE. How long, how short, il mat
ters not. if Il secure YOU 10 dis love. In
mercy OF the Father, who made you, in the
merit ofthe Saviour. who redeemed you,in
the grace OF the Spirit, who desires TO sane
,ify you; the way 10 DO it, however short,
is sure. You 90 on it, henceforward, my
beloved, with my blessing. You 60 on It
with the maternal warnings OF this nur-
sery ofvour youth. You go on il with the
drawers of the Holy Church, commended
10 the mercy seat by the intercession OF
your suffering Lord. Hold fast to your al
leoiance as children Of the Cross. So shall
the life you are to enter now be the safe
passage 10 The threshold Of the next. So
shall s.the grave and DEATH be but the
threshold OF your immortality.
| Our neiehbors Of the Democrat pub
llished a capital paper Yesterday. II was
Iincomparably the best paper they ever
published in their lives. Each Of the ed.
.orial articles was sound, true, honest, 'nd