Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-01-11

| lay by food in summer for winter? Is that
] all the forethought you win use? Think
over what have been speaking of--thiok
again, and again, aud again--and verify. socn
would You begin to pray. Lord lift thou up
the light Of thy couutenance upon me-" And
is not this good prayera Does it not car
ry our thought precisely where they should be
carried upon CHS New Years day Would
it not .be to say, II have tried che world,
it does not satisfy. Nor, | give myself to
4 Christ, to be made like him, that may serve
him. and partake of bis happiness forevera
j But let US see what this prayer means
"Lord lift thou up the light Of thy counte-
nance upon us" In the FIRST place as just
said it means, that we are not satisfied With
living like the poor dumb beasts. We are
not satisfied fully with anything the world
gives neither with its joys-nor its pleas
ures--nor its riches--nor its honors. Well
| cannot but help thinking it would be very
wise In us thus to feel For even supposing
these things do satisfy US to the full noao,
yet soon they will be taken from us. What
then? nothing. Therefore it is wise in us to
feel the comparative emptiness of these world
ly things. Oh! my friends let us not live
and die, as have read of some mere man of
the world, who, upon his death bed said. "he
had nothing to accuse himselfof--b because he
had never denied himself anything he want.
| ed"
Another meaning 10 this prayer is--that
while the world cannot satisfy US God can.
And is not this true? Who gives US all the
happiness we enjoy now? Why are we not
wretchedly poor, or sick, or in trouble? Can
any of you answer? Why have we had SO
many days of pleasure during our lifei God
only has been the author of all the happiness
we ever had. And do you suppose that this
God, who can do all things, has exhausted
his power. 10 making this world ana supplying
us with means of enjoyment? such notion
would be just as silly as that of the mouse in
the fable. who one day climbing to the top of
| the chest in which it had been born, saw TIE
large garnet in which the chest was, and ex-
claimed Il had no idea the world was SO
large God my brethren, can do great
things. There is 10 telling-the Highest
Arcbangel. do not believe, could tell all that
God has in store for his people. His powers
and abilities are not to be measured by the
little exhibition of enjoyment We have in this
world "Oh how greats Thy goodness which
thou has laid up for them that fear thee p
Our happiues hereafter will be wonderful
But even in this world, it will be increased
if We be God children. The happiest peo-
pie | know, are Christian people Yes, my
brethren, while worldly things cannot satisfy
us, God can /; and God WILL if we pray to
Him Then, is it not good prayer-tbis
prayer of the text
We all know, because we have felt the diff
ference. between dark cloudy day of Win
ter aud the bright cheerful day of the early
Spring. Or again. the difference in our feel
ings when we are walking, between the dark
ness of midnight and the light OF noon day.
How different our feelings, how lightsome and
glad our hearts in the brightness of the pleas
ant day. So when we pray the Lord, to lift
up the light of his countensuce, what is it
but to pray that be would dispel the gloomy
mists through which we walk, and that be
would cause us to be happy filed with hap
piness here and forever Oh let US not walk
10 the darkness of sin, when we may have the
! brightness Of Gods countenance to gladden.
us and to cheer US.
| And now my brethren, would not such q
prayer as this, fervently prayed, prayed until
the Lord in mercy sent down the brigh beams
of his countenauce upon us. would not such
prayer say, be for cur good? We are not
merely sinful creatures, bat we are very weak
and helpless. We cannot see even one mo-
ment ahead We know not what danger may
be before us--and even when we know. it is
not always we can ward it of. Would it not
be we'll then for us to know We have God.
Father, Friend, who is pledged to work
all things for our good; and to feel that no
HARM no danger will be permitted to come
nigh US; that Friend who ''sticketh closer
than brother" will ever be at our side;
that Father who loves US more than earth
ly parents, will SO guide. so guard, so pro-
tect US, that even 10 the hour Of death. We
shall be able to say, Thy rod, thy staff com
fort me-" David said this, yea, every Saint
who ever died was permitted to say it. We
too my brethren, if we pray Lord lift thou
up the light Of thy countenance upon us,
We too will be able to say--when the dark
waters are going over our heads, tiny red.
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