Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-09-23
AMietionS.

W nOeVer cOnSitlsrS the manIoid caiamites 20
which mankind are exposed in the present state.
mast feel some emotions Of sorrow. s n has in
troduced great misery, aud universal disorder into
The world No person, however mean and obscure.
or eminent and exalted, can stand inrulnersbIe
against the arrows Of adversty.a II is however
the peculiar privilege Of good man, that though.
alike with others, he be partaker Of the sufsrings
OF humanity, yet he sees wise haud directing
every event.. and rendering al subservient 10
grand and glorious end. He desires 10 learn the
noble lessons OF patience and subm ssiou while his
heart glows with gratitude to Him, to whom be ia
indebted for every comfort he enjoys, and without
whose permission he knows no evil can trsnspire.
Ebenezsr Adams celebrated Quaker of Phiia.
dslphia, on visiting lady OF rank, whom he found
six months after the death Of her husband sitting
on sophia, covered with black cloth, and in ali
:h dignity Of woe, approached her with great
sOlemnty and gently taking her BY the hand. thus
accosted her,-"So friend see tiat asoH kast not
ct forgiven God Ain .ghty - This seasonabe re-
proof had such an ef.ct upon the person to whom
it was addressed, that she Immediately had all her
trappings of grief destroyed, and went sbeut her
necessary business and avocatioHs. "A word spo-
ken in due season, how good is it, -
Affections though not blessings in themselves,
yet when saaeti6ed are productive of great good
| 70 them who are exercised thereby. Even Deme
srius, heathen, could say, "Thst nothing could BE-
more unhappy than a man who had never kn5wa
afiliction." Aud one who was not heather mas
left it on record, THAT it was good for him to be
afflicted" Let Us not therefore sink into desp6n-
dency under view of approaching Difficulties;
nor suffer our imaginations TO dwell with horror
on supposed future events. "The evils aud attic
tions Of this life, indeed, appear lie rocks aud
preeipices, rugged and barren, alta dS,ance; but
at our nearer approach we shall find little fruitful
spots, and freshng springs mixed With the harsh
tess and deforIniiies Of nature" -1fi
A minister was recovering from dangerous
illness, when one of his friprds adlressed him thus
"Sir, though Col seems to be bringiag YOU up
from The gates of DEATH yet it wild be a long time
before you WI Sufficiently retrieve your strength,
and regain yigor enough to preach as Usual"
The good man answered, "You are mastaken my
fric1d; for this six weeks illness has Taught ale
more d.y;Lity ihan all nay past studies. and ali my
ten years ministry pat together" .f
1t is related Of one, Woo, under great severity,
had fed from tue worst of misters to the best, q
mean no had sought rest in the bosom Of Jesus.
Christ, the eommon frieLd Of the weary and the
heavy sdeD,l that he was 50 impresse with sesse
Of the benefit he had derived from his af3 etions
that lying on his death-bed and seeing his master
statldag by, be eagerly caught the hands of his
oppressor, and kissing them said, These hand.
have brought me to heaven Thus many have
reason to bless God for Affections, as being the in
struments in his hand of promoting the welfare
their immortal souls! -s
Il is said Of Dr.. W., that from his must ear
infancy to his dying day he scarce ever knew what
health was yet we are told tha, he looked upon
this aflicton the greatest blessing Of his life
And the reason be assigned for it was, that, beng
| naturally OF warm temper and an ambitious die-
position these visitasicns of Divine Providence
weaned his affections from the world. and brought
every passion into subsection to the Divine will