True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-08-01

Nature had wrought to govern divine spirits;
There is heaven, because there's misery,
The divine power ever blest and good,
Made not the world for an ill natur'd jest,
To sport himself in pains of those he made
There is rest for the weary,-yes, poor
storm-tost voyager On life's ocean, rest for
the. Are you not weary? / know it
seems as if the clouds would never break,
but the dawning will soon come, and you'll
feel then that the day shines brighter, af-
ter such dark night of sorrow. God has
placed you in this world of wo, only for a
little while, however, for Hc is preparing
q bright home Of love and peace on high
your rest for ever
There is rest for the weary, pale suf-
ferer on the couch of pain. 'Tis Faith
ers hand dealing with thee; thine has
been care-worn pathway; the way has
seemed long and wearisome; you have found
the thorns oftener than the Aowers,-but
even now brighter prospect opens before
you-thc rest is now at hand; few steps
more, and the angels will bear the home,
where there shall be no more sickness or
pain.
There is rest for the, too, poor mother.
less one. Alone you arc treading Lifc's
thorny paths, but there is One ever watch
ing you, with outstrctchcd arms, ready to
bear you up, should you sink beneath your
earth-cares. As God "tempereth the wind
to the shorn lamb" so will He prevent
the cold, rude blast of the sneering world
from blowing harder on you than that gen
tie spirit can bear Friends in name have
proved strangers, in heart, cold and un-
sympathizing; but that one dear Friend
never changes. You feel very, very desc
late since your mothethas gone to her
rest; you wander to the place where they
laid her icy form, and as you sit by her
grave, you long to lie there too, and say in
your agony of grief "Why, oh! why was
she taken and l left ?" But He who do
eth all things wel' has not erred in this /;
lie is only breaking the earth-bands that
are cOnfning you below. Be patient; the
end cometh-the rest is at hand
Ye erring ones Of earth, who feel as if
you could ne'er find peace, listen to these
words: "Come, ye weary and heavy la
den, and will give you rest" the words
of One who would be Father, Saviour
to you, if you would only consent to be the
child of His adoption, One who has nev-
or broken promise He has made. Why
then delay longer? Come now, and seek
that rest you so ardently long for. Did
He not say to the penitent thief, "This
day shalt thou be with me in Paradise ?"-
and to the repentant Magdalene, "Thy
sins which are many are all forgiven thee;
60 and sin no more?" Come then, ye sin
ming ones, while yet there is room, and ere
God has forgotten to be gracious" )" there
is rest even for you.
There is rest for the mourners. Ye sac
ones of earth, that have felt the links il
Friendships chain crumbling to dust, anc
dropping fast away, and have seen thu
rose buds snatched from the parent-tree
in the home garden, by the rentless hant
of death, h,-there is rest for YOU too il
Heaven; there you will have all Reunited
in stronger and more lasting chain oflove
The friends gone before will welcome yo1
to your rest,-the rosebuds snatched il
life's young morn will be blooming ther
$ in the Eden bowers. Only a little Will
S now, and the "Oil of joy will be given 20,
. for mourning" for "God shall wipe ava
S all tears from your eyes"
c Aged pilgrim, tottering on the verge Q
t life's precipice,-you who in your youtI
S longed for home for ever in this sum-
world, as you deemed it then, are you nc
i, now rejoiced in your inmost soul that it j
+ not always to be your home ?-that yo
S need not live for ever away from the an
n gels who have ministered to you Will
t dwelling in this vale of tearsH You hav
l. toiled manfully for the ght,-God ha
been approving,-your rest is prepared
for "He giveth His beloved Sleep" an
/ He now stands at Heavens gate, beCkon
J. ing you onward, while He pronounce
l. cheering words as you pass through tn
II valley and shadow Of death: "Well don
good and faithful ts,"-enter tho