True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-03-15
LIFE PICTURES.
"she brushed away a,tear andpassed out over
the Threshold"

written. Some talk of romance, and think
the fine pictures of the writer to be over
drawn and unnatural. Unnatural they
may be, but if by "overdrawn" they mean
too be beautiful, I beg to dissent. There
is that in the development of merely
common child from two years old to six, in
lOwly parterre Of the cotter's garden, on
common hillside of wooded pasture,
which no tongue can utter, no pencil por-
tray. Then in the moral field there are
thoughts, emotions, experiences, which have
as yet met their slightestindications on the
poets page. So the thoughts fitted past
me as [ witnessed the above.
An old lady of three-score years and ten
passed out from mansion which had first
been hers, and who may speak of the life
picture of which that silent tear was the
signal Is it not that her lot has been so
very unusual, O, no, but rather that it is
50 common, this is what sets me thinking.
As in thousand cases, so in hers; how
bright life was! A dear domestic circle,
| joyous with the budding impulses of two
prattling boys, smiles and tears, chasing
each other in quick succession, and hopes
so sanguine crowningall. Who shall speak
ofthe hopeful anticipations, daily and night.
ly conned over by the father and mother,
as the boys go in and out from their tasks
at school, or safely tucked up in the cot or
trundle-bed!
The years 60 gliding by, and now the
solemn experiences begin to come. All so
different from those early dreams of bliss,
the youngest is seen to faltcr and to fade ;
his strength goes out while it is yet morn
ing, and the grave hides him. Anon "rich-
es take 10 themselves wings ana ny away,
change after change is repeated, and they
with manya one can testify how very few
such early hopes are realized. Do we ask
why all this? Aye, the very questioning
implies forgetfulness of what we ought tc
remember We are immortal; life is pro
baton in these two facts we have the key
to what otherwise would seem mystery
God has so arranged, as that young life
shall be joyous in all existence; otherwise,
even the arm ofprobation would be nipped
in the bud. The youthful see with their
own eyes; they cannot take our experience
at second Aand, and We should be content
they cannot. Such look around them and
see that all is not just as might be desired,
with their parents and elders, but they
never once dreamed but that they them
selves shall be more successful We may
each well remember an experience of our
own when we would not for moment have
accepted of future only as bright as the
then present of our parents; but to us as
to others, the chastning rod has come be-
times, one by one of those early illusive
visions have disappeared, and sad were it
indeed, if better hopes and truer had not
taken their places.
These bright illusions have their end in
young life's ardent hopes, strong resolves,
earnest purposes; wherefore now the change
to sadness Even because We are immor
tai, and our hold upon earth must gradual
ly be loosencd. Each vexing, correding
care, every passing sorrow, each heavy tri-
al and bitter grief, together, all are but the
kind wooings of the gracious Savior, whis-
periDg in our unwilling ear, "this is not
your rest"
1t is only by remembering these facts
that we can best bear our trials, only thus
receive the truest discipline. Some trials
come in such way as to mingle bitter re-
gretS for our own misdeeds and errors
These are very painful, but be sure, even
these are sometimes necessary. Other af-
fiictions are so evidently from the hand of
God that the sufferer has little more than
to bear patiently and trustingly; yet none
may say, 81 have not deserved this"
Perhaps there is not finer spectacle, in
the view of "ministering spirits" to be
found on earth, than that of human soul
''made perfect through suffering" Tmean
that degree of human pc rfection which the
grace Of God enables one sometimes to at.
tain before the mortal coil is dropped
How well such an one bears with the mfr
mites of others how peaceful, confdine
he is when clouds lower in the horizon al
around him how little he has to fear il
the future! Small difference it makes will
him where is his temporary lot; lowly ser
vices do not degrade him, for through ser
vice, great and small, through suffering
merely cha6ng, or anon well nigh crushing
he behOlds alike the hand Of kind Heav
enly Father disciplining him for the skies