Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-10-30
Cant.

We know not more certain symptom OF
hypocrisy in religion than in minds, them
selves obviously worldly in the extreme, an
exaggerated condemnation of all little
worldiness in all other honest people grave
ly jogging, or gaily skipping along their
path of life. Those people are often the
least worldly, on whom they who make the
loudest boas, of their unwOrdliness, seek
basely to affix thatopprobriOus epithet. For
they walk the world with heart pure as it
is cheerful: they are, by that unpretendng
purity, saved from infection; and as there
are as many fair and healthy faces to be seen
in the smoke and stir of cities, as In the
rural wilds, SO also are there as many fair
and healthy spirits. The world-the wick
ed world-has not the power over us Chris
tians that the csnters say; and as for the
mere amusements of the world,-frivolous
as they may too often be,-little or no pow
er have they over that which is $50 majestic
sl:n Yet, to listen to some folks, you
would think that all the boys and girls one
sees, "like gay creatures of the element, y
dancing under chandelier pendant from
the roof, like some starry constellation,
were quadriIling away to the sound of music
into the oottemless pit. Is it not, for ex-
ample, most disgusting and loathesome, to
hear some broad-backed, thick calved,
preasy-faced, well-fed, and not-badly drunk
caitiff, of some canting caste, distinguished
in private and public life for the gross greed
iness with which they gobble up everything
eatea5le within the reach of their hairy fists,
preaching and praying, and exhorting
Young people, full of flesh and blood, OF the
purest and elearest quality, to forsake and
forswear the werld,--to quell within them
all mortal vanities, and appetites and lusts!
To whom is the hound harrangueing! What
means he by lusts, while the sweet face is
before him of that innocent girl of fifteen or
twenty! For what are years to her, in'o
whose ewes God and the Savior have put
that light angelical!-that ineffable loveliness
as pure from taint as the beauty of the rose
- blushing on her lily breast, which she gath
cred in the dewy garden few hours ago,
among the earliest songs of birds, while yet
the pensive expression had not time to leave
her counteEance, still lingering there from
the piety Of her souI-breathed prayers!-
Shocking to hear the ugly monster coarsely
canting to such a creature of her-corrGp-
ton! She knows that she belongs to fall
en- nature. Often times her tears have fow-
ed to think how undeserving she was of all
goodness showereG on her head from heaven.
Often hath she looked upon the lilies of the
field, and envied their innocence. Meek
and humble is she, even in her most Joyful
happiness; contrite and repentant, even
over the shadows of sin that may have cross.
ed her spirit, as the shadows oe the clouds
suddenly over 60 stationary spot of sunshi1e.
Even for her sake, she knows that "Jesus
wept." With what reverend touch dc
these delicate hands of hers turn over ths
leaves of the New Testament! Her fathel
and her mother intensely feel themselves tc
he Christians, while she reads to them O.
the crucifxion. She remembers not the
time when she knew not him who died I,
ave siupees.-Professor Wilson'S Essays.