Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-12-24
For the Spirit of the Age.
The End of another Year

For the Spirit OF the Age. al
The End of another Year dc
And we are still alive, still enjoying the m
blessings of health, still comfortable and al
prosperous beyond our deserts. Some things e,
we have lost during the year that is past, p
but nothing which faith and duty will not q
restore to US, or enable us to do without al
Many things we have gained which testify n
to the continued mercy of Heaven. W
=" Gicc thanks ALWAYS for ALL THINGS, I'M Ii
to Coil" Such words as these are not to be d
regarded as the expression of religious en- v
thusiasm, or as a rhetorical extravaganza In
the apostles style. They are the plain,
practical advice of one of the ~clearest heads
that ever thought on life. Their value is in.
creased y the fact that their author had en-
dured alIaost to the extremity of human suf-
fering, yet his sad experience could not
shake his faith In the goodness Of God c
When a child, or a man with only a child's t
experience, breaches the beauty of thank I
~fulness, we may reasonably suspect that
greater knowledge Of the world would somo- :
what abate the fervOr Of the exhortation J
but when a man like Paul, VIII had seen and
felt the very worst this world can do, writes
in such an exalted spirit, we must confess
that thanksgiving and contentment are not
only pleasant, but also the dictates of the
o. "hSNtth hAN liz lOo OOuI0H COIll
mon sense. We shall never prove ourselves
remarkably great or good, by whining over
the condition of ourselves or the world. 1t
Is only the mark Of a small mind and a weak
faith to always look on the dark side Of any
thing. The greater the affections, the more
surely are they reconciled to Gods provi-
dence the lurger the intellect, the more
certainly does il discover the end of evil
the vaster the experience, the more evident
does it become that there is a power work
Ing over and through all things, to harmon
lie aud bless. Thus we may rely upon it
that our darkest views Of life are most apt to
be the ~falscst; while the most cheerful as
pect of things is that which God himselfis
Pledged to verify.
We would entorce the duty. as well as the
pleasure of looking upon the bright side
OF habitualiy estimating our blessings, rath-
er than complaining of our losses. Look at
life IN any OF its relations, and see if we do
not fiad greater cause for gratitude than
complaint. Life itself, human, rational ex-
istcnce, occurred to US forever, Is Il benefit go
grand, that it o~verpOwers every evil. the world
can infict. With all our capacities for
present excellence and happiness, and for
everlasting Improvement; and non existence;
IL Il contrast SO great, that VT should be
tgankfuI every day we live for the blessing
~ nv htF"''- Il "Nbf W tiCb ID at VI kl1C W u
is also trua Of the parts IF life. Bodily
health has been the rule, and disease tho ex-
ception. in our lot. Could SIC count up the
days when we have been healthy, free from
pam, a'lc to work and enjoy life, and com.
pare them with the days when we have not
been IN this condition, what n great differ
ence should we find betwcen. the bodily
: pleasure and pain we hare experienced !
c Even the most afflicted invalid, has more
ease and comfort than uneasiness and die
n conft, on the whole. In the enjoyment Of
the good things of life, we have equal rea
son for thankfulncss. Each IF as-indeeC
? almost every person living-has the grea
Il necessities Of the body. We have, and al
ways have had, enough to eat and drink ant
y wear, to keep US in health and make us fl
to labor, and to be honorable in the affair
1t of life. We have had Il shelter over on
N heads and have experienced almost ever
social enjoyment. We have all hal parent
and most Of US dear relatives and friends
~ and the sympathy Of many beyond our i'm
G. mediate circle. There is scarcely one Of tn
% great essential gifts of Providence whic
O. every one has not enjoyed. Then, no.
&c shall we speak adequately Of the higher CT
er joyments and privileges of being of tt
= advantages of education; the opportunitit
II of acquiring wisdom for being ~instructe
III in righteousness for being wise and goo
IN for reaching any degree of excellence
OF which our worthy ambition may aspire ? |
deed, the way to comfort of body, to satisfa
er ton Of possessions, to propriety and reput
he ton, and especially to u religious life,
open to all. The habit of our life is the T
~ ception Of good-only the exception is Il
hS endurance of evil. Is it not, then, unwis
as we'll as ungrateful, to fasten a morb
lie gaze upon what is only the accident, and
our complaints overlook the great main ia
nv Of our lot?
And when we reflect on cur s~ufferin!
there is still less reason to accuse God a
~ our own fate for only divide cur sorro
NY iato two parts-those that come from G
own folly and sin, and those that are sent
toll US, and how large a portion of all our troub
no. are chargeable upon ourselves We are
, oil direct cause of most of the sickness in OF
,@ selves. Our imprudence or improyider
~ generality prevents our greater enjoyment
the good things of life. We are to bla
MO for remaining Ignorant, when the whole u
q. verse offers itself as oar schoolmaster.
ink are chiefly cenSurable if we loose the q
and opinions OF men, and that honorable post
,me in society which is the reward o fintellisel
fall and virtue. There is hardly an evil of mi
body, or estate that visit US, which we b
''uS not purchased and for which paid an extr
ions araat nrice. IF we emf onr o,vn co.,
N0N fNHS' We "a u OWu uIlNt
arer turn ourselves out of doors, or bring 9
DDS selves TO sickness, if we neglect wisdom
we seeFn holiness, who blame for the result
ra- If VIC think the pleasures of sin worth b
,,p, ing at the price Of our peace, happiness
characters, we can buy them if we choose /;
- . don't let's grumble if we get /" taken in
dant the speculation
lers, But some of our sorrows we suppose
evcl- sent to us by Providence. The greater
,rnal of our trials are losses loss of health
sigh aftenuT, Of 'ortune' OF happiness Now,
. good, we should have never had these tn
WIN to lose. We did not get these friends,
IL fortune, this enjoyment by our own meri
right industry. Therefore, all the happiness
lu- have enjoyed from them is SO much {
eper. gain to us-something directly given O,
en- the infinite benevolence. You have /,
friend, perhaps. Who gave him to
Who made him beautiful and precious? :
after made these blessed affections that reio
!, I'M his excellence? Who kept him and YOU
, joy to love each other, to delight in the plea
them and elevating interchange of thought