Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-10-08

so hard to build falls crumbling at his feet,
just as he lays the crowning stone. Attic
tion's heavy hand lays him upon a couch
of pain, and oft in his lonely chamber is
the sorrowing " Invalid" heard to exclaim,
g On earth there grows no thornless rose"
From the cradle and from the grave,
from the bridal couch and from the bed of
pain, from the festive board and from the
mourner's closet, walls up the death knell
of buried hopes, Of fruitless schemes, of
bhghted expectations each football upon
the road of life echoes in melancholy tones,
Con earth there grows no thornless rose"
" And we poor pilgrims in this dreary maze,
Still discontented, chase the fairy form
OF unsubstantial Happiness, to find
When life itself is sinking in the strife,
IT'S but an airy bubble and a cheat"
But "Invalid'' would whisper into
Ida's" ear another truthful sentiment,
one as comforting as the other is gloomy,
that though "Each sweet has its bitter"
so also, has Each bitterits sweet" Yes
thanks be to Him who is God of the sun
shine and storm, that through Sorrows
dreariest night, the radiant star of Hope
throws its lambant beams athwart the hor-
izon that spans the mourner's vision
Thanks be to Him "who tempers the wind
to the shorn lamb" that when the Inval-
ids riven soul is torn with keenest anguish
and Adversity's darkest waves beat madly
over his head, that the ministering hand of
faith can lift aside the drapery that hides
the mystic future and expose to his enrap-
tured gaze home beyond the skies, par
adise of God,
"Where bloom thousand flowers and notone
lurking thorn"
con earth there grows no thornless
rose" Would that this sad yet truthful
precept were inscribed with an iron pen
upon the tablets of each youthful heart
Would that the young and inexperienced
would regulate their conduct and attemper
their aspirations with its. stern but whole
lasaorr zeasihii "a. isrsss 9 Aay
could breast the storms Of life with brave
and unyielding hearts. Disciplined by
these, they could meekly bow their heads
beneath their Fathers chastening rod, and
f always humbly say
God Of the just Thou gavest the bitter cup
| bow to thy behest and drink it up"
Excuse me, dear young lady, if in con.
5 Guiding I venture word of parting coun
i sci. Let me earnestly exhort you-you
: who are yet uninitiated in the ways Of thu
world-to beware on what object you con
i centrate your affections. Pleasures may
i allure-pride or ambition may stimulate
! but their fruits are hollow and deceitful
and they afford no sure, so solid satisfac
J ton. I beseech you with meek and low
e ly spirit to read the pages Of that hol
J, book, which the wisest and best of me-
n have pronounced to be the word of Cod
You will there find rule of moral conduct
of which the world had never dreamt be
. fore its divulgation. IF you covet earthl
. happiness it is only to be found in til
path there laid down, and I can confident
ly promise you, in life of simplicity an
n purity, life regulated in accordance wit
its divine teachings, such substantial bliss
v such unruff1ed peace, as is no where els
le to be found. All other schemes of terreE
,e tial happiness are feeting and falacious-
l. They all entail upon them remorse an
If bitterness of soul. This alone enduret
,e forever-this alone embraces equally th
0. present and the future-this alone can arr
m man against every calamity-can alon
le shed the balm of peace over that scene {
ID life when pleasures have lost their zes
t. and the mind can no longer look forwar
er to the dark and mysterious future.
of Elm Cottage, Va.