The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-07-14
For the Standard
LESSONS FROM NATURE.

prospect, and, as daily sit beside it, lessons
from nature are taught me. Every object
speaks the handiwork of a Creator. On
every side my eyes are greeted with the
beautiful; and ever before me are presented
the words 30 Lord, how manifold are thy
works! In wisdom hast thou made them
ALL"
To the left glorious old forest waves its
thousand branches to the summer breeze, and
the setting sun sinks from view behind its
thick foliage. AT tho right stands another
cluster of forest trees from between whose
branches the rising sun peeps, casting his
heightened shadows over the dewy carh.-
Before me lies The beautiful stream in whose
crystal waters have watched the tiny fish
as they darted along; and many an hour have
| sat beside it, dropping crumbs from my
dinner basket as / returned from school, and
watched to see them spring to catch the bait
rs it floatcd along.
Beyond the stream lies the quiet little vii
lsgc, where, like a white winged dove of
peace, nesilcs the village church, wh'se spirc,
rising heavenward, speaks more forciby than
words of n better home--a land of rest
Beneath its roof when the weeks labors are
ended and the Sabbath morning comes, we
assemble TO hear the man Of God--thcn the
Sabbath School, where our infant feet learn
cd to tread the way of truth IT'S rare
view from this window, and one to be be en-
joyed Mt all seasons. Do | feel pcnsive or
quiet turn toward the forest, and laying my
head upon the sill, listen with delighted ear
10 its solemn murmers, and from its deep
shades seem 10 hear voices calling me TO its
YuIv'.
Is such time lost! MOI often rise from
these silent interviews with holicr purposes,
and with such n love for mankind that long
to clasp the entire world in one embrace.
love the forcst--love its aged oaks, its
messy carpets, lis quiet del,s, and its water
falls gushing in sparkling diamonds down
some crcy rock or bed Of stone; hut hest Of
all love lis solemn murnurings teaching
lessons Of truth, and lifting the soul above
tho trhng scenes Of earth.
Am unhappy,-have yielded to tcmpta-
TONS voice,-are the waves of life daShing
wildly around mc,-havc nothing upon
which to lean-tlen far away in the distance
the hills, which rise in solemn grandeur, ap
pear before me, their rugged SUBMITS IN
moved either hy tempest or sunshine. The
rain and hail may fall upon them, tho snowS
of a thousand winters cover them and pass
away, and still they are the same and so
when the storms Of passion are raging in my
soul, the sight Of them fills me with alteration
and longing desire like them bravely to
withstand the adversilics Of life. These
thoughts have stilIcd the tempest within, and
taught mo lesson Of patience and strength.
When / feel unable TO cope with life and
It's duties, think Of the music Of the vavcs
MS they lash against the rocky shore. At fist
l hear them faint and low, and can hardly
catch the distant echo; then there is n loud
er peal but quickly it dies away until | hear
only faint ripple upon the beach. Again
| il increases, louder, and still louder, until the
echo seems like the roar Of cannon far away
but soon it dies away as before.
Can think of the rolling of the ocean
of the hymn Of praise rising from the restless
deep, without feeling the littlcness of my
own SELF and the thoughts Of the great deep
filing my soul with re, erencc and awc9
When feel weary, and the eye of faith
grows too dim to pierce the clouds of doubt
which cover my mind, when neither the gen.
tie voices from wildwood scenes, the majesty
of tho hills nor the listening to the waves can
fill me with brightest thoughts; when life
seems dark, and earth dreary place-a lone
ly desert where the weary traveller finds none
TO comfort or share with him the trials which
he endures; then view the village spire like
the finger Of faith, pointing upward, teach
ing of brighter home.
Above the hills-above the tempest it
points TO the gIittcring dcmcs Of the Ccles-
tial City. With this spirc are associated the
earlcs, recolIections Of my youth-thc bright
est hopes Of my chldhood-thc fondcs
dreams of life. Beside il lie, closed in dream
less slumber, eyes that once beamed will
love and afIection---warm hearts, pulse ess
which once beat in unison with mine; ano
hands that used to clasp nnc in long en-
brace ars here folded in the quiet rcposc
death. Yet in all these life remains unchang
ed. In moments Of JOY ans happiness, whei
earth seems flooded with sunshine, we ar'
pointed to the great source of truth and light
and hidden to pre- pare for on eternity BY tn
"yreeu pastures and still waters" Of a bette