Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1857-02-28
Patent Sermon.
BY DOW, JR.

otis wonderful !-and yet,my boy, such is life
My HEARERS Life is one of The
wonderful wonders of the world-a most
mysterious mystery. We only know
that we have life. Whence we obtain il
we know not, and whittier ii goeih, when
The body dies and dissolves, is beyond
the compass of mortal vision. Leaving
its principle alone, as something no more
capable of being handled than rainbow
of moonshine, what is life metaphorca-
/ ly speaking It's a sea, wide, falhom-
less, calm, beautiful, and terrible. The
light of heaven spills itself upon it, and 1t
( is decked with every hue of joy and glo-
ry anon, dark clouds arise, contendlng
winds of woe, grief, and fate 60 forth, ,and
hope sits wiping her eyes with her apron,
over the wrecks Of peace and happiness.
Life, my friends. may also be called ship
upon the sea Of time, upon which we,sub-
lunary vOgagers, are passengers. How
gaily we glide along in the gaze of the
world, with canvas all spread and steam
ers afoat, Especially our Broadway bel
les j but, after all, we are chartered by
sorrow anu (reightened with signs. We
put on smiles to cover our tears, and With
Iering thoughts, which the world knows
Inolhing about, like heart-broken eXiles,
! lie burning below, while the vessel drives
on TO that unknown shore, of which no
authentic description has yet been given,
Life, my dearl y-beIoveG brethren, may
also consider a blossom, full of beauty
and promise in our younger days, but
yielding not exactly that sort Of seed and
fruit in our old age which Hope gave us
reason 10 expect. Yet old folks are hap
py, mild sunshine rests upon their
souls, although they sit in the dull shad.
ows of the tomb. They glory in the hope
of soon reiuvena,ing themselves, and pick
ing some Of The plumpesl kind of cherries
in perpetual paradise, beyond this re
covered sphere. The days Of life, my
worthy friends, appear to be sisters all a.
like, an! yet none exactly the same
They have a similarity Of form and lea-
lure excepting, perhaps, some ot them
have few more false curls than others, a
little more paint upon their cheeks,
greater quantity OF busle, and various 9TH
er little decepiions. Life, after all, is a
hnmbug. 1t doesn't perform what ii
promises it holds out 10 us false induce
menls- cheats US Of al least half that Ex-
peclalion offers us-not unfrequcntly
plucks every beautiful feather from the
bird of hope, and digs many grave by
The path of glory. Life upon earth, isn'l
much 10 brag of--just in keeping with
everything terrestrial. When 1t shall
cast off its old clothes of mortality and
array itself with neverwear-outabIe gar
menis of everastingness 1t will be wor-
thy possessing but, as it is, ii is no great
shakes--damaged fever and ague beats it
all to pieces. Here endeth my discourse
upon this subject. | will now give you
sermon in a few words, which ought 10
better answer the purpose of longer one:
Justly deal, uprightly act'
That's the sort, my friends. Whatev-
er your conscience dictate to be done, do
it. and tell the devil to 60 home and at
tend TO his domestic affairs. Deal justly
with all men--if your neighbor steals a
sheep of you, consider it as an act of ne
cessi,y on his part, and furnish him with
funds to buy his mutton for the future.
Be frugal, industrious, temperate and
kind, benevolent, charitable, forgising,
loving, moral, religious, and perseverng,
and you will perform safe and pleasant
journey to that land where happiness is
piled up in heaps, and blossoms of bliss
! ever bloom. So mole il be