San Andreas independent., 1857-08-01
Written for the San Andreas Independent |
Night.

Mr.. Editor At the close of these long hot
weary days, when night has set its seal upon
the world around US, how sweet and refreshing
it is to wander out from the busy haunts of
men, and upon some messy noll or hilltop to
compose ourselves to calm reflection The air
has now become cool and exhilirating; it fans
the heated brow and regales the dropping spirits
Night " the sable goddess of the Ebon throne,
welcomes rs to her majestic shrine. Her dia-
dem is magnifcence-her robe is of sparkling
grandeur; " the music of the spheres compose
her enchanting choir, and the harmony of the
universe echos back the song Gaze upon her
gorgeous cortege, the starry host, and mediate
upon the solemn grandeur of the scene. Oh,
how beautiful is that sight Look and gaze
deeper and deeper into that blue armament,
glowing with living saphires," until the vision
is lost amid boundless worlds of beauty and
grandeur. What theme is there so fraught with
intensity of wonder and marvellous imaginings,
as the one now before US /? We look through
nature up to natures God +" through that deep,
blue expanse, studded with myriads of living
gems of light, and farther and farther still, and
on and on through infinite space, radiant with
enchanting beauty, lays the path up to the
throne of Eternal power. Each starry sphere is
is stepping round up the great ladder to
Jehovah's realm.
I see not how Atheistical spirit can exist
at all in these profound meditations. 1t must
be driven out like the seven devils in Mary Mag
dalene and cast into the swine which will throw
themselves over the precipices to destruction.
ALL everything around and above tells of God
of his power and his infinite wisdom. Upon
that mossy knoll or that hilltop, read lesson
that no book can teach-read it in the stars
read it in the azured frmament-read it also
in the solemn stiffness of the hour. For ages,
from the dawn of time, have those twinkling
luminaries smiled down upon erring man, beck
oning him on to higher paths of virtue and
to the road to Immortality. They still smile
on. Go out, thou lover of nature, any Of
these lovely, cool nights, and seat yourself upon
some mossy knoll or hilltop, and spend an
hour or two in gazing upon the luminous worlds
above you, gathering, in each draught of rehec
tion q lesson of wisdom and mental enjoyment
and say if it is not like the refreshing dew upon
parched up plant. Those mild, beautiful orbs
speak the language of calm repose. Purity and
truth are the halo which surround them They
look benevolence and charity. All the enobling
virtues of the human mind can be traced in the
plenitude of their teachings. The asperities of
our nature are softened down beneath the
hallou,;no, ;nAranea of thoca ,outa noantnrc ac
they point the way to higher degree of excel
lence and moral power.
| was led to these reflections few evenings
since, while observing the clear atmosphere of
California which renders the celestial bodies
so distinct and beautiful; and while gazing upon
wisdom, could but think how many of the
human family tread the pathway of life from
the cradle to the grave without ever pausing to
admire or reflect upon the world of enchant-
ment above them in the starry universe. So
far as they are benefit to light their midnight
way, it is all well, and perhaps they feel glad
they are so favored. But the mind is dead to
all, or every charm which glows with untold
intensity in and around the innumerable worlds
of light, glittering through the immensity of
space
Another idea struck me with peculiar force.
That the great Astrologers of ancient times
used the stars as the guiding signs through
ene mysteries of their art and many of them
p;ernaps never duly appreciated the real attrac-
rons anu soul stirring enthusiasm which their
onuefiui ;. display excites in the rejecting mind
a. "i'n . navigator he uses the sun in clear
st;I, ha viii ns observations of time and place.
aoua Ss. ne wl look with indifference upon gor
SUM- That gorous p,Gouesd BY the setting rising
strument through which he rece;xes lsaue sne IN,
benefit but his majestic splendor is a.erlal
UNDECIDED by the unapprcciable Captain ,e''''''es