Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-05-16
SAB3A1 1THI READING.
Drops of Comfort.

Drops of Comfort.
If we can exercise the confidence Of that
little child AT sea, who while the ship was
rocked with wild fury by winds, said sc.
rcnely, with "a smile on his lips" but no
tear in his eye" "my Father is at the
he!a,," We shall never be disturbed BY the
clouds and storms which gather around us.
Even the bitterest afllcions are recognized
as blessings, VIXEN we know they are from
Fathers hand. They are medicines nee
cssary to our health, They are clouds to
shelter us from the dangerous sun of pros,
pelity-showers TO refresh us ina summers
noon. What is picture without shades ?
Clouds enrich and adorn a landscape Per.
petual sunlight wearies, and the freshness
and fragrance Of a dewy evening are hailed
with gladness after the "long lapse of a
summers daylight" Affections are sweet
to the Christian, even when the heart is al
most bursting with grief; for he is assured
that the pain is inflicted by kind Father
and for the profit Of his child. In the dark,
est hour he hears the precious assertion,
"Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth," ;"
and the entrcsty, Let not your heart be
troubled"
When we are in the depth of poverty,
can we not remember him who feeds the
ravens when they cry, and clothes the ILL.,.
lies? And shall we doubt his willingness
10 administer to our necessities. When we
are homeless, we can hear voice whisper.
ing, "In my Fathers house there are many
mansions | go to prepare place for you" 7"
If we are fiendleSs without an earthly
friend-do we not read, There is friend
that sticketh closer than brother" al
love them that love me.
When we are assailed by enemies, when
our characters are aspersed, our motives
maligned, our conduct villifed, our best ef-
forts condemned, may we not us a Christian
say, "ShalI not God avcnge his own elect ~
The. heart knowcth its own bitterness"
and there are sorrows which must be en-
dured without human sympathy and in soli
'ude; but is there a grief in which our
Father will not sympsthizr? Is there a
sorrow which cannot he whispered in his
ear? "Is his ear ever heavy that it cannot
hear 2" Is his arm ever shortened that
he cannot cure; no wound that he cannot
heal"
Let us, then, repair to our heavenly Faith.
or in "cvery dark distressful hour" and re-
melnbcr that he has said. 81 will never
leave thee nor forsake thee" And shall
VIC not respond, "Whom have / in heaven
but thee ? And there is none upon earth
l desire besides thee"
LIES LAST lIoURs.- Lfe's last hours
are grand, testing hours-death tries all
our principles, and lays bare all our foun-
daiion. Many have acted the hypocrite in
life, who were forced to be honest in the
hour of death Misgiyings of heart, that
have been kept secret through life have
come out in death and many who seemed
all fair and right for heaven, have had to
declare that they had only been self deceiv-
ed. A gentleman of renown was on his
dying bed, when a friend, near at hand,
spoke of tn Saviour. "As to the Bible"
he replied, Iii may be true: do not know"
What then are your prospects 2" he was
asked. lie replied in whispers, which, IN.
deed, were thundeyS, Very dark-very
dark" But have you no lighl from the
Sun of Righteousness? Have You done
justice to the Biblc?" "Perhaps not" he
replied, but it isnow too late--too late"
A mother who had laughed at religion and
religious people, was seen, restless and mis-.
erablescp. her bed of death. She desired
that her children should be called-thcy
came; in broken accents she addressed
them: my children, have been leading
you in the wrong road all your life, | now
find the broad road ends in destrmction--I
did not believe it before. o. seek serve
God, and try to find the gate 10 heaven,
though you may never meet your mother
there" Her lips were closed forever and
her spirit departed to its account, while the
household looked on terrorstruck. Mother
Father would you die thns2 O, no! Then
point to Heaven, and {eud tie U0y!
Power OF PRAYER --Prayei has divided
seas. rolled up Nowirg rivers, made Ainty
rocks gush into fountains quenched flames
of fire, muzzled lions. disqrmed vpers and
poisons, marsh"lcd the stars against The
wicked. stopped the course Of the moon, ar
rested the sun in its rapid race, burst open
iron gates. recalled souls from eternity. con
ouercd The strongest devils, commanded le.
gions Of angels down from Heaven. Prayer
has bridled and choined the raging passions
of man, and routed and destroyed vast an
nies OF proud, daring, clustering atheists