The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-02-11
A CHAPTER FOR HARD TIMES.

pHtdnc 10 tuc present. Coliulllon Oh aIfarS
in this country, and we commend its atten-
tive pcrnSal TO all persons.
Melancholy, despair, indulg gcucc in grief,
cowaricc and weakness beneath afiliclion
or misfortune, are nearly allied 10 sins; and,
indeed, if severely aud accurately examined.
will be found to bear some relationship to
b'asplcmy, as Implying Il ccnsurc Of P,ovi-
dencc, and Il denial Of the wisdom and mercy
Of God. We ale not here for uur own sakes
alone, not TO promote our comfort and IN.
dulgc our own feelings, alone; but, in our
course OF probation, to render allegiance in
our power to the grand attributes of our
faith; to offer due homage TO the Create,
and Savio"r 10y worthy and useful orde-
ing OF our lives, aud 10y doing our umo,t
To save our fellow creatures. | hav. oh
served that the happiest people in the world
| are generally those who a,c most useful IN
| Their sphere, and who are always ready
to DO nci%hhor good turn; and also
that such people invariably cvincc as much
sa@acity of mind as Kindness of heart.
Among the many noble contributions of
Addison to the Spectator, there is a PAPER
on "Chcernlncss," in which the suffice, is
so beautifully, so loftilv treated, that onc's
mind Is more refreshed, elevated and ell
c"uraycd 10y reading i: than by listening to
a score of sermons:
I'm inward chccrruIncs<," says the Great
ess;;ist, "is an implicit praise and ,hauks
giving to providence under all its dis,,cnsa,
tons 1t is kind OF acpuisccncc, in the
state wherein we are placed, and Il sccrcct
appreciation Of the Divine will in his con-
duct towards man. \ man who uses his
best cn'lcavors to live according TO the die.
tates OF virturc and right reason, las two
perpetual sources cf chc.rl' ,css in the
consideration Of his own nature and of that
Being or which he has dependence. II
he looks into himself, he cannot but r,ioc.
III that existence Which is SO lately bestowed
upon him, and which, after millions of aces
will he still new, and still in its beginning.
How many self congratulations naturally
rise in the mind when it reflects on this
its entrance into eternity; when it takes !,
view of those improbable faculties whicl,
in few years and even at its first scttiuo
out, have made so considerable progress
and which will be still receiving an increase
OF perfection, and consequently an increase
ct happiness. The colciouSncss of such 4
beng spreads II perpetual diffusion of Joy
through the soul OF Il virtu us man, and
makes him look upon himself every moment
as more happy that he knows how to con.
cclvc. We find ourselves everywhere IN.
held by lis goodness, and surrounded will,
IN immensely Of love and mercy. In short
we depend upon IL Being whose power quail
lies Him to make us all happy by an ulin
"y OF means; whose goodness and trutI,
engage Him to make those Happy who de.
sire 1t OF Him, and whose uncl,angeahlcness
Will secure lis in this Happiness to all cter.
nIty. Such considerations, which every
one should perpetually cherish in his
thoughts, will Danish from us all that Sc
crct hcavincss of heart which untlinkinn
men arc subject to when they lie under no
real af1i'ctlon; all that anguish Which we
may feel from any evil that actually op.
presses us; and establish. in us such IN even,
cheerful temper as makes lis pleasing to
ourselves, to those with whom we con-
verse, and 10 Him whom we were made to
please"
Let the timorous and despondcnt read
these line and wildly expressed thoughts,
and take heart again. They form but a
fragment of the essay; and though they
are 10y no means the bcst-tlcrc being :,
rare equality of merit throughout the whole
perfornance-tl,cy are good specimens
and, we trust will tempt the rca,lcr to study
the composition in its entire form for his
own pleasure and profit. All The compost
t'on OF Addison TEEN with this bright and
wholesome philosophy. We rejoice in the
surety OF their Immortality in the certainty
that our postcrity, generation after genera
zion, will profit I,y them ana they are cal.
cuatcd so cxpressiveIy to strengthen, emo,
bic and swceten th" nature of every reader;
and they are written so pleasantly, and yet
with so much force, that few who read can
fail TO lay them TO heart. Addison himself
was one Of the most beautiful characters
that ever trod this earll-a true Christian
gentleman genial and elevated, through
every phase of his life, IN every line his
genius prompted. And be it remembered
that he-this cheerful and placid one-no
more escaped his trials and sorrows than lis
fellow creatures but amidst them all, how
ever severe and bitter, he always turned a
serene and hopeful face to the world. His
career was one of constant vicissitude Of
fortune up to the few last years of it.; but
the selfrespect ard dignity of the Christian