The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-04-22
SHORT PATENT SERMONS.
by DOW, JR.
LIFE'S SUNNY SPOTS.

LIES SUNNY SPOTS.
TExr'-Though, call you fo IA gloomy wnstc
1t still hath sunny spots.
D My HEARERS: After looking intently awhile
Mt heaven, through the telescope manufact.
, ured by Hope, Faith & Co., and then sud
r denly casting tho eye over the country that
Mortality must traverse, it certainly looks
like Il dull, gloomy and Jrcary waste. It.
like turning directly from the dazzling sun-
shine into dusky cclIar-all is darkness
for the moment-dark as an African conyro-
CATION i'll thunderstorm but it soon
grows Lighter, and VIC gradually discover
that we are not in such internal and ever
lasting darkness after all. 1t is an undcnia-
bic fact that the brightness of heaven casts
s'lvery sheen and a golden glow upon this
ieaden' terrestrial mass; yet, if we gaze long
upon celestial splcndors, our optics become
too dl'nmcd to behold with distinctncss the
bright and tho beautiful belonging to earth.
Lille hath many sunny spots, and you can
easily see them if you be not purblndcd
with the dazzlings Of a more magnificent
world to come. 1t isn't rs barren as a sheen
pasture in drought, ALL tho way from
Dan to BcrsleLa, anyhow you can make
1t: from mans ingrcss to his mortal exit.
he doscnt have to continually face and
buck up to northeastcrs, like the March
ram in the almanac: life isn't one long,
cloudy day, look upon it in the most unfav-
orabe aspect you choose. In our darkest
hours of trouble and dependency sunshine
will sometimes burst upon us rs suddenly
as Il bottle of gingcr-pop. There arc many
golden threats that might be woven in the
woof Of human existence, if man would on
y take the pains to pick them up. Alack!
it is too true, that many Of the beautiful
flowers that grace the margin of Iifc's
stream arc left to bloom unnotcci-to
wilhcr and die, after having wasted their
sweetness upon the desert air." But, Ly the
great moynl Of gus if my brother man
has Il mind to be so foolish rs to refuse the
warm sunlight and court the cold Storm,
shall consign him to the pity Of that Prov
idcncc, whose tender mcrcies seem sometimes
TO be bestowed, with reckless extravaganza,
upon objects rs unworthy of a blessing as a
cockroach in plum.pudding.
My hearers; l tell you there ARE many sunny
spots in lfc-as sunny as the south side of
Methodist Westinghouse. To receive
kind favor from any one in this frosty, un-
charitable world is finding sunny spot-a
g'atldening oasis i'll a dreary desert When,
in foreign land, and surrounded by stran-
gers, you come across a true friend, whose
sympathies naturally melt and mnglc will,
your own, like bccswax and talIow, you find
Il sunny spot-a cheering glade in Il "loo-
my forest. Doing up courting-gctting
marricd-having good wife or husband
making up after a love quarrcl-rccovc,-
ing from sickness-rccovering damages
suddenly receiving in full from dubious
dcbtor-n little unexpected good lucl-or
| lucky escape from threatened attack of
povcrty-aro all sunny spots. But some
spots are more sunny than others some are
as bright as a timed roof beneath an un-
c!oudcd MONDAY sun, while others arc more
like patch Of pale moonshine upon the
sable gart Of night. The sunnicst spot that
ever shone in my dull existence was the
sparkling Of that lovely, angelic creature,
Sarah Hawthorn; but, alas ! she kicked the
bucket one day about sunset, and left 'thc
world to darkness and to mel"
My hearers : there are striking lights and
shades in tho grand picture of life. They
are thrown in to relieve it from n,onoton.
Gus taneness, which We, change gc-scekng
mortals, could hardly endure. Variety VIC
want, and varity we must have-althougl,
we sometimes get more cayenne and mus
tard than is pleasing to the palate. We
are satisfied with each different season rs it
rolls round, and why not welcome the vi
cissitudes of This varying sphere? Nature
looks pleasant and smiling in spring, while
taking the first stitches towards her summer
dress-in summer she appears lovely, while
elegantly attircd from top to toc-and, for
my part, l admire her even when the rude
embraces of autumn have mussed her haiI
and rumplcd her drapery.
Now, my dear breatbern, seek for sunny
spots and you will find them but if, like
melancholy owls, you are determined TO
keep in the old woods of wo and misery
during the day, and only come out a: night
to complain of the darkncss-why, then,
the sooner you are PHI for another world,
the better it will be for you, and the COM
munity at large. We don't want grun-
blers here to create discord in the complete
orchestra Of the universe, or to mar tho
social harmony that exists among mankind.
you think there are no sunny spots for
Won bofwoan hnro ond tlo I,,,o. 49,, r.