The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1858-02-03
The Ebb Tide of Life.

leS, TINS nand tuat WIites ahd thi' ho"A'
that dictates will ere long cease their action
tho cold tomb of death will palsy the one
and freeze the gushing fountains of the
other. l feel in the swelling tide Of health
and happiness which now enjoy, the omen
of change-as the ocean drawn up to its
fvllness by the orbs Of heaven, rests for
moment in the dignity of present dominion
while the ebbing current is already waxing
stroug beneath. the surface, so the strong
pulse Of manhood now at its food, warns my
intelligence that hencefor,h am on the ebb
tide of life. From the earliest days Of mem
ory l eagerly looked onward to the higher
stature of coming years, and dreamed OF
greater happiness as expected days added
their treasures to the past. But year after
year has brought its cares, yet where are the
treasuresg The memory of hopes blasted
of experience saddened with so!row and
sweetened with wsdom-the conviction that
life is phantom or flower, and that time
never keeps his promises. only with woun-
ded conscience which looks for justice with
despair-,he daily repeated lesson enforced
by habitual experience, that earth is not the
souls resting place; these, and such as these
are all the treasures gathered during the
long food tide of life. But have forty years
brought me to the acme OF my being, and
am rushing downward from this point to the
childhood Of years, and to the infancy OF
age, and finally to come to the nothing from
which I started Nature solves not the
dark problem. But all thanks to him who
brought life and immortality TO Iight-my
body is not my soul my flesh will run back
to infancy and dust, and sleep with the ashes
of my fathers but my soul knows not nor
breads any future decline. )
1t began with the body at the dawn Of
life--it has toled and jou'neyed with II
through the eventful past. and still anima.es
it with loves and sympathies which mingIs
in the overhowing cup Of domestic joys; but
henc-ior repu,liate my mortal dus., and
90 no, back with it to the shades OF eveu inc
and the corruption Of the tomb. The sou
enjoys \ day whose sun never sets--it rises
with tide that, knowing ne ebb, rolls on te
the ocean of immortality UT is au eagle tha
soan, but not with weary wing, to descen(
to earth again. |. rises by 4 law ofspiritua
attraction, whose centre is the Enfnte On
la law sometimes suspended but neve
Notwithstanding the heaven n-born spirit
whether in the body or out Of the body, up
!, ward in all its affections, till earth finally
, no longer the abode Of genial friendship-
till Heaven becomes the mighty magnet dis
solving all earthly ties in its welcom
embrace.
Welcome then the ebb OF this mortal life
Nv soul here takes leave of It's old compar
ion and rises in its celestial course of meut;
and spiritual progress, while its doomed bod
o goes back to feed the worm, and restore j
borrowed dust. Yet we remain united, an
shall remain until death sigus the bill Of d
. vorcement.
$, God is evermore my chief companion
perfected in his likeness, shall commur
with him in happy confidence and care ne
\, for the changes Of earth, or the flight of tim
On the wing of a simple faith l rise abo'
the conflicts of earth, and hide myself am
R the calm and peaceful shades of the spir
world. Kind reader, hast thou obtain'
this buoyant faith docs the future look :
u bright to thee, and amid the frowning storr
Of life, dost thou rest in God and Christ Al
hide thee in the pavilion of his love? III
= thou wilt sympathise with me as broth
and understand these thoughts, inspired
- a Sayiour's love whose blood
Takes all my guilt and fears away"
II. I. STOCKTON.