Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-12-21
Gems ofHWisdom.

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4 Gems OfWisdom. i.
II The Brahmfns have very beantis
ful fable, illustrating the utility and
lovliness Of mutual support and pro-
lection among men. Ii may be liter
ally translated as follows !:
U "a tiger once lived in avast forest,
in the dense iugles of which no one
dared to attack him. Nor did the
.woodman dare to enter the forest, for
the purpose of cutting downlthe trees,
so long as tile deadly animal dwelt
therein. : sI4F#l
~ But ono day the5tiger iricautious-
.ly ventured out into the plain, where
he was soon surrounded blythe inhab-
.itants and slain. The forest being
thus robbed Gifts protector, the wood
man entered and levelled it to the
ground. And TINS persisted the tiger
and the forest together. for want OF
the assistance each had rendered the
,othern s III
a Oar passage through the world is
too brief fol- us to afford to be misera-
ble ourselves or iniict misery npen
( others. We haveoply to reflect that
our every act may confer blessing
Or a curse upon a fellow being, TO see
the propriety the necessity even. Of
considering well what to do. And as
the eternal Father Of us all has placed
such a. noble and glorious power at
our command, that of blessing those
With whom we are connected, how
imperative the duty of using it to in
|crease+the sum Of human happiness,
and the glory of Him who can never
BE sufficiently honored.
Ii men were infallible, at the same
immortal, and SO situated that each
could have q world to himself, indie
pendent Of his fellows, there might
possibly be some excuse for cherish
ing luminosity towards those who have
injured MS, and a general coldness to-
wards all the children of men. But
when we reflect that our whole exist
ence is no more than the candle which
consumeth-that all our wisdom is
only the dust scattered uponthe shore
lot the great ocean of time land thai
every event ofs our life is intimately
boundnp in the veal or woe of other
frail mortals Of the dust like ourselves;
oh! how solemn seems the duty Of
50 acting, So thinking, So speaking,
and SO writing, as to exertEa noble
and elevated influence, and therefore
Ia joyful and blessed one, upon all
with whom our lot is associated III
this brief pilgrimage Of tears!
Let us never forget that-since
that Supreme Being has descended to
his creatures, in revealing himself t.
our humble capacities we may as.
cend 10 God, From over theImfghty
oceans Oft the unknown and the unat.
tainable, through all ages and condi,
tions, even to the humblest intellect,
Ias| well as to those most powerful
there comes an intuitive perception o,
things pure and holy which are nol
yet known and enjoyed, but which
from the. glorious heritage Of All noble
souls who will take ASPIRATION and
conscience for their guides totthe wv
erlasting temples Of the Eternal, "
just. so sure as the .AdonGs Ouleat
has impaired to us some portion d
the infinite knowledge by which hi
worketh and rulethI all things, Just &c
sure shall we hereafter +" be as Gods,
Iif we only rightly nse the means b
spiritual and mortal advancement Ill
has thus given.
The art of being happy, may bs
summed up in a single injunction. v
Do good. II is 50 ordained, in ths
eternal constitution Of existence. thai
| he who does a work Of charity ol
mercy is thrice blessed himselfin ths
approval Of his conscience !; while III
who doeth harm to others, 4 taketI
bitterness to his soul"
Oil that men would be less ambi
tious to govern the world themselves
and more DESTROYS of submitting u
| the government by God
Wrangle as men may, about I'll,
immortality Of the soul, we shall ney
erlwaste our time to read their argn
ments for or against. For vs. tht
question Of cur future existence wa
settled once and forever, long before
we had become familiar with thos.
restless forms Of ghostly logic which
| do haunt these doubters intheir wax
ling dreams. It was settled when vi
looked upon the face of our mother a,
she smiled through the tears our boy
hood had caused her. aud told ns tina
she was rewarded for all her trial
and sufferings in knowing that shl
had given soaaetAiag eternal To TIL
world. 1t was settled when We look
1 ed into the illilnitable depths Of space
land behold the silent oracles Of Hin
THAT ever livcth, as they marched il