The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-07-21
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RELIGION AND LIFE.

Prayer isl beautiful and fitting thing
and accords with one Of the Oldest senteu-
ces belonging to human piety, which may
lie translated TINS First of slI. thou.
shalt worship God 1t is not es.entis,
that thanks should he uttered IN word, 10
constitute them All accer.a'le Offering to
the Sountiful Giver for He knows the
heart OF man, and prefers the grateful and
eloquent silence thereof, before MI nero r;.-
uaI ceremonies. But when the words rcp.
resent the feelings, tl:e rt'srauco OF ,!.ets /.
halowcd and sacred
For rs the Lord lovetl cheerful o;vo,
in all things, this spontaneous ou,pourinc
Of grateful le.rt, whether for the boun.
ties of the table, the beauties of nature or
the cor!mcn blessings Of lie, 80 nuu,e rou,.
and often so cheaply valued, cannot faii to
strike these waiting chords oi heaven. which
connect man with the Tnfui,e, and make n
sweet music in the ears Of God. Thee
bless also the man himself with priceless
blessings ; and rs the dew Of moruiry
makes the grass of the field and the foliage.
OF the iress, and the blossoms Of orchard.
and gardens more fresh nnd radiant, filing
the earth with beauty and gladness, and
rich fortastes Of the divine bea,itude 40
likewise does gratitude renew aud brighten
the soul of n man, so that lie secs thirrs
with new eyes, and fnds heavenly consola-
tons in untoward events and conditions the
most adverse.
We shall i'll do we'll TO cultivate that
harmonious state Of mind and feeling OF
which this high virtue is tire beautiful and
oeneficent expression for gratitude is n
perpetual PRAYER, sweeter anI far holie!
than burnt offerings and sacrifices.
1t is sad 10 think of the heavenly ro,s
which we sustain through our lack Of rever.
ence and devotion. For although there are
among US bright and shining examples of
religion who adorn the profession of lilo
Christian character, and add new Iustres to
IS sancti'y, re are far from being reli.
g'ous people, and the services whic!, We offer
TO God are too often ritual merely, and
have no FOOT IN the soiyi All such services
Is vain and will avail no man anything.
But when the heart is touched with the
golden fire Of love, and tile soul goes forth
through divine attraction, in Il soaIs ,i;'.
umphantly above the clouds and the sor.
rows OF Calvary, TO commune with God at
the gates Of heaven, then does religion
manifest 'tselfin iubiIant vitality, and With
an array Of 81 ry before which words a.o
dumb, and forms wither, and ceremonies
suspend their performances and fall down
palsied with the shame of their seeming.
Where the e is mucl! ceremony, tLe.e is
little religion. Truth iS its own adoru.
ment, and needs no outward credentials nor
courl'y Pageantry to recommend it. Where.
as fasehood must be bols,ercd lip with
les and decorated with painted GARMENTS
10 give it a divine seinblancs, and get its
culture Established.
And as truth abilcs for eyor, so are its
s"t'sfac''0"s eternal, and its high rewards
ever accud,uati"g and progressive, enlarg.
ing the spiritual growth of the SOUL. an,s
fitting it Or new, developments Of immo.-
tai life and tie entertainments Of heaven.
Religion is tile highest form Of truth, and
If we have no love nor reverence for its
teachings, and only render to it the hom
age Of lips by ut,ering the verbal coinage
OF the Pr yer Book one day in seven, We
put our souls III the wrong, and iropardy
both our temporal and eternal happiness.
What, therefore, is to hinder us from
seeking first of all the possessions of this
divine truth. and making it lamp to our
feet through all the ways Of life Neither
time nor eternity has for man any other an.
cho'age save this alone. Without it
We float from.weary ses to sea,
From storm to storm betost,
Crying wild cries to which no answers b..
And feeling we are lost
With it.,
Joy. life. and rap,urel joy. and fah aud love
DssoIving doubts and fears;
FIXING the soul with s,eadfast looks above.
In ranbows Of glad tears
Religion is for life as we'll as for faith.
for the mart as we'll as for tho temple
and If 1t have no holy influence there to.
keep man from over reaching frauds and
the general dishoncsties Of trade il it does
not make him kinder to those abbut him.
less gfasPing. selfish and sordili in lis deal
'ngs with the world, and teach him 10
val'e man as something greater, noLler
and Of more heavenly worth than dollars.
he may be sdre that religion is far from
him. q nd il.at e h. e. L. ~.