The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-12-28
WHO ARE YOU! AND WHAT ARE YOU

How few there are who know themselves,
as they are known. Indeed, it is true as a gen.
eral rule, that they who imagine they know
themselves best, are most apt to be deceived,
both as to the motives that govern themselves
| and others. E EH t -tF
Were we to perseveringly press the inquiry,
's,ohat are you P' it might result in the revela-
tion to yourself of degree of ignorance, pride,
selfishness and self-conceit, that would tend
wonderfully to increase your charity for the
weakness of human nature generally, and pre-
vent MANY an uncharitable remark.
You who feel quite sure of an acquaintanc
with yourself, introvert your minds eye, and
looking steadily at the motives that impel you
to action, tell me how often are they pure p
How often do your best acts proceed from pure
motives-from an honest desire to do good for
The sake of good? How often are your criti-
cisms upon the sayings and doings Of others, the
mere overfowigs of q secret envy or jealousy
perhaps it may be unknown to yourself?
But, aohdt are youe Do you comprehend
the relationship which you bear to your Maker,
to persons, to things, to time, eternity? Did
you ever think that all created essence, ele-
ments, principles and laws, concentrate in your
being-were made for your earthly develop
ment, and finally to elevate you to the skies?
Making you both mortal and immortal, at the
same time, subjeeting you, it is true, to pain
and death, yet finally to raise you, soul and
body, to life and Immortality? a r.
Can you get so much as a glimpse, for the
full realization would overcome you-of the
near relationship between God and yourself?
That great God, who is the first and the last
the beginning and the end of the Universe p
We are profound mystery, even to ourselves.
We are past even our own finding out
There will always be deep, that we shall find
we have not sounded, even our secret motives
will elude the grasp of definition, nay, even
of apprehension After we have done study
ing natures secrets, we shall have a field of
investigation in ourselves, that will occupy US
through the endless cycles of Eternity.
But again did you ever think of your sim
gular organization of spirit and matter2 that
divine compound of elements and qualities
such as never entered into the composition of
any other created being on our own sphere p
Has it occurred to You that there must ever be
a special Providence in and around you, to
preserve you-to guide you-to keep in check
carnal nature which is ever impellins us in
the wrong way Do you know that by no
possibility of your own, you can readjust single
faculty if perchanceit should jar with another?
Or purchase with the wealth of the world
a moments existence of your organization, be-
yond its appointed time-that all you can do,
is to employ the faculties and powers you have
after the best methods, trusting to God, for the
ultimate realization of your highest good p
Finally, my dear reader, if you have indeed
sounded the depths of your own nature, spiritual
and material-if you have really entered into
the arena of that indescribable nature of yours
and broughtaway mysteries and f'secrcts sacred, y
whose very handling would seem to be profan-
ation-if you know so much and so accurately
of yourself, that you may not expect to know
more in this life-in short if you kno'o acho
you are and achat .you are--will it remain as
easy matter for you now to sit down, and,
looking thoughtfully backward and forward and
then all around you-tell US aoAere you are p
Fessiye Wreath. 1875 5H7 81 4i.H tj ,7si3