Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-05-29

SUNDAY BEADING.
sunday R election.

OOu0oy N eu00u00.
1t is the holy Sabbath days time con-
secrated to the worship of the most high
The weary laborer halls it with Joy as
period OF respite from his tolls, when. sur
rounded by the loved ones Of home, he can
forget the trials and troubles Of life, and
think Of his relations to eternity The clang
Of the artizan's hammer is hushed, the tide
Of trade has paused in its course ; the marts
OF business have closed their avenues. that
We may remember that there is God who
controllelh the destinies Of indiv iduals and
nations
The chime of the bells calls us to the 90.
cred sanctuary. Let US 60. and in the spirit
OF humility. acknowledge our depsndece
and trust in that Being whose mysteries no
human ken fgthom. Let us bow at the al
ter Of prayer. and ask that We may be Inn
bued with more Of the spirit Of true godli-
ness.
F>fn2 minister, dsvout and sincere in
ktheil calling. viii inculc.ts the glori-
ous truths Of revealed religion and willing
hearers. eager to drink the crystal waters
that gush from the font Of eternal life, will
lend their ears to the teachings Of inspirs-
tion.
The aged sire, whose silver hairs speak of
years that have long since passed away,
will come and raise his feeble voice in
praise to his God.
The hale and stalwsrt men, in the pride
and vigor of middle-age. will be there to
give another assurance Of his fidelity to the
cause of his master.
The youthful Christian who in the morn
ing Of his life has enlisted under the banner
Of the cross, will be there to join in worship-
ing the Lord Of Hosts.
The good old mother in Israel. whose life
has been devoted to love and kindnes, and
around whose sanity brow plays smile Of
sweet resignation whose frail form tells
that she is standing on the boundary OF
the spirit land, that her race OF life is we'll
nigh run. and that ere many months have
circled away, she will be there to conse-
crate another day to the service Of reli-
gion.
Those in all the lovelinese of womanhood.
whose hearts have been touched with the
regenerating influence of divine grace, will
be there to swell the anthem Of praise to
Jehovah.
And beauteous maidens as lovely as lilies
and as fair as Hesperus when che hangs ov er
the western sky, will be there 10 sing
psalms to the living God.
Many good people. who claim no sect as
their own. but "look through nature up to
natures God,' will be there to acknowledge
the supremacy of a experimenting provi-
dence
But this is not all. Others will be there
too. Many will go and return, without
even pondering the thought that there is o
God Some will go and profess their sd-
herence to religion and then return home to
nullify their professions by their practices
Some will go more for the purpose of be-
ing seen. than for the purpose Of hearing the
great truths Of revelation expounded.
The thoughts of many will be more on
their guady and ostentatious AZ parel, than
the sublime doctrines of the Bible.
Some will sing to exhibit the beauty and
melody of their voices others, while pray
ing for the sanctifying grace of the Most
| High, will have more regard to the ele-
gance Of their diction and the ornate gran
| deur of their rhetoric, than they have for
the Being whose blessings they invoke.
Some will smile at tale of SANDER, even
| in the august presence Of the living God /;
and will speak pointed daggers by the curl
| Of their lips, even at the moment they bend
their knees to implore the blessings Of
| Heaven
But worse than all, "and most to be de-
| plored, as human natures broadest, foulest
blot" the groans of the hypocrite mingled
with the devout supplieations of the true
| and sincere Christian. When we write Of
this creature, it is with difficulty that we
| can restrain ourselves from an immoderate
| fit OF laughter; but he deserves our COM
| miseration. He has received the most
scathing abuse from time immemorial The
poet Pollock, himself a minister Of religion,
says that the hypocrlte-
"Was man
Who stole the livery Of the court OF heaven
To serve the devil in :"
and we are honest to admit that he wrote
the truth in regard to this curious speci.
men of the genus homo. The hypocrite
stands npon the very acme of the mountain
of ridiculosity. He stands cut in bold and
conspicuous relief before the world, as the
very embodiment of whatever is absurd and
ridiculous.
But pleasantry aside, let us 60 to the
sanctuary to-day and listen to the word of
God. However unworthy we may be, let
us 60 and join in the worship of the Al
mighty God The rich and poor, the
high and low, meet upon one holy plat
form-tbe holy Bible Let us ponder the
thought that there is God that rules over
the universe that death is certain and life
uncertain that We all have one destiny,
| the grave From the time that the parents
of humanity were exiled from Eden's sha-
dy bowers, there hae been q silent conquer
or marching irresistably over the face Of the
earth, whose unerring shaft finally pierces
the hearts of all the children of men, From
his ruthless decree there is no appeal-from
his sentence there is no respite That
conqueror is death, the King of Terrors.
Then how important that we should be
prepared TO meet his sentence Though he
will consign cur bodies to the grave, yet he
cannot destroy the sosl
Then let us think Of our destiny-thisk
of our God-think Of eternity. Let US pom
der the qusstions-is there hell is thele
. heavenf Let us remember that we have
souls to lose or to save There is God
that rules the world, who knows our every
action. He knows the arena of our hearts,
and sees the minutest thought that shoots
athwart our minds. No deed can 'scape the
glance Of His all-seeiDg eye; His vision
knows no bounds, but views all in one wide
survey.
i