Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-03-14
II R

There was a 4 period in the dark and unfath-
omcd past, when Deity existed alone amid
the deep solitudes of His own eternity. Nei-
ther the heavens nor the earth reflected His
glory. Neither cherubim nor ~seraphim, nor
hosts of uniallen spirits hymned His praise,
or lauded Him as their Creator, Sovereign,
King Yet il was the design Of God to peo-
pie heaven with shining i~ntelligences; and
at length the morning stars sang together,
and all the sons Of God shouted for joy.
In the creation Of angels the work was inn
mediate. He spaks and it was done. But
inpeopling Garth with mortal and responsible
beings, His plan was different. For this pur-
pose He constituted the domestic relations as
the basis Of this plan.
Marriage was the first tie that ever united
human beings together. God saw that it
was not good for man to be alone-that du-
ring the period of his earthly probation he
would need a help-meet and o companion-a
true and faithful friend. Hence woman was
formed, and God himself celebrated the first
marriage amid the rejoicings of Paradise.
Man received her as his beautiful wife-he
pressed her to his grateful and throbbing bos-
ON as Heavens gift, as a part Of himself.
whom he was to love and cherish as his own
flesh The cup of his bliss was now full
his happiness was now complete. They ate,
they sang, they convcrsed, they rejoiced, they
Worshipped together amid the cooling and re
freshing shades Of their native Eden.
All was beauty to the eye, melody to the
ear, and joy to the heart. The deep and
dreadful shadows ola moral eclipse had moi
come over them, The high and lofty brow
of Adam had not as yet felt the first biting
blush of shame, and Ewes face was as sunny
as if the reflection ofan angels wing had fal
len upon it Nc storm Of unholy passion ag
itated or tossed the boson-no sense Of gull
darkened or debilitated the understanding
no forms Of evil tempers lay smothered ii
the soul to rise and mar their future peac
or break their tender union. Then human
nature breathed in all the freshness of youth
and smiled in all the loneliness ofinnocency
free from all guile and deceit within, it apprs
hended none from without. Universal natur
rejoioed in their new-made and f~ar-spreadin
enjoyments, and reflected, as from a thou
and mirrors, the beneyolence Of the Great P,
rent ofall.
Thus cur first parents were united in
union the most sacred and tender, under IL
sanction of reason, the solemnities of religio
and the overshadowing benediction of Heaye
Since then changes have taken place
Man has been driven from his primeval abo
The very earth has been cursed for b
sake-converted, as it were, into a wilderne
Of briers and thorns; but still the domest
institution lives as one Of the lingering n
MORALS Of Paradisiacal bliss-as an oosis
the desert-a retreat from the conflict q
cares OF selfish and SHINING world-a Ao
of dear affections and hallowed memories.
1t enjoyed the sanction Of patriarchs q
prophets. 1t shonc forth brightly and be
tifully amid the retreating and departing sh
ows Of Jewish glory. 1t received the be
dictions of the predicted Messiah, and it !
continue to exist as the safeguard of Writ
the home Of the heart, until the world 81
expire and all earthly relations shall b. me
cd into eternity.