The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-02-15
Original.
Extracts from a Sermon deIty.
cred by j. o. Barrett, at
River Falls, Jan. 4,
1860.
Published by request of the Eclectic Assecia-
ton.

Did you ever watch the motions of
the spider! Itsoins its thread as it goes
Before it is the VOID air, to hitch to, per-
haps stake or stump, or gray rock. 1t
lets the thread roll out before it sufii-
Gent length, allowing it to float upon the
wind till it lights upon an object. Then
the spider rushes over the suspended
bridge and weaves there a beautiful struc-
ture to catch all the flies which float that
way.
Every one who has an ndividualtty
in this shutting world, spins his or her
own thread, and builds bridge on which
to walk into the future. The thread it.
self is human life generated in the facto-
nv of immortal mind. Love is the beau
tiful wax which toughens it and makes it
shine like FURNISHED gold; Thought is the
electIi; current coursing through it Civ
ing it life and pulsation; Memory boards
it with little fingers which spontaneously
grapple with everything in the journey.
So the thread is fastened to all tue events
of the Past. 1t goes back, clear back to
infancy and strings everything together,
so that our heart beats all along the paths
in Which we have walked, and the soul
Mt times can run away down to the cradle
and hear again the lullaby song. Thus
by the power of memory, ill that has been
with us is engraven within. Sometime
it will be Sensati<eH, and we crnnot for
get t. en- if we would. That thread, to
the hopeful spirit, is floating forever III
to the inexperienced future, in faith of
finding foothold. If we entertain an
gels. the breath Of their wings will watt
it to the right place, and then we can so
over safely, and curry it farther up, and
lastcn it to the Great White Throne
When the bridge is thus suspended, what
if it is somewhat snarled in the shadowy
past? There will be such rush of light
along tho shining clouds, they will uncoil
of themselves; ami then the rainy clouds
gIooniy hanging over former years, will
he haloed into bows and stars of hope.
There is n great truth in the couplet
which has become an aaage:
There's divinity which shapes our ends,
Rough hew them as We will.
How important that we find this divin
itv, and obtain rest unto our painting,
weary souls.
Sometimes it does one good to probe
an unhealed wound. We take pleasure
in looking over the old records in the
journal of events. Piled on my book
shelves are several rusty books, giving
sketches of hat is past. Now and then
want to open them because they trans
port me b ,ckward. | seem then like
traveller among ruins all familiar. A pen
siye spirit comes over me, and yield to
a SD, II which do not desire to break till
| have drank of the springs near ''tho
CO { whore I was born" and have visited
the school house where we boys played
in the hey dey of life, and have attended
AGAIN the white old church whose tall
spire once touched the sky; that church !.
I did not love it oyermuch, for the Sun
dav tasks were unnatural aud gloomy
was wicked because loved the green
woods and singing birds better than cold,
creedal, crusty instruction? when have
gone the rounds and swept over the scenes
which now rise to view as living pictures.
close the books, close the gates, become
obivious to the past, and rush on IN new
action, as though the very blood of my
boyhood were suddenly introduced into
nv veins. 1t may be different with you.
Perhaps you may not have had many
trip-ups in life. Past scenes may seem
to You as sunny lawn covered with
beautiful grass and wild flowers, through
which runs peaceful brook. But at
ter all you may be no better off than those
who have climbed over rugged sleeps,
and got entangled amid the briars OF mis-
fortune. The Great Father of us all,
sees that somo of us need reverses to tenn
psr us with the spirit of humility, aud
that others need successes to awaken
hone in the midst of darkness.
It is good for us to go up to the bar
of Indictment with all our sins upon US
We need to look these sins right IN the
face. Then like to ask my soul some
II. NJ