The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-12-18

I =
/ two paths one bright with sunshine and
/ filled with summer blossoms: the other
dark and cold, o'erhung by the willow
sombre foliage, and full of thorns and
rugged stones. To mos, persons the ligh,
and shades Of Life are strangely mingled;
! its gladness with its SORROW its smiles
with its tears its life with its DEATH
The marriage song is oft the echo of the
burial chant, the bridal rose is ofttimes
turned with the funeral chaplet. All is
mutable, uncertain and transitory. There
are seasons in every lie when the soul
wears its crown of thorns and finds the
way dark before it-when sorrows dra-
perry of ebon hue casts its darkling shade
around. Perchance it may be in the
hours Of youth, when the sweetest flow.
ers Of life laden with morning dew are
waiting to be gathered. Perchance il
may be in age when the twilight Of even.
ing gathers around the departing day.
But be 1t in morning or evening, when
the shadow falls, sadly do we neeI aid
from some glimmering lamp wherewith
TO light our pathway. Then look up.
ward ! In the face Of heaven there is
light too great for mortal eyes, and the
gIltterng gems of night but reflect the
IF Il
ward d.! and TO the eye of faith will be Wis
ibIe the shining courts above, where sad
ness ne'er unfoIds her pail to slroud the
soul, and cheering notes from myriad an.
gel harps shall greet thine ear bidding
grief and tears depart forever. Look
upward ! and the shining beams of truth
will cast their light around the mystic
words God is Love-"
Glorious indeed is the world of God
around us, but far more so is his world
within us, and needful indeed it is that
we stud well the world tha, he has i'm.
! planted in our hearts. OF in the den
and strife Of existence, we fee! an un.
speakab!e desire TO steal away from the
world and learn something Of our own
life. a longing TO inquire into the mys-
terry that surrounds our being-to know
whence our thoughts came and where
they go. Sometimes these promptings
are partly obeyed, and we cast a has,y
glance within, but oi;ener far sitting
them, instead Of giving them the scrutiny
that they deserve. Il this looking inward
was what it should be, how ditferen,
would he our lives. We would be better
and the world would be better for our
having lived in it, and good aud beauti.
tu deeds would Gil our lives with a new
and lasting fragrance. The golden threads
that unite our sympathies with our fellow
men would be srengthened--an many
blanks in existence would be filed with
beautiful images. And when the river of
Lille empties its waters into the ocean Of
Eternity, our little barks would be anch.
ored safely in the "haven where they
would be, and we would beur HOPES
tender blossom into the Land OF Love
and Light" How shallow and incom.
plete would be our lives without the o, O.
rlous contemplation Of the future tina,
lies before us, and how real and earnes,
1t is with it. We cannot fancy ourselves
living yet confined totbe present, we can.
not fancy such blank rs life would be
without the privilege of anticipation
the pleasure Of looking forward. But the
looking forward that is practiced b.
those, who neglect the work of the pres.
ent, trusting to Tomorrow, that ignus ia
tuas on life's solemn oceaE that foreye,
eIudes US as we steer our barks towarC
il. That is neither wise, nor we'll, and
after their mistake is discovered too late
For the past there is no return-tbe fu
ture is with God-and the present is th,
vineyard whose fruit we are to gather fo
the harvest Of life. The looking forwarc
here referred to is quite different, and t.
one who acts thus it will prove an un
sPeakable pleasure. # j, were not .or i,
what would we Go when the rsinbows O
youthful hope, after shedding their evan
escent brightness over our pathway, fad,
away into unfathomable past, leavin.
earth dark and dreary II the boon o
looking forward were denied us then IL
deed would life be barren desert il
which sweet FLOWERS Of hope and trus
would never bud or bloom, and many .
traveller would perish in the burning
sands, instead Of anchoring in land o
love and light, freed from the sorrows O
earth. But as it is amid all privations
there will still be some Of the brightness,
OF life !si.. We can look forward ri
omphant from the sorrow of the pas,
| tFuatinn apI hAn;u~