Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-03-07
Written for the Green Mountain Freeman.
The Mission of the Beautiful.

Beauty is everywhere 1t dwelIs in the
secret recesses of the earth and in ocean $
proloundest depths. 1t looks wooingy up
from the grassy turf and the dewy cup Of
the fragrant flower. 1t lends its magic
charm to the waving wheat, the tasseled
corn, and the luxuriant growth Of the rice,
the cotton, and the sugarcane. 1t creeps
silently among the leaves Of the forest in the
glorious spring-time, and iorsakes them not
in the pensive decay of autumn. 1t is seen
in the fragile vine that twines around the
giant frame Of the oak, aud in the delicate
ivy and velvet moss that hides the rugged
rock and the Wondering heap of ruins. 1t
sparkles in the balmy dew Of summer
morn, and in every tiny rain.drop. lis pen
cIings, in thousand varied forms, are yisi.
bic in the frost and in the snowflake. 1t
floats in the shadowy mists OF evening, and
in the exhalations that succeed the storm
1t rides upon the clouds Of heaven, looks
calmly down from the azure depths Of the
tranquil sky, and lends its sweetest charm 10
the rainbow. 1t joins its p@an with the
sweet hymn Of the evening stars, and their
united melody calmly asceuds to the Throne
Of the Majesty on High. 1t ayishngy be.
slows its richest gifts upon the myriad forms
OF animated life, from the lowest, up TO man.
who was made in the image Of the Creator.
and who bears the impress Of The divinity
that lives within him, md that makes him
akin 10 angels. Truly, there is no recess
that it has not entered no avenue that it has
not found
. Beauty Gentle spirit pcrvading all
thing, from whence contest thou, and vhat
is thy mission to US who dwell upon the
earth Hush, listen to the "stil. small
voice that wreaths from all around. 1t is
the reply Of Beauty: | come minstcripa
spirit from the Great Eternal, and my mis-.
sion is one Of love and good will. In the
hour of joy when kind friends are around
you, when no cloud darkens your sky, when
everything subserycs your happiness, yea.
when the sweetest cup Of life is quaffcd.
when the heart is encirclcd in one BRIGHT
halo of glory, then tenIcrly invite you to
love and adore the Being who has 50 kindly
bestowed such blessings upon you In the
day Of sorrow, when you watch by the couch
OF the loved, where The "silver cord " is
looscning, and the golden bowl 20 is break
ing when you stand by the grave that con.
tains your dearest earthly treasure when in
your dcsoate honey you listen in vain to hear
the gentle football, and the sweet voice tat
Death has hu,hed forever, then | plead s.
lently with you te cast all your care upon
your Father in heaven, who afilicts You in
love. When deeper anguish than it is in the
power OF Death to cause, preys reentlessly
upon your heart and destroys all your hap
plness, then | whisper, look upward to the
source OF all true JOY When false pleas.
urcs strive to beguile you with their aliurinq
SMILES and deccitlul promises, when tempta.
tions thickly visit your path, then softly
breathe, God can save; trust in Him. Thus
at all times | endcavOr to exat and purify
your nature, that you may be fitted to dwell
in that peaceful home prepared for the pure
in hcart--that City Of ineflable glory cnclos.
cd by jasper walls and pearly gates, where
the ranboy is round about the Throne. and
where there is no need OF the light of the
sun, nor Of the moon, for the Lord of glory
is the light thereof
We possess faculties which, if cultivated.
will prepare us to receive into our inmost
souls the swec; influence OF the beauty that
everywhere pervadcs the works of God. Its
mysterious teaching will onnoblc our nature,
raise us above low d sire, and sordid selfish.
ness, and tune our hearts in unison with the
Great Spirit that animates the UNIVERSE
Its unialing fountains will ever be open to
us, from which our Immortal natures NAV
partake Of angels food, and be satisfied.
But II we neglect 10 cultivate these facul.
ties, this fountain of ambrosia sweets will
ever be sealed to us, and we shall mass
through this world of beauty like a blind
man through garden of surprising spen.
DOR utterly unconscious of the glory that
surrounds US LYDIA E. Wn,rp
Topsham, VT