American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-12-19
NUMBER 3.
8flI9lo'ta department.
THE LAY-PREACHFF.


1t is not sadness. it is not melapcbolv
out pensive brooding of the spirit. with
winch we regard the falling of the leaf,
'he decaying of the flowers, the sharp
winds which compel our retreat within
the sanctuary of home
Philosophize as we will upon the ne.
eesslty of elimination and decay, feeling
assured as we do that nature receives
again into her laboratory the elements
she puts forth with each succeeding,
spring, still, when tie flowers nitler
and the leaves fall and grass decays, the
lesson of our own frailty and that of all
who are near anddear to us sinks into tho
soul with power no other season can
compel.
With the joyousness of spring, with
the exulting glory and beauty of summer,
with the rich fulfilment of the early au.
tumn days, pensive thought can scaroo
hnd company in the exulting and CRATE,
ful spirit; but the harvest ended, the
early bllghting frosts invadinng garden
and field, the silence in the woods, save
the rustling of the falling verdure, these
tone the thoughts to the minor mood, and
waken sad memories of those who faded
like the leaf; and they recall withered
hopes that once we're more precious than
life, and they suggest not resurrection,
only death.
The naturalist will say that the change
taking place around US is neither decay
nor death, and we believe it; but who
that looks into his own heart does not be.
lieve, also, that the Almighty has still
another to teach us by the great change
everywhere going on, above, beneath,
around us? He gives us hours of dark
ness instead of light; the Wild, cold,
wintry blast for the soft, fragrant airs
that seem to whisper Of an Eden whence
they came; He gives us the hoarse, sulN
len murmurs Of the sea for the gushing
melody of the wild bird, and sends the
| careless rover from the meadow and tho
wood, from blessed communication with
nature, in her holest moods, to the pro,
lection Of the freside. Is there no les,
son for the heart in this ?
Withdrawn in some measure from the
contemplation of Gods works, let us turn
our thoughts to Him from whom not
only the departed glory came, but who is
our Creator, Father, Judge. Let US ask
ourselves what have the spring, the sum
mer, and the harvest taught us, and are
our characters ripening for Reapers
| hand /?
We are fading as leaf; and are we
fulfilling the tasks appointed US, so that
when we drop, like them, upon the lap Of
earth, no regret, no late repentance shall
embitter our departure
As with pensive eyes we gaze upon the
places so lately redolent with bloom, and
/ muse on the transformers Of all that
earth can offer, are we not almost insen>
sibly led to seek for the unchanging, the
unfading; the abiding? They in whom
our hearts trusted and rested, they whom
we felt to be so much part of ourselves
that separate existence seemed impossi,
BILE, they have gone from our fresides,
from our garden walks, and our woodland
paths, from our companionship beside
the restless sea, and we, in these GER
shadowed days would fain be with them
in the eternal summer Of the better land,
So from the blurred book of nature We
open the book of revelation, lay cur hand
in the Saviour's to be led withersoever
Tie will, strive to do his bidding, cast
our heavy burdens on His love, and be-
/ lieve that in Ills Fathers house are many
mansions, where our precious lost are
gathered, aud whore we shall he joined
with them five keep His commandments.
IN E. Farmer.