The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-03-08
Home. Street Home.
:. Home. thy joys are passing lovely
Joys no stranger heart can tell =,

Ii'HiP. thS Joy are passing iOVplv--
Joys no strangers heart can tell =,
What charm rests upon the ende,,
ing name-my home -consecrated ~.
domestic love, that golden key ofhumoosy
happiness. Without this, home wn" 'a
be like temple stripped of its garlandsa.
there a father welcomes with fond affao'
ton; a brothers kind sympathies COM
fort in the hour of distress, and assist o.
every trial; there a pious mother first
taught the infaut lips to lisp the nan,a
the companion Of early days. ''s
Truly, if there is aught that is lovo,,,
here below, it is home-sweet homaS,
1t is like the oasis of the desert. NJ.
passing of our days may be painfn1e,
our path may be checkered by sorrow
and care; unkindness and frowns NAV
Wlther the joyousness of the hear;
efface the happy smiles from the brow
and bedew life's way with tears, vet
when memory hovers over the nast'
there is no place in which it so deli@bnte,,
to linger, as the loved scene Of cb;ld
hoods home. It is the polar star of ap
istence. What cheers the mariner "a,
away from his native land in a forei ,n,
port, or tossed upon the bounding HI
lows, as he PAGES the deck at midnioht
alone-what thoughts fill his breastes
He is thinking of the loved ones far
away at his own happy cottage. In bis
minds eye he sees the smiling groun
seated around the cheerful tireside. In
imagination he hears them uniting their
voices in singing the sweet songs which
he loves. He is anticipating the hour
when he shall return to his native land
to greet those absent ones dear to his
heart
Why rests the deep shade of sadness
upon the strangers brow, as he seats
himself amid the family circle? HE'S
surrounded by all the luxuries that
wealth can afford ; happy faces gather
around him and strive in vain TO win
smile? All! he is thinking of his own
sweet home; of the loved ones assem-.
bled in his own cheerful cot.
Why those tears that steal down the
cheeks Of the young and lovely girl. as
she mingles in the family circle? All!
she is an orphan she, too, had happy
home; its loved ones are now sleeping
in the cold and silent tomb. The gentle
mother who watched over her infancy
and hushed her to sleep with lullaby
which a mother only can sing-Who in
girlhood's days taught her of theS Saviour
and tuned her youthful voice to sing
praises to His name, has gone to the
mansions of joy above, and is mingling
her songs and tuning her golden harp
with bright angels in heaven. Poor
one! she is now left to tread the weary
path of life a lonely, homeless wanderer
Thus it is i'll this changing world.
The objects most dear are snatched
away. We are deprived of the friends
whom we most love, and our cherished
home is rendered desolate. "Passing
away" isengraved on all things earthly.
But there is a home that knows no
change, where separation never takes
piace,-where the sorrowing ones of this
world may obtain relief for all their
grieis, and where the sighs and tears Of
earth are exchanged for amending songs
of joy. This home is found in heaven.
In the shadoWy past there is one sweet
reminiseence which the storm of life can
never wither; it is the recollection Of
home. In the visioned future there is
one bright star, whose lustre never
fades; it is the hope of home-of a
heavenly home.