American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-12-05
arlieioas 9epartmeat.
The Lay Preacher.
Go up now, look toward the seas. .p.-Kisas.i !


from the crowded and dusty streets and
sit down upon the seashore, barring the
brow to the refreshing yiIds that travel
over the water, watching the clouds as
they Heek the blue of heaven, and fol-
lowing their shadows as they travel over
the deep, and listening to that never end
ing anthem that rises in ceaseless hom-
age to Him whose majesty is reflected in
the boundless expanse of ocean.
Full and glad aud rich as are the emo
tions excited by beautiful landscape,
they al, quite of another class from those
which the sea awakens. 1t seems to
take the soul under its influence and open
to its exhaustless realms Of thought, and
to suggest the Infinite as neither noun
tain vale or cataract can do and the soul
! goes out over the untraveled waste, and
beyond the ken of vision still stretches
its wings il vain yearnings for the unat-
tanned good, in vain longings never on
earth to be appeased.
The awakening of the waters at the
in-cc ming of the tide, the foam wreaths
that ara scattered on the shore, the ire
sistible encroach ments of each succeed
ing wave, the full swell of the abound
ing element, how noble how grand !! how
it stirs the soul to its depths and anon
the fat gooes forth, and the waves roll
back from their rocky bounds, and the
wet ssa-weed lies strewn in its path, and
many shining she'll aud pebble is left to
march in the summer sun, and the voice
of its complaining is faint upon the re-
treatiag breeze.
Dark clouds often arise from its un-
broken outline, and the sea grows black
under its pall and the down-rushing rain
falls with the sound of many cymbals,
and the lightning flashes through the
gloom, and the thunder rolls its heavy
bass over the dread abyss, and the sub
lime and appalling take possession of the
soul, and the Omnipotent reigneth in ter
rible majesty.
The summer shower, mighty in its
wrath but short in its duration, abates its
violence. and the clouds roll off like
curtain, and the twilight skies are draped
in purple and gold, and the setting sun
looks through the humid air and gives
| light to the darkened east, the lovely bow
of promise.
And then comes on the holy tranquil
ave. when silent stars look down upon
the moving aste of waters, and the moon
rolls up the eastern horizon and sheds its
beams like a mothers blessing upon the
ripping waves, turning into fairy feet
sbs bG ystdf sbd gS s nthseess h as' as thought The
winds are all hushed, and only the waves
call to each other in their exceeding joy.
Ye who are weary with the burden of
life, who feel your noblest faculties dim>
ming under worldly influences, who will
be ministered unto" Ego up now, and
look toward the sea-" It's beauty will
charm the eye, its variety prevent its pail
ing. its music as gracious lullaby, its
boundlessness will lead the soul upward
to its only sure refuge and once can
scarcely 90 from its borders back into the
world without being in some degree made
purer and happier.
| Open the heart, then, to its influences,
We who would draw from it nourishment
to the soul. Leave each unworthy tho't
to perish, and seek God in His glorious
temple, the pavement crystal waters, the
roof of heavens own blue curtained
with changing clouds Make each white
winged bird that dips into the foamiug
billows a messenger of His, and in each
zephyr that floats past, hear the soft
pleading of His love, rebuking sin, com
forting sorrow.
Look forth upon the sea, mindful of
its Maker, else its chief excellence will
escape the, and thou wilt go from thence
uncheercd, unstrengthened, and resume
thy toll with the same leaden heart and
ruf1ed brow.
Let us take our sorrows. sins and cares
and leave them before the altar of His
worship; and draw near to him now that
we walk not alone upon our ofttimes rug
ged way and when we enter the world
where "there is no more sea" may the
Saviour guide and the Father receive us
into the rest and peace that the ,arth
can only typify.-N f. Farmer.
Our OF THE MOUTH OF BABEs.-A