Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-10-20
Who Of our readers has not admired the beau
tiful hymn beginning with the stanza
/ love to steal awhile away
From every cuDberino caro-
FrOm every cumDerlng care,
And spend the hours of setting day,
In hmm hlo crrntnf,1l ,,,,o r-r,,


II love to steal awhile away
From every cumbering care,
And spend the hours of setting day,
T In humble, grateful prayer"
The Religious Herald gives the following as
the circumstances under which it was written,
and we think the narration lends touching in
terest to the familiar hymn:
Its author, Mrs. Phoebe FL. Brown, was an
intelligent, pious woman, who labored industri-
ously to support large family of children She
was wont, after the tolls of the day were over,
at the quiet twilight hour, to ramble to a
nelghbOrlng grove where, alone and unobserv-
ed, she might spend an hour in meditation and
prayer
A wealthy lady, who lived near Mrs. Brown,
seeing her go often to this retreat, without
knowing her object censured her severely, in
the presence of other persons, for her ''ramble,"
and told her ''she had better stay at home with
her children" Mortified at being charged with
neglecting her family, and deeply wounded that
her retirement for communion with God had
excited evil surmises, Mrs. Brown remained at
home that evening, and with her babe on her
knee, wrote her Apology for my Night Ram
bles A friend found this pretty gem among
her manuscripts and sent it to DIR. Netteton,
who inserted it in collection of hymns he was
preparing. Mrs. Brown WIS doubtless success
full in bringing up her children in the nurture
and admontion of the Lord, as one of them
was the first American missionary to Japan
A BEAUTIFUL SENTIMENT clip the fol-
lowing beautiful sentiment from an exchange:
Sorrow sObers us and makes the mind genial.
And in sorrow we love and trust our friends
more tenderly, and the dead become dearer to
us. And just as the stars shine out In the
night, so there are blessed faces that look at
us in our grief, though before their features
were fading from our recollection. Suffering
Let no man dread it too much because it is bet
ter for him, and it will help to make him sure
of being immortal 1t is not in the bright hap
py days, but only in the solemn night, that
other worlds are to be seen shining in the long,
long distances. And it is in sorrow-tbe night
of the soul-that We see the tarthest, and
know ourselves natives of infnity and sons and
daughters Of the Most High.
FORMATION OF CHARACTER you ever
watched an icicle as it formed, you have
noticed how it froZe one drop at u time, until it
was a foot long or more. If the water was
clean, the icicle remained clear, and sparkled
brightly in the sun; but ifthe iccle was slight
ly muddy, the cicle looked foul, and its beauty
was spoiled. Just so our characters are formed
One little thought or feeling at time adds its
influence If every thought be pure and right,
the soul will be bright and lovely, and will
sparkle with happiness; but ifthere be thoughts
and feelings impure and wrong, the mind will
be soiled, the character darkened, and there
will be final deformity and wretchedness. How
important, then, that weshould be on our guard
against every evil impulse and desire.
-s..f-f .
II