Vicksburg weekly herald., 1870-02-05


aud manages as shall be
leemed and is always best It had
lie hours OF infancy il grew into
! and then started down
he declivlly which leads to End,
and as the measured strokes Of but
4 moment ago told twelve o'clock
Il was swept away and new crea-
lure was ushered into existence.
The old week, with all it's Joys; its
sorrows, its pleasures and its pains
was rolled up and laid away to rest
forever more undisturbed. But
what Of this Dead Week 4? Has it
been fruitful in good or evil? Have
Its fleeling moments been promptly
and properly applied?
''Knowltdge Il sweet. aDd NaturJis muse,
Gentle and holy, and the 1 'ght aai arr,
And ali things com nor. warm 1t like the
sun,
And ripea the eternal seed within.
God has made nothing worthy OI contempt;
The smallCst pebble 10 the well Of truth
Has lts peculiar meaning, AMI VIII ttDh
When mans bcss mjnumelts have passed
away.
What has been the knowledge
which this departed week has i'm
parted to us? Has it taught us
charity and softened our hearts to
the cries of want, or has il leadoned
our hearts and filled them with
selfish sordid desires? las il
drawn us away from self, and bade
us look out for the warmth and joy
and pleasure of our cheerful home,
upon the misery of want and desc
lation? Has it moved US 10 go
out in the bleak cheerless aud cold
night TO seek some little half frozen
wandering waif, who, with wild
haggard eyes, ellsh locks tossed
by the signing wind, aud tattered
garments, looks longingly and
hungrily through the drawn cur
tain Of the happy house before
which he or she may shiyeringly
stand? Has it taught us that the
only treasures which have perma-
ncncy and which have the seal Of
eternity placed upon them by the
hand Of Divinity, are those which
are laid up in Heaven? And that
all The wealth which may be hoard
cd up on earth is but so much
dross, aud so many rivets to biud
us to sin, aud to warp and drag us
away from the great end for which
man was created in the image Of
his Maker? Has ii taught us
that life is but Il Aecting mo.
ment, aud that eternity is un-
ending, and that we but
step from life into eternity, and that
eternity, can be such al we desire !
either all OF the most exquisite bliss
or ofpain and sorrow hey onl con-
ccption. These ileeting weeks are
sad monitors; they teach sublime
lessons they tell us as they sweep
sorapidly by that we too are sweep
ing on in the great current Of time,
and that there is no harbor this side
of death, and that beyond there /,
an existence which is never ending !;
II tells US that death Is continually
knocking at first one door and then
another, and that when he enters a
household he Is always accompa.
nicd beyond its Threshold by one
who never crosses It again. II tells
us that the great enigma of the
hereafter is soon to be solved by all
and that ii we are but properly cd
ucatCd aud informed we can turn
the information derived from death
Into fruits Of The most delightful
and permanent character. But
while it whispers these things in its
dieting visit it also says that SCI
iishncss and worldly desires but
point TO bitter future. It should
teach us, il it does not, that much
Of earth which we call pleasure is
the most poignant Of woe; that It's
sweets are superficial AMI cover
poison bitter and deadcuing. The
qualification Of the grosstrpassions
have in them no pleasure but
are oyerlowing with sorrow and
with pain. There is calm aud
sweet enjoyment OF life whilh
leads to purest pleasure, on earth
and draw MS nearer 10 The great
Hereafter which have bgru fiilhrul-
ly and beautifully described by n.
p. willis, in these lines:
There ., . -oiter winding path th,vuga
lie
And man may walk It With uu rni q ,oui,
tuI drink is Wdy- 'r wake . fu 90. ltau.
!, ti1i'd WHA i:7s o's,FJWirg 2 iIgght.s
The chart hy which % trayt.i it tH..uat
IN the broad book Of naturt:' /. t1h4ve
IS ttentiYc ami believing tncultiu!
To o abroad, ici UiclnS 30 tho joy
DI beautiful and We created tuiugs:
To love the voice e waters mud the sheen
Ol silver fountains. Gaping 10 tho sea;
To ihril Hith tho Itch m lJdy ! O. birds.
Living their lie Il music; 10 tg Il d
Ia De gag un.h,Ur, ICgcscat boa tac storm
To see h.aUty IN tic shining leaf
Aud i.u calm thoughts bguu.th The Eh .-
p"rlug tree;
To &c, ta4 hear, and breathe ihgcyilencs
OF toIs d.cp wisdom In che yu.uru
NDld!
lt D. 10 linRgf on the 'm r.e f.rG
3i human DcagE," and hom Sts and
an me-. o. .,. . 1........ t... a. ...