The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-07-27
Unseen Purposes.

"For our light affiiction, which i
but for moment, worketh for us
far more exceeding and eternal weigh
of glory"
1 saw a gentle creature in her beaut,
fade away,
And L watched the awful struggle o
the spirit with the clay;
The large soft eyes were darkened
and the lashes long and meek,
Lay in jetty shadow on the fever
tinted cheek.
The wavy hair was parted from tha,
gentle brow away,
And on its pure transparency the dew
of anguish lay;
The lips weie red with fever, and the
fastly ebbing breath
Came through their parted rose leaves
with the withering gasp of death.
The tiny hands contracted in an agony
of pain,
AS each succeeding spasm rent the vi
tai chord entwain.
1 watched the final struggle, the dead.
liest and the last, .-
As the pure and spotless spirit to the
realms of glory passed
And doubt and misgiving to my
erring bosom stole,
That darkened for moment all the
?. light within my soul
1 marvelled, in my musing, why the
free from earthly stain,
The gentle and the innocent, were
made to suffer pain;
Why our sweetest, purest blossoms,
ere their dawn of life begin,
Are with the guilty called to pay the
penalty of sin.
Then spoke voice within Inc, and a
soft, rebuking tone
'ls not the day more glorious when
storms have come and gone?
''The pangs by which the spirit from
the lovely clay was riven,
Will make more light and beautiful
the blessedness of heaven p'
l looked upon that lily face-a gleam
of holy light
Lay ON those marble lineaments, so
cold, anc still, and white,
And l felt the dark misgiving beneath
its power flee,
Tho still there was within my soul
shade of mystery.
This world is full of suffering-along
the mournful air
The notes of sad complaining are
. ringing everywhere.
Love shieldeth not our idols from
deaths unsparIng darts,
And the whole wide earth is tesasiag
WITH crushed and broken hearts;
our pathway driven,
This world would be a paradise-we
would not dream of heaven
The erring heart to purify, is sent the
Christening rod,
To discipline the spirit and draw it
nigh to God.
We are bid to bow in meekness to the
loss of those We love,
And are pointed to the mercy of a
Providence above,
To raise the heart to heaven with a
meek and holy trust,
And silence its repinings that have
bowed it to the dust.
We may not see the purpose why our
hearts are pierced and riven;
Yet with face .undoubtlng, let us
still look up to heaven!
This life is full of trials, yet we know
that One above
Looks ever down upon us with SYM
pathizing love.
And pitieth our Infirmities, though
others may deride-
For the heart hath not sorrow by
which He was not tried.
o, let us then be patient! be meek,
and murmur not,
Tho clouds and gloom and shadow
surround our earthly lot;
And when the heart repineth, think of
that Holy One
VINO meekIy bore and suffered, to win
for us crown
We know that life hath mysteries, for
God hath not designed
To send his great omniscience on the
lowly finite mind /;
But when the soul is ransomed and
the fount of life unsealed,
The mind shall grasp infnity, and all
will be revealed.
Then let us place the anchor of our
confidence and trust
On the might of the Creator, the Om-
nipotent and Just
Whose will we may not question, nor
the hidden motive tell,
Yet rest in the assurance that "He
doeth all things we'll"