Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-19
Our Saturday Night.

Thought are returned 10 the quver and
the bow of the Mind is uustrung Cor
brief season Of rest:
The moments, hours, days of week
have been gathered into n sheaf by the
harvest hands of Time, and to night they
will be bound up and stored in he''gran-
airy of the of the past. Fifty-two sheaves
like this, will sow the field of year
from the field OF Life.
Well be il for us, if in sowing the mo
ments that grow into weeks. we have Sc
lected ground in the vineyard. and tend
ed with careful! hands, the budding and
growing Of these precious plants, that
the harvest may be n golden one for the
Great Reaper, who waits for the appoint
ed time.
Will it be 20 night, or to morrow, that
the sound of the sickle will be heard?
With these thoughts we fnd onrseif
alone in the sanctun this Saturday night.
The hours have come aud gone, aud
the gentle tides of sleep begin to 1'w
upon the city-and ere long the grateful
"To morrow" will rest upon the slum-
berers who have place TO lay their
heads.
Could we look up to the great emulti.
tude of Coils family in this act what
picture would rise before us--the curly
head of youth just touching the silver
locks Of age-tho rosy cheeks Of infancy
pillowed on the breast of maternity
the hard face of Want resting on the
calloused hand of Toil-,he head 'of the
rich rcposing on down-tlle head of the
poor and homeless, with not even n stone
to offer couch. And this is the world
of Saturday night.
While the hours are wearing AWAY,
the thoughts and fancies of years are
gathering and passing like a panorama
before our vision; and the sliadowy forms
Of bygono scenes crowd upon the can
vas, aud fill our Sanctam with imagery,
and our heart with strange emotions.
From without come in Imagination,
the moans and cries of suffering. that
swell up to Heaven on every side, and,
while we sit under tho gas!iSht, our heart
goes out irto the great world-to all who
live in the shade Of life, and we pray
God speed the time when they may
come out into the sunny paths.
Few of Gods creatures are on the
best side of life this Saturday Night -
Few who started in the great race, filled
with hope and youth, in the green spring
time of bnyhood, have come thus far un-
scathed. Pitfalls of temptation have
been set for their feet and they fell -
snares. have entrapped them. and Trey
became converts to orror-but still the
race goes on. And here we are on the
troubled stream OF Life, drifting between
the To-day and Yesterday while be-
fore us-the only reality we can grasp
stands the Present just ready to drop
into the Past.
Without, all is hushed save the gentle
rustling of the wind, that brings the sum
mer in its trailing robes; or the lonely
footballs, sounding on the pavement be-
low. -
Silence in the streets that yesterday
gave such tokens of life. Silence in the
darkened dwellings, with only here and
there dimly burning lamp to guide the
prodigal to his home. Silence in the
newspaper office, where Saturday night
is sinking down into the Sabbath on wea
ry hands and heads Silence for tho pen
silence for the clicking types, and the
din of machinery. Silence in the hearts
of those who sleep. TO dream, perchance
of shining rivers and singing birds. ST.
lence in the chamber, where the mystic
rious messenger is passing the guard of
prayerful friends aud watchers, 10 lay his
icy hand upon the form of some loved
one. Silence in the shops and stores,
where the weekday traffic has been car
ried on. Silence in churches, until the
Sabbath morn wakes the bells, and calls
to prayer the weary laden. Silence
along the busy walks of daily life. ST.
lence on field, and bill and wooded ridge.
Silence on the dark river, that glides be-
meath its icy cover to the sen.
Silence in the resting place Of
those who have been called from
among us, and now lie where the cold
dews gather on stone and shrub. ST.
lence everywhere-and ms we look from
our window out into the night, GODS
jewes-the stars-are silently shining
down; and the same law that holds them
in the blue above, teaches us that the
Great Ruler of the Universe cares for all
His children this Saturday Night.