The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1873-04-09
Observation-Disclosures Tomorrow
BY REV. E. e. OSBORNE.

through the dream of things that were !;
a ~schoolboy's tale, the wonder on an
hour" To-day is here, freighted with
immortal interest, ready to be launched
into eternity moored only for a mo-
ment in the haven of the present noon
of being. To-day is the warp and wool
of the souls henceforth-the' record of
eternity in fve letters.
Tomorrow? To-morrownever comes.
"'There is no such period in all the
hoary calendar of Time" Embosomed
in the dark beyond, no mortal hand can
lift the misty curtain, no human eye
behold its mysteries, no mind solve its
problems, no human ear catch the down
pouring CRATIC from the far-0f land be-
yond the "visual line which girts us
round" Memory lives upon the out
stretched plains of Yesterday, holds
communion with the ghosts of the dead,
and suns its plumage in the light of
other days. Here and there, an oasis
gems the desert of the Past, and a foun-
tain of beauty springs up along the.
wastes of Memory
"Though the ocean roar around us.
Still its waves shall bear us on;
Though the desert should surround us.
1t hath springs that may be won"
How the bright spots on the bosom of
Yesterday charm us! A kindly uttered
word, a mountain temptation resisted,
and trampled into dust beneath the feet
of brave ~endeavOrs, a shout of victory,
uttered in Gods strength amid the
flashing swords Of envy, and the blaz-
ing fre-brands of the worlds cruel
mockery and hate, a victory won in spite
of earth and hell. These grand memo
ries leap from out the historic rolls of
the Past, and grid the soul with angels
armor. Yesterday tells us what we may
do To-day, to feel the soul thrill with
the grandeur of manhood Tomorrow,
and SO make peace with history. Then,
thanks be to God, Yesterday is crowned
with glory to the brave, true humble
heart. Memory need not feed on bones
and husks; she may feast on angels
food. To-day? What are we doing to-
day? The moa0 of being is the seeds
time Of distant harvests, whose golden
glor1es will be gathered by the sons of
God, in the morning light of Eternity.
"NoW is the day of salvation nor is
the accepted time ;" now is mans heri-
age for veal or o God says, Now.
Man says, Tomorrow. Tomorrow els
the thick of time"-fruitless libel of
Nature. Nature ask no credit. Her be-
nifcence strews the heavens with light,
the air with fragrance, the earth with
She does not insult the stricken
.starVeling with to,morrow's promises.
her promises like GODS are "Yea, and
We are living to-day to-mor-
friends may say: "He is dead :"
we may toll for Gods glory and
.humanity's great good, and carve our
record where the stars glitter and til
angels sing. Oh, brother man, glorif'
the soul by the uplifting grandeur q
labor stand by the post of duty, and
all men forsake you, the armies
Of heaven will encamp around about you.
Pour out your victorious song over the
bosom of the storm. Throw away the
scabbard and flash the fiery steel in the
face Of humanity's enemy, Christ's foe.
gently to the erring, speak grandly
to the tried, lift up the fallen, strengthen
feeble, feed the hungry, clothe the
naked, visit the sick, bury the dead,
educate the orphan and love God and
your fellow-men. Let the angels see
that your religion is more than the
~pageantry of barren ritualism
glorified charity, vital with labors
Of love, and full of immortal, moveless
Battle for the right crush down
wrong. Shout amid the blaze of
grand battle for God and Humani-
y? IF you have friends, love them:
never degrade your manhood by desert
ng them If they fall, lift them up, and
stand by them until they can stand and
andfy. If you have enemies. thank
sod for it; they are guards by the
of hell pickets by the shrines
If temptations, they beat us back from
he gates of wrong and ruin. Thank
God for your enemies! Love them il
s well enough to let your lives stamp
heir prophecies with falsehood. Work
or God and Humanity.
"And when steals the eveutide,
When hfe's Saturday is one,
Wen ding our working dress aside,
And put our Sabbath garments on"