Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-08-06
A n ES S A Y.
Straws Swim upon the
Surface; but Pearls
Lie upon the Bot
tom

Pearls from the earliest ages
have been regarded as among the
most precious aud valuable of
earthly gems. They are found a.
mong the treasures OF the deep,
clustered on the rocks which lie
bid zen at the buttom OF the sea
Men leave their happy homes and
friends, with all the cherished as
sociates which cluster around
them, aud launch out upon the
deep waters vi the ocean, that
they may obtain their hidden
treasures and when they have
reached the spot beneath which
lie the pearl-banks, they dive in
to the depths Of the sea, search
ing Till tLey have obtained the
coveted gem, wren they again
rise to the surface, bearing their
hard earned prize. But alas |!
there Hre many, no doubt, who
while searching for the TREASURES,
have sunk never to rise, but are
enshIined in the bosom of the
deep, there to slumber till earth
and sea render up their jewels.
While there are but few who are
enabled to obtain these gems, and
only by the most hazardous and
painful labor, there are pearls that
lie within the grasp OF all, that are
far more valuable even than those
obtained from the peall-fsheri' 8
OF Ceylon, or the depths of the
Persian Gulf.
We arsall sailing upon the ocean
of life, and it lies within our pow
er, 10y careful study ard patient
application, to gather from the
pearl banks of knowledge these
gems of virtue and truth, which
will outlast all The jewels of earth.
But while these pearls lie within
the profound depths of llfe's
mighty sea, and can only be OBJ
tained by persevering industry
and a strict adherence to The prln-
ci, les ol virtue, the frivolities Of
the world are floating lightly a
round us. as strsws upon the SUI
face, enticing US from the path Of
duty 10y their siren allurements.
Fashion is probably among the
most enciting OF ali the allure.
ments which are thrown arnund us
it is the siren goddess, at whose
shrine we all pay more or lrss
homage, and it has no doubt been
the ruin of many. Many when
setting out upon life's voyage, have
been led astray by its subtitle in.
huence, and are only grasping at
the pleasures which are floating
around them, while they are seem-
ingly lorgetlul that life is real
that they have any other mission
than that Of enjoyment. Alas !
they have more, for true happi-
ness is found in the quiet auo tran
quill feeling of the breast, when
the heart beareth witness that we
have performed our duty.
Nearly alli, d to fashion, is
wealth, which by itS corruptlng
influence is sweeping thousands to
destruction. Many a promising
y lou.f, who has been trained and
educated by pious parents, has,
when starting upon lifes s voyage,
been led by the influence Of wealth
and fashion, into the haunts Of
vice and immorality-he is iuvi-
ted by gay and fashionable COM
panions to partake of the wine as
i spark les in the elass-for the
sake of fashion he accedes TO their
wishes, and partakes, perhaps for
he first time, OF the POISONOUS
beverage. He suspects no evil,
out one sin indulged leaves
'oom. for another-one straw |
grasped another floats swiftly ,
On to fill its place, so step by |
step, he is led on from one sin
% another until finally he paves
he way to his destruction.
Empires and nations have, Gas
'ecorded in the history Of the
,ast," been raised by wealth
md prosperity to such a degree
1f pomp and powcr,and become
90 degenerate and presumptu-
,us, as to defy the power of
Him who gave them their pros
oerity, but ere they reached the
of their ambition they
ell. The Egyptians, who were
Dnce the most prosperous and
nation of the earth,
severely afflicted the chosenpeo-
Die of God, but Jehovah deliv-
red Israel from their bondage;
md Pharaoh with his host, in
to pursue them, was
buried in the heart of the Red
Sea. Thus, Egypt, corrupted /