Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-07-22
CO,,MINIC.ATED.
SERMON ON THE HALFSlIELL.. ~
By DEACON pIoGESEs.
LOVE-.

LOVE. t,.''
The world 81 cold inhuman,
Will spurn thee if thou fall, ~
The love OF one pure woman,
outcasts and shames them all.
Brethren-There is a little gossamer
winged innocent, who daily issues from
his bowers of brigh. fragrant flowers,
and hies away through our world on a
shooting expedition. This rosy cheek
ed, bright eyed, sunny haired kttlo
chap, carries in his hands dainty little
bow, and at his side bunch of little
arrows. lie makes a target Of human
hearts and strikes the centre every time
be shoots.
Ifthare ever was a heart so hard "a
TO resist the power of his bow, we arc
fearful that the possesSer thereof was
forgot at his birth by the Recording
Angel, and his name never entered on
the muster roll of humanity.
How unhappy and deso!a;e those in
dividuals must he who have never
loved. They ever wander in barren
fields, stumbling ever the boulders OF
discomfort and shivcring IN the odd
Nor 'westers of sctishnrss, while TO those
who have experienced the tender prs.
sion, the world looks iairer, they live in
purer atmosphere aud the prose OF
life is swallowed up in poetry. ...
Love, my brethren, is as varied IN its
attacks aud manifestations as are the
physical and mental constitutions ot
men. 1t is rather difficult to diagnose
aud in many instances very difficult TO
telt. We have known boys OF a III
teen or twenty 10 5c severely affected,
though in individuals OF this tender ago
i, is diflicnlt TO distinguish IN affection
OF the heart from vermiceuns affection;
il however, the boy persists In loving
every girl in the ncighborhood, and bc.
leyes that every girl returns his heat
haukcring, we NAV conclude that he con-
tracted love in It's first stage. TO tho
older, it exhibits itself in mary forms.
With some, like the measles, il breaks
ont in spots, with others il is confined
internally, while with many it affects
the whole organism Those who have
experienced il III all its stages have fail
ed 10 express It's varied sensations
Brethren, we never forget the time
when we were in love; when our whole
stock OF misery and happiness was in
vested in what we thought the incest
and prettiest girl in town. How at her
smile our heart went up like the mercC.
ry IN 4 thermometer on n hot day OF
August, and how at her irown onr heart
went Gown 50 suddenly that wo could
hear it strike the bottom OF our boot.
We remember how VIC laborcd and dc.
voted a large per cent to the purchase
of presents Of dolIar jcweIry and hair
oil, and then sat on the fence, inflated
with misery, and saw some other fell
low beau her To church aud singing
school. But wbcn at last we were AS
sured that we were her "fcller," and
ONLY hers. when she had drawn us limp
and bespattered from the slongh of de
spoudency, aud permitted Us 10 bask
ddightcdly in the sunshine Of her un-
divided love, bow our soal become IN
hated with blissfu emotions and We
felt as though we could pull ourselves
to where the angels fly, by our boot
straps, and drink the nectar Of bliss
from the horn Of the moon. At other
times we feIt as though We we're bath
ing in the billows Of an ocean Of yam.
kee molasses while our dads hing 10
dry la sunbeam OF bliss. This IL.
about the last stage of the malady, nuI
can only be cured by resort 10 mat
rimouy, though IN some cases, We re-
gret to say, the disease is preferable to
the remedy
My brethren, say what We will. lovo
was conceived in heaven; il is passion
such as angels entertain. 1t makes.our
world better. our hearts noblcr and
stronger. Ii is the mystic light which
if kept burning Oh the heart altar, will
expose the aoblest virtues while vo
live, and will in lime, re unite us 10 our
loved ones in that great eternity Of
love. l
brethren let US sing. l