Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-01-20
For tAs Free Press.
A THOUGHT.

On. how very. very beautiful is this world
of ours And how glorious must bo He who
has given and still continues to give us oil this
beauty-this lovely habilation in which TO
dwell for few brief years What is incom-
plete What falls short of perfection in this
work of His?
As I gaze out on the emerald earth, see
nothing that mars the perfect beauty Of this
Ais footstool The rugged mountain with
snow-oapped peaks towering alOft seemingly
aspiring to pierce the azure canopy that con-
coals His throne, and solve the great mystery
The mighty ever-surging, overroling sea rear
inr high its crested waves The vast prime
val forest through the pathless wilds Of which
'twere death to venture !-Ono and all attest
His majesty, power aud wisdom. What Is IN
| complete!
As turn my eyes to The clear blue vault
His throne, Ills abiding place-wonder un-
speakabe rivets my gaze-wonder at the glory
and majesty Of the Creator see the power
fol god of day and is satellites riding in splen-
dor through the heavens, placed there by Him
TO serve us while here that our poor, weak eyes
may rot be blinded by His ineiiable glory
that glory that illumiues the Celestial realm.
| follow the sun in his downward journey,
and watch with admirng, wondering gaze hIs
final departure midst waving banners OF iia-
ming crimson aud FURNISHED gold, while at a
short distance hangs the royal purple. like the
yiolet-ever modest, ever beautiful. The day
exceeding sad at this desertion Of her god, d
! gain dons her robe Of dukness, mourning his
( departure. Aud 50 the night Of the world
comes on. But sec not long does she thus
weep in darkness Over the distant hills rises
n siiyery CLEAN II becomes brighter and yet
| brighter till lol the queen Of night sails into
the dusby world robed in sheen Of silver loaned
her by her king to cheer the few short hours
Of solitude till again he should return in all
| his elugent light. One By one tho waiting
worlds catch the splcndor and twinkle joyous
" in welcome. But bark What may that
low muTmur portend An, l see a low dark
! line across the distant horizon Is II n range
| Of bills not before observed? Again the low.
mysterious muttcr gIcctsmy listening ear IL Is
only the rumble Of the mighty locomotive thun-
| dcring on is erpoutine way mics from tins
poac ful vale. And again am loStinG admiration
| for the lovely scene before and around me and
note not the freshening wind and gathering
darkness. till with one vivid llash-ouc mighty
neal The tempest is upon me in all its fury
Ah. the grandcur-the awful grandeur OF the
storm The wind shricks and walls rs though
ten thousand foes are on its track seeking 10
imprson md curb its mighty power The
thunderbot-tba dread voice Of God-crashes
through the sable heavens Tending asunder the
heavy mass Of blackness above The fash Of
binding light riots through the clouds aud de-
scends to the earth like a strcam Of molten fre
See The upright oak tosses his sturdy arms
and bows bis proud head 10 the blast And
the s,a WLat grandeur therel The angry
waves, lashcd into fury, tower nloft, then WIKI
a hiss plunge together into the secthing caul-
dron OF tie deep All nature seems TO have
arisen in open mutiny 'gainst her God
Bot bark In the thick blackness Of th'
tempest gentle voice seems TO say" Pcaco
be still" and as though touched by magic
wand, the thunierbolt with on angry multeI
passes on-the lightnings stay their destFuc-
ton and the hurricane, with iinol shrek 10
its mad career, is lulled to gentle breeze.
All, lie is yet King over all
The queen OF night again sails in cloudlcs'
splcndor through the heavens, the twinklinG
stars-diamoud5 ltuddng Ills tbronc-agaiu
appear and all is calu-all is perfect. Every
prospect ploases-but, only man is riie.
All. i: would seem, then, that His work IS
! impcrfect-is maued " only man is vile =
Is not tia, enough to doface this beautiful
earth That man-supremo ruler over the
temple Of his body and immortal soul and re-
cipcnt Of all these gifts from the most Pure,
should return this stupendous mercy By steep
ing that immortal soul in yilcness True
too true for by QUO man came sin and lis Just
reward-dcath But stay Listen to lis
voice =" BY man came also LJe" Lifol-
Then His work is not imperfect Still the
gifts are showcrcd upon ungraleiul man, and
to crown all comes this the gift OF His love
" His only begottcn SoyP All, he must be
poor, indeed, who knows not this gut he
must be ungrateful and wretched, Indeed, who
knocs and wifglly rejects i'll The one crop
ing in the ught Of ignorancc-thc other IN the
black darkness Of mJeiiJi Truly" He who
hath not the Son, hath not life hath not
| that eye Of the sJul-Faith
And those who bclcvo-whO love Him
What Of them2 Many Of them are called up
on to endure the heaviest. darkest Of tFials aud
! sorrows here-for lie knows whom 70 trust TO
pass uuscathcd through fiery trials. lie knows
who will do Him glory and honor, and prom
/ isos-H promiscs-"greater the cross-bFi 5ht-
! or the cyOicH !"
"Oh, that men would praise the Lord ior
| Ills goodness and for Ills wonderful works TO