The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-16
GATHERED THOUGHTS OF
LIFE,
By GAsKELL.

".
If man loses all when life is lost,
he lives coward, or fool expires;
A daring infdeI land such there are,
From pride, example, iucre, rage. re-
Venge,
| Or pure heroical defect Of thought),
Of all earth's madmen, most deserves q
ehaia. Young
There is something truly crafty
ing to the mind in the contempla-
ton of that immortality, or after
existence, towards which we are
all fast fastening; the usefulness
and happiness of which we should,
even now, in the early youth of
mundane life, be preparing to make
glorious. How well studied and
well directed should be every effort ;
how distinct and bright should be
the hope and aim, and how certain
the object of all these eXertions.
How necessary to guard against the
low, grOveling desires of flesh, with
it's sordld selfishness, and avoid the
dissertations of those higher beau
ties of the soul; or dimming, by in
discretion, the brightness of our
own or others prospects. In this
life there is not much of wealth or
substance that is very gratifying to
the soul, which searches after
excellence greater and in
telligence higher than are attain
able here. A few short years are
all we have in the present life, and
they are obscured and glOomed by
misfortunes, such as poverty, sick
ness and strife, with occasional
CLEANS of light to vary the monot-
ony and however great may be our
powers, or exalted our station, and
though myriads may obsequlously
bow to our commands, yet, when
death comes, our bodies are equally
as corruptible as are those of the
poorest individual and loWlieSt peas
ant that ever lived. The WOrmS,the
serpent, the cold corruptions Of the
tomb, make us equally as horrible
and disgusting to view as any one
that has passed away, and we are
just as perishable as they were. But
in that eternal, higher life hereafter,
we are tod death cannot come, be-
ing forever excluded from that
bright, charmed circle, where hap
piness, peace and JOY and immortal
ity dwell. All our instructions, our
teachings to the infant, the youth
and to the man, or to the woman,
should be with the sole aim of max
ing them good. useful, intelligent
citizens in this life, and partakers of
the beauties of heaven in the
next. This would be making
them wise and useful, DESTROYS
of happiness for themselves
and of extending it to others,
of diffusing knowledge around, and
leading others onward to safety and
salvation. The present age seeks
more for the useful than the orna-
mental, in religion and morality,
and the fantasticaL sensational
preacher, while enjoying a present
notoriety, has but little lasting
effect upon his hearers.
We have met with persons,
fathers and mothers, who looked
upon children in the light Of encum-
brances, or as q means of admins
terlng to their own selfish desires,
and increasing their temporal sub
stance. AS to the welfare of their
children, present and future, upon
it little thought OF care is bestowed;
n )r is the least anxiety manifested
by them whether the child displays
the good and transcendant qualities
of an angel Of light, or those darker
shades of passion and crime Of a
fend. If a good front is put upon
the matter, if they escape worldly
censure, if they stand fair i'll
fashionable society, that is all they
seek, and all else is overlooked.
Youth is the time Of dreams, and
Oftentimes vain imaginings, yet
more persons than the young build
castles In the air. But with them ii
is the important time when an
instructor or mentor is needed
the most Of all = it is the
critical time when We form.
in almost ineraSible lines those traits
of character that are to individual
ize and render us different from
others. How necessary then We
should be JEALOUS and careful-that
our actions should be cOmmendahle
in the eyes OF wisdom and worthy
al imi, ation by the rising genera
ton. 1t IS easier for youth and ig-
norance to copy the darker shades
man the brighter ones in the char
acter5 Of others and vice is far
sooner initiated than virtue. It is
easier fOr;jn Indian to drink whisky
than to understand Christianity. |
Yet often The most generous feel
ingS OF men are worked upon 20 q !
vicious end.
The greatest fortune that can
befali Il human being. is to dis
believe TIE reality Of virtue. So
soon rs the belief arises that al ylr-
tue is but a Sham-a cloak put on
for selfish purposes, there IS but lit
lie hose to be entertained OF the
moral qualifications Of the believer.
Simplicity. trust in the mercifu.
ruling Of the Lord vanish away ana
with them so peace and certainty.
to give place to mystery, darkness
and mental incertitude. Others do
so, so we will do as they do; they
are selfish and graspIng, We can be
the same; they seek pleasure, even
in sin and crime, and we are at
L.