The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-09-18
rH0UGATS or
LIFE.
BY eAsKELL.

"Then infant reason grows apace, and
calls
For the kind hand Of an assiduous care.
Delightful task to reSr the tendeT
thought,
To teach the young idea how to shoot.
Thomson.
Infancy is the morn of life III our
present sphere of existence-nol,
perhaps, the morn Of the existence
of our spiritual being, for the sou
NAV have had a pTe-eXiStent being.
so claimed for myriads of ages an
terror to it's present covering of car
nal nature. we call human. II
existing in intelligent personality,
would it not be in the beatitudes OF
heaven, baskIng in the genial sun
beams of eternal truth? Would il
not be existent with continuous
increase of intelligence and an APP
probation of the benefits, such as
peace bearing fruits in happiness
and Joy, and an enlarged desire 10
do good? But we leave such points
for theologians and casuiSts TO de-
termine, and speak only of the
morn Of life In this frail, mortal
tabernacle Of flesh we call body,
which, in its nature and growth,
hangs about US as an imperVlOuS,
enviOus cloud, enshrining he bright
radiance of the soul. Being a thing
of desires, and hopes and passions;
if not sWayed by every wind OF doc
trine, warped and twisted. and made
good or bad, as a calm wisdom d.
reefs, or a mad frenzy controls. A
mortality that hides the spiritual
essence of our being, serving as a
clog to the unutterable aspirations
of the spirit, reaching on. for and
searching after the wealth OF eter-
nity-truth.
We enter this world weeping at
the trials before US. While all the
relatives anu friends are cOngratu-
lating the suffering but happy
mother, at the birth of one so dear
10 her, we helpl sSly beWail our APP
pearance in mundane life. SO fra
gi are we then, that did not others
interest themselves IN our present,
| IS well as our future welfare, Il few
short hours would end our prODa-
ton here, and we would return to
the bosom of that eternity whence
we came. Indeed, it seems that
man. the nOblest Of the works OF
God, is the weakest and most
delicatelv organized of ali created
animals at his birth; is likewise the
most intelligent in perception yet is
then the least developed Of them all
taken in tn light his future pro-
greSS. His animal, or physical
strength is pOWerleSS for self help
or protection, and were 1t not for the
Unborn principle, or feeling OF pa
r. ntal love and affection, being
more deeply grounded in the human
heart than in the nature of the
lower animals, the young and pow
erlesS shoot of humanity would per
ish short of its destiny, Or long be-
fore the mind had, by training, ac-
quired that stability, wisdom and
GRANDEUR it is capable of attaining
Our intelligence is very feeble at this
stage of our career, and the spark OF
life and the germ Of mind have to be
fustered and cherished, little by lit
tie into activity md strength. 1t is
as it is,thus judlciOusly exercised, as
physical strength increases with the
passing years, that our abilities are
developed, and if wisely cjrcum-
Spect and perseverIng IN our integ-
rity, we become powerful, intellec-
tual and refined beings capable of
cOmprehending truth, and advan.
cling power and ever on the onward,
upward path Of progression.
From the little brown, inSignid-
cant looking acorn, springs the
mighty oak tree, the towering mon
arch of the forest, whose sturdy
limbs and leafy crown oyertop HE
lower trees arOund-WhOSe wide
spreading branches afford ample
shelter to the humber shrub, the
green carpet of grass and moss and
the tiny, modest, blusuing flower
that scarcely dare meet the bright
sun of day. The fragrant, perfume
laden breeze, famed by zephyr
wing, gently moves its leaves in sum
mer: and, in winter, through whose
branches the hoarSe angry bla is
laden with tempest'S force and fury
have shouted in wild 6 zee the alarum
time and again. The auJumn's sun
has sered the leaf, winters icy blasts
hav denuded the heavy monarch Of
his Ieafy crown; desOlate and alone
he stands, until the genial warmth
of spring again comes, life giving
and soul inspiring with its bud of
promise; the bright. green leaf, of
natures annual morn, awakes to
life the forest and field The infant
is but insignificant and weak, yet
from him, or her, may spring and
develop into the noble man who
meets, unswerYingly, the bowling
storm of adversely, the dee est hate
of persecution, the most trying op-
position of fanatacism and bigOtry
in the cause of truth and right;
or the NOZZLE, loving self-sacritic-
ing woman, whose generosity is
regardless of the worlds deSpiSing,
met in a righteous causa for those
she lOveS-Worthily capable Of be-
ing the mother of future heroes and
future nations; and. of training up
young and helpless childhood into
worthy instruments, under a bene-
ficent Providence, for usefulness
/ and honor