The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-08-21
FROM SMOKY TOWN.

MEssRs EDITORS On account OF
bad health and other circumstances,
have been prevented from writing
any sooner. Since the last few lines,
written for your valuable paper, l have
been asked by several gentlemen, and
gentlemen of letters at that, to write
again, and to continue writing, though
I have understood that it has been
said by some, that what / wrote in
March Oh the Dark Days OF Life, and
Piety, was not logical. / will refer
them to the paper which was printed
18th OF March 'S4, and to read it care
fully, and then if they still condemn it
and can convince me that it is not 50.
then will have to acknowledge that |
am void Of understanding. So Twill still
proceed in my undertaking to impress
on the minds OF the young and rising
generation-the Dark Days OF Life,
and the Beauty and Surety Of Picty.
Then youths of the age, suppose
for instance it should be your lot 10
suffer what is very common
fate in this land Of commercial
enterprise and speculation, the sud
den wreck of your business affairs
after enjoying years OF success. In
agine your business bark well launch
ed, wisely freighted and prudently
managed. She makes many voyage,
returning from each successive ad-
venture, more richly laden than ever
before, until you begin to grow rich.
You began 10 think of relaxing a little
Your prosperity continues long. until
from the pressure OF business occupa-
tions; for you arc satisfied with your
success and have the means Of living
in calm repose the remainder OF your
days. But just rs you attain the
height of your ambition, the commercial
sky is suddenly overcast, the whirlwind
of monetary reFulSion sweeps fierce
ly over the sea of business, tearing
your richly laden bark to tatters, and
driving her di$mantled wreck upon
the rock Of insolvency, you behold the
battered fragments and eXclaim-l am
ruined. Then in that hour, when tie
convulsions of day shall swallow up
the tolls of a long life, and leave you on
account OF exhausted powers without
hope of recovering your wealth and
social position, what will you do
without God? what power will sus-
tain your sinking heart? whence
will come the fortitude, tine courage,
the energy, which can bear you on to
the victory of mental repose through
such a trial. Perhaps you think your
own strength of mind will be sufficient
to sustain you in such adversely. Vain
idea! Know you not in such great
emergencies, the most self-reliant
minds become weak, timid, paralyzed,
and confounded. A fearful sense Of
impotence steals over them. Their
reason reels and shrinking from the
terrible conflict with Providence, they
either sink into imbecile melancholy,
or plunge madly and unbidden into
the mysterious presence chamber OF
Deity.
Read attentively the sad example OF
the latter result: There were two
merchant princes, brothers and part
ners. one Of whom resided in New
Orleans and the other in Mobile.
Their wealth was immense, their ex-
perience large, their skill uncommon.
A great monetary hurricane swept
over the sea Of commerce, and many
a mercantile house perished, but their
proud bark defied the storm and rode
through unharmed. Time passed, and
at period when the business world
was generally prospering, these mer.
chant princes suddenly found their
affairs embarrassed, and they failed.
Overwhelmed by this great trial one
of the brothers plunged like mad
man into the waters and entered the
presence Of His Maker, shiverIng sui
eide.
The other on learning what his
brother had done followed his guilty
example, and also rushed unbidden
into the Eternal Presence.
Thus these men so strong, so set-re-
liant, and so prosperous, found their
great strength dissolved to weakness
in the hour which tried their souls.
A scarcely less melancholy but more
striking illustration of the iusufticiency
of mere mental strength 10 sustain
mortal man in the hour Of unexpected
calamity is found in the life OF Napo-
leon on the day preceding the battle
of Borodino. Napoleon was in excel
lent health aiid most Joyous spirits.
late HI tli5 evening he reesiTea d Dig