The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-09-03
For sou,nern sentinel

| ing glory of well developed nature.
of glory. more beauteous than the last
| smile Of the setting sun; stronger than
the mailed form Of the dark angel of
| death; more eternal than the silver moon
who from the cradle of time has marked
the course of tho nations, and shall not
cease to silently witness the Workings of
the race till time shall fall asleep in the
arm. of eternity.
Should yon go to the town of Seville,
In Spain. you woutd see many artists
busily engaged in copying Mnrillo's
immaculate Conception. You gaze on
one Of these pictures On which the artist
has spent months of unceasing labor.
You say. How perfect in symmetry, how
delicate in outline, how exquisite il col
or. But glancing at the original you in
voluntarily exclaim, But how cold and
aud lifeless. Aud the artist tells you
that the finishiny touches are wanting,
the master strokes are yet to be given.
You visit the place again, and 10. the
picture transformation has taken place.
the face glows With Il life-like expression
the eyes seem filled viii, the deep etr-
nest light, that i,lunsina,es = pure aud
isf.y soul; you alsnost imagine that tie
lips will part even while you gaze upon
Them, in singing praises to the Infinite
One. just 50, love Is the master stroke.
the finishing touch that makes the heart
glow with the beauty Of divinity.
There Is NO flower on earth 50 pMre as
love; no influence SO ennobling. no pow
er SO potent in softening, purifying, aud
clevatlag hardened and degraded
nature.
Look ut sin-cursed humanity to-day,
yearning for the broad charity that Will
utter words of encouragement, aud ex-
tend u helping hand to raise them into a
higher life. There are muitItudes who
have been saved by a word. u loJk. y
grasp of the hand. II the great world l.
to be frightened and giorifed, if the
millions chained to the chariot wheels Of
vice are to be rescued, ii will only be ac-
complished by the exercise of the broad
est charity.
Kindness, sympathy. and eucourage-
uIeut shown toward the erriny, VIII aceo-
mplt>i lhonssnd times as mach rs rigid
severity. II instead Of harsh words
that almost invariably exert the influ-
encr Of crushing, wounding aud destroy
ing the better impulses of the soul, the
hand Of love is extended, the noble nature
in. the erring one will be awakened.
and the life redeemed.
..Speak gently to the profligate, the
ontcast. and the sof,
For you know not howmnch bitterness.
IS mingled with their lot.
Speak gently to the bruised heart, it
shall not be In vain,
But as the sunlight fair and bright that
follows after the rain.
Speak gently to all humankind, the
brotherhood below,
AS you would have God speak to You, in
times Of sin and woe
In. no place is it SO necessary that tte
full influence Of love should be exerted
as in the home circle. Home will either
be paridise Of bliss, or a hell of torment,
owing to whether love blossoms or dies
under her roof-tree.
lit Is not much this world tan give
With all its SUBTLE art;
For gold and gems are not tho things
TO satisfy the heart.
But oh. il those who cluster
Round the alter and the hearth,
Have gentle words and loving smiles.
How beautiful is Garth
Yet where is the village or hamlet
where there are no homes blignted and
crushed 10y blasted love, or where there
are no hearts drifting apart - slowly,
sadly. hcurly. drifting apart, - rothiug
wrong TO each uilcr that the world can
reach, nothing lost but Il heart There
are all around us hearthstones where the
shrine. of love reared by rwo devoted
hearts has been shattered, The glorious
dream ef the future has vanished rs the
morning mist, the flowers of hope have
withercd, the, ves,al fire Of love has gone
ont forever: the home is wreck. and
nanghi rrlaaius 10 speak oi its former Ioy-
illness but the ruin Of beantcons past
the grave and sepulchrc OF buried hoI,es
ana fond desires.
And most frequently all this is the
work of nnintcniional aud ihoughfless
neglect and fxult- finding. when Kindness
and farbcarancc should have been
exsried.
The snowy dwellers .bove, Is they
keep their anxious vigils DER our linnses,
witVss, no more pitifal ar saddened
scere fhan 4 home that Is desolated by
the daily n;teran,e uf harsh words, by
constant naggiuy anil fault finding.