San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-05-27

For FREE PRESS.
Home on Earth and Home In Heayen.
Rare gems of art and nature in foreign
lands may charm the eye, but the heart
turns to the land of its birth for the most
beautiful and grand.
Art and genius with their magic wand
have reared stately edifices and scattered
rare statuary and soul stirring paintings over
the land.
We see the beauty and grandeur in the
most minute piece of machinery; in the cars
flying over the track carrying their living
freight, the proud steamer plowing the bill
lowy waters, in electricity speeding hun
dreds of miles in few moments of time,
carrying its messages of joy and sorrow.
Our literature is equal to that of other
nations, in fact our statesmen, writer's,
painters, sculptors, mechanics and all class
of laborers possess much of that marvellous
creative power that is not subject to any
ancient rules, But the beauties of art are
as nothing when compared to the incom-
prehensible magnifcence and sweetness of
Gods works. We see it in man, in the
beasts of the fields, in every creeping thing
in the fishes of the sea and the birds of the
air.
In spring time we see it in the budding of
the trees and flowers. In summer we see
and Il Il III ofoliaDf efryify "ga a"wsrs
see it in autumn's crimson and yellow foil
age and white frosts. In winters snow
capped hill and vale, the trees striped OF
their verdant garb swaying their branches
in the fierce winds.
We see it in the vast plains covered by
waving grass interspersed by multiplicity
of flowers. We see it in the forests. the
trees festooned with vines and flowers, and
hear the sweetness in the songs of the birds
amid the leafy bowers.
We see it in the quiet lake, Its surface
gently rippled by the breezes; in the gurg-
ling brooklet as it flows along gathering
strength till rushing down the rocky descent
forming mighty cataract which scatters
its spray like diamonds in the sunlight, in
the great rivers and vast oceans lashed into
fury by the raging tempest.
We see it in the lofty mountains standing
enrapt and in voiceless communion with the
azure skies; in the dark, deep canyons; in
the midday's sun and in the star decked
dome of night, when the face of slumbering
earth is covered with halo of light and all
nature seems holding converse with its God.
We see it in the zig gag lightning and hear
it in the believing thunder.
But in the midst of all this beauty and
grandeur we are never happy, our lmmor-
tai part yearns for the immortal, we know
earth's beauties fade, we transgress GODS
laws and cause this life to be mixture of
lows and sorrows, and we feel that the life
beyond will be all rest, purity and happi-
ness, that there will be no weary hours OF
repentance for misspent days, the struggle
to satisfy physical wants will cease, there
will be no false friends in heaven, there will
be no wars, no nameless frlendless orphans'
We will shed no more tears, for the dead
suffer no more pain. We will love and be
loved with an intensity incomprehensible to
us mortals, for God is love. In heaven the
crystal waters will murmer ceaselessly; the
flowers never cease to bloom; the verdan'
foliage of the trees never fade; birds oi
sweet song and brilliant plumage will sing
forever; and the soothing melody Of harPi
will vibrate through the shady recesses oi
fragrant bowers, we will gather with our
loved ones and all the white robed angels
around Gods white throne, and on tn
margins of the beautiful rivers and SIM
praises to Him for all His tender mercies.
In heaven there will be no leaves sealed
up, nothing hidden. and uncloged by cum
brous clay, we will sweep through vas
fields of knowledge and forever feast OF
banauets of rich and glorious thought.