Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-08-08
Memories.
from The Waoerly Progress, by j. l..
LODGE, ID. D., Editor

One of the most serious reflections is tina
regarding the responsibility arising out G
the limited freedom of the human will
Nothing that the mind ever acquired, knew
or felt can be lost. Forget and remember
Der" are terms OF accommodation. They meal
simply that impressions, words, actions
which were once vivid and real enough
have been hidden away among mental oc
cumulations, to be subsequently flashed up
on the consciousness, and to reproduce, in O
lesser or greater degree, the original sensa-
tions. 1t is part of u comprehensive. system
OF rewards and punshments for the moral
government of the world To lay down the
principle that virtue is always rewarded
would be as palpable au absurdity as a
plain untruth. Even to assume as axlomatic
that VIRTUE is its own reward" would re.
quire limitations and definitions. Ii restrict
ed to the present state of being, the claim
can never be substantiated to a degree es-
sential to the establishment o! Il rule, unless
an individual actor can find restfu satisiac-
tion in his own past A composite nature,
supplied by the Creator with faculties which
are benefactions if guarded by proper use,
stands yet in jeopardy every hour lest abuse
bring fearful retrlbution
When it is considered that after middle
age has been attained man lives almost
entirely in the past, it becomes to each a
solemn matter what shall be the character
of his recolections. Occurrences of o-day,
however exciting or pleasurable, possess only
u temporary interest and influence. Boy
hood, YOUTH early manhood supply pic
lures for his mental ieasting which lose
none of their original influence, but their
| scenes become dearer as he awakenS to the
sense of isolation from the life that makes
its tides about him, and to the realization
that changes in tastes, habits and desires,
now that his existence approaches its ter.
mlnation, leaves him stranger among a
generation with whom he dwels but is not
numbered. At such memories poetry courses
through the veins the heart can seldom
utter itself through the lips eloquence ex-
presses itself through filling eyes and quiv-
ering lips. Now that he is growing old,
localities connected with early days are in
vested with ever increasing charms. The
old tree under which he played or rested,
the spring whose sweet waters he tasted,
his own little room in the quiet old mansion,
meadows, hills, orchards, streams-all revive
i'll memory. Faces that are buried, but that
never leave US toiling, thoughtful father;
patient, tender mother fair young wife, 50
loved, but lost; the winsome prattler whose
silver tongue had far too much the touch
and tone of heavens lute-strings to mingle
with coaIser, earthly strains. Few of us
have strength to look long upon this pic p
ture. Merciiul it is that such memories
lift up the souls tlood.gates and let the
heart flow out in weeping
| We may lay up treasures on earth rs well
us i'll heaven--treasures OF memory. The
! slightest thing dode in Gods service or for
! love Oi men, will make II southeast in the
days To come In tbs case virtue Will be
its own reward. | knew IL real Christian in
Baltimore who was very rich, AMI laid up
! hp "A
ories was swept away he WAS nne ol the
richest OF men. What heritage will be
that of the Leverings-JOshua and Eugene!
! The sweetest modesty shall not prevent but
brighten the enj)yment Of the recollection
that the large prosperity vouchsaled them
has been employed in calming heart throbs,
eevating and educating humanity, and sow
ing happiness like pearls
We are creatures of hope; alas F! too often
victims OF disappointment But failures
which follow duteous striving shall never
| poison memory.
No shattered box Of ointment
We ever need regret,
For ont of disappointment
Flow sweet y tor5 yet.
The dscord that lnvOiveth
Some startling change of key,
The Masters hand resOlveth
In richest harmony.
Some OF the btterest memories we entail
| upon ourselves. OF these, scarcely any { IN
be more poignant with grief, shame, and re
morse, than that of wasted time. One of
the greatest Of crimes, it is Of continual rep
etiLlun. Men realize it when too late. Rich
ard ii. dissipates and tritles like common
fool, while Bolngbroke with worldly wis
dom gains the peoples favor and raises
revolutionary power. Prisoner To ths Graf
ty false usurper, the king comes abjectly on
the stage 70 say:
wasted time, and now doth time waste me.
| For now hath time made me his numb ring
clock.
My thoughts are minutes and, with sighs,
they jar
| Their watches on to my eyes, the outward
watch,
| Where to my finger, like dial's point
Is pointing still in cleansing them from tears,
The loss OF a kingdom may not be greater
| To one man than the loss OF Il life times op
portunity to another If the innocent were
never involved with the guilty in the con-
sequences of their irretrievable folly, com
miseration would be misplaced. Poverty
| is IA disgrace when due to vicious waste
OF time. Ignorance is culpable beyond de-
gree when diligent use Of flying hours would
have ensured education. To pursue sense
less round of what tools call pleasure"
reaping vacuity or disgusted safety, makes
devils laugh and angels weep Should the
awakening come, AS 1t does in most cases,
conscience will create an earthly hell
1t is something, il ever so little, that in
few cases OF embttered memory, feeble at
tempt has been made at atonement Dr.
Samuel johnson, requested by his father to
accompany him one day TO his book. stall
in Uttoxeter market, through false, vain
pride, refuses. Fifty years alter, to day,
he voluntarily goes To the spot where the
stall stood and stands uncovered for one
hour in Il pouring rain, jeered by the spec
tators Michael johnson, poor, toiling old
father, Sleeps after lifc's titiul fever :" he
cannot hear the passionate outbursts Of
iilial penIteuce, cannot breathe forgiveness !;
heaven hears, and may leel pity, but heaven
itself cannot undo the wrong.
Samuel writes Il lady what he has done,
and says he hopes his action may be ex-
piatory We hope so, too; for We remem
ber how his mighty genius was chained and
then goaded by severest poverty, and that
he wrote "Rasselas" to defray the funeral
expenses OF his mother
The severest judgment will be mcted out
Tor the bitter memories W. have inflicted
upon others We made them wretched and
unhappy We planted thorns in their path
way, and cared not for their writings, so
tlat we gained our selfish ends. Most likely,
remorse like that of Esau shall overtake us.
Even genuine repentance will contain the
elements of retribution. AS Thackeray says,
ut is only in later days, perhaps, where the
treasures of love are spent and the kind
hand cold which ministered them, that we
remember how tender it was how soft TO
soothe; how eager to shield; how ready
To support and caress. The ears may no
longer hear, which would have received our
words of thanks SO delightedly." But we will
hope, with him, that "those fruits OF love
though tardy, are yet not all too late; and
though We bring our tribute Of reverence
and gratitude, it may be to grayestoner
there is an acceptance even there for the
stricken hearts oblation of fond remorse
contrte memories, and pious tears" But
, as far as in the present we may control the
future, wisdom and humanity forbid as e