The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-01-29
SACRIFICE.
somO Dcauti:ul Thoughts About the or.
spring aud Trucst Test of Love.

sOiuc bcnutlsNl ihoushls hbOHt tho ohs
spring aud Trucs. Test of Love.
Exchange
Sacrifice isthc offsring and tho trucst
test OF love of tho higher species.
To sacrifice is to suffer, to pay for
others peace with pain; to give the life
blood OF the heart 10 dovotion's cause.
Sacrifice is hardly human: tits now as
in tho earliest dry, mn Offering to heaven,
not 10 propriNte. but TO prove.
Who looks for sacrifice from mortRls
Is unwiso: for rarc arc thoy, Ms, in tho
desert, palms, who will surrender self TO
soul, and drain the lomlock fate prepar-
cd for other lips than theirs,
And yet there are.-God pity ,hem!-
tho deep devoted iow, oven in this lower
sphere, who, when occasion neods, will,
silent, bare their bosom TO the knife, and
bleed while others smile.
Noword from them oimurmur or conf
plant; no sigh nor groan. The atone
mcnt passes US noiseless Ns tho shadow
falls. Tho wounded bosom Is concealed
and ho orshe thatncstlos there for whom
the sacrifice WAS made, is all unconscious
OF the past.
II aught there be, on this unjust and
hollow earth, OF pure divinity, it is IN
him who for his follows takes tho cross
and wears the thorns.
Tho world will not believe that man
makes sacrifice orman; norris 1t strange.
Few hold faith above the Lowell OF their
heart, orcomprehcnd principle unnat-
ura. 10 themselves
And yet were spiritual sepulchcrs dis
closed, and tho air made witness OF the
world, grim skoptiCism would soften to
belief, and hearts Of adanant know ten
derncss again.
The glowing original, the primeval sac-
rilist--rcgard him rs myth or an ideal,
it matters not--gave 10 the world II los
son, an example more beautiful than
poet ever drew.
His was the highest action, tho loiticst
hcrolsm that history has furnished. All
was spirit there and love, and Gcntiles
in their fullest pride look on the record
OF his sacrifice as on the mountain deed
that oyer-pinnaCles the world.
Glorious as is sacrifice, it seems unnat-
ural; it is too much TO ask; too much to
hope for; too much 10 do.
When mortals immediate themselves,
the angels feel their goodness put to
blush, and sec the far-olrcarth reflect the
hucs OF heaven. They then behold the
true divinity OF man, and know his soul
is kindred to their own.
Sacrifice has no belief OF rccompensc,
nopurposebcyond the rendering OF some
good that must be purchased by indiv
ual pain.
1t seems morbid hatred OF ones self
for love OF all tho world. 1t saves the
meanest worm 10 trample on itself. 1t
throws itself before the lifted arm OF tho
suicide to receive on its bare breast the
CORY wound.
None praise the dead some idly gaze
and many scoiT. The sacritist cares not !;
some sad, strange feeling gives him
strength and consolation even to the
end.
Perhaps he sees the fire OF happiness
burn on the hearth his blood has slncti-
fed; detects the glimmer OF the peaceful
stream that owes its course to toll and
one who gave them what they behold.
They ho.onjoy guess not the pricc OF
their enjoyment-behold not through
the perfumed pleasure OF the hour tho
anxious forehead and the saGdened eye
OF one who gave them what they behold.
They nc'cr will know it-happy they
in ignorance! The sacrifst bears his
deep secret to the tomb. Hc would not
poison the banquet he has prepared.
His nature is to suffer secretly,to yield
his benisons in rcticence. Z.
More graves than we imagine hold the
precious dust Of the self-sacriiiced.
We owe to saints uncrowncd much OF
the freedom We possess from misery.
The shroud. folds hide the wounds they
bear forus; the hcartthat molders ached
for us through nights on which We
soundly slept, and its pure pain was Tor q
moment stilled by answered prayers.