The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1893-02-04

are Hll6u Will ores, anu u66p uOWu III
the earth wealth abounds. In addi
tion to all this, contemplate mans
mental endowments how wonderful
they are. Sufficient to enable him to
overcome all the apparent obstacles of
nature, and to convert its hidden treas
ures. The birds charm the air and
blithely sing on every branch, the
very breezes are laden with the odor
Offlowers, and beauty is to be seen
everywhere if we but know how to
appreciate it, God has made worlds
for our benefit and delectation as we'll
as for His own Glory. Let us thank
Him.
February 2nd.
How prone we are during the winter
to extol the spring, the summer and
the fall-all nnmindful of the advan-
tages which winter brings. While we
are enjoying the blessings of those sea-
sons, we think but little about them,
but when the biting cold comes upon
US, we tax our recollection with remin-
isences of them. Thus it is that while
we enjoy present blessings without ap-
probation, we look back when they
are passed, and magnify them invidi-
ously. Winter is not an evil as many
seem to think Indeed, it may be said
that it is a seBson of health, of rein
vigoration and repose,i whenever we
are prudent in our manner and mode of
living. 1t will frequently be found that
if during the winter our health is i'm
paired, it is because we have not given
that attention to the laws of sanitation
we should have given. Or, if this be
not the case, it will often appear that
| the maladies of summer and fall still
follow us. In summer we are oppressed
by heat, aud some degree of debility
may follow. Then we long for the cool
ing breeze, and the deep shade from
the "sun's ardent frown." During the
winter we are inclined to activity and
vigorous exercises. God seems to have
designed it for the relaxation of the en-
ergies Of nature, and process of re-
cuperation. If then nature can tire, if
it requires recuperation. winter is TAX
en- all in all, blessing for which
needy man should be thankful.
February 3D.
The infinite diversity in the works
of nature is the main source of mans
earthly enjoyment and prosperity. If
the days and nights were everywhere
equal-if there were perfect uniform
ity of temperature in all Iatitudes, the
earth wonld be deprived of its beau
ties, and that diversity which now
charms us, would be one ubiquitous
and perpetual monotony. Think how
we should feel if the sun stood for ever
/ kI,o ,x,n,;lIon if tha ehnInc of
night constantly hung over US.
Think what the consequences would
be, if there were no alterations of heat
or cold, of calm and breeze, of wet and
dry How many beautiful productions
would perish which we now find to be
80 valuable to US? If every country
produced the same things so as to su-
persede all necessity for an Interchange
of comL ODDITIES, what would become
of commerce-what would result to
civilization and the propagation of re-
ligion itself7 Some idea of this may
be derived from a contemplation of the
condition of man, viewed from reli-
gious standpoint, such as it existed
before the science of navigation was
developed among the Ancients. My
thology prevails in every portion OF
the inhabited Globe, and the grossest
superstition dwarfed the learning and
disgraced the dignity of our race.
Could one temperature prevail every
where the winds would die and univer-
sal stagnaton prevail. The air we
breathe would become snrcharged
with impurities, maladies, infections
and plaques would follow, because the
air would lose its elasticity-and the
whole habitable earth become char
nel-house. These being few of the
inevitable consequences of the destruc-
ton of natures great diyersities, we
should be thankful that they exist and
should realize too that nothing less
than Gods wisdom, omnipotence and
goodness could have devised them
February 4th.
1t would appear impossible for one
to look out upon the heavens on a
cloudless night and witness the hosts
that bestud the sky--consider what
power and wisdom were required to
create, place and keep them there from
age to age, and then doubt the existence
of an omnipotent and omniscient
being Behold their grandeur, their
brillancy, their magnitude and their
innumerable numbers; as they move
on in their respective orbils with a
velocity greater than that of the
lightening's fiery wing. Are we ego
tistic enough to believe that they were
formed and marshalled on the cerulean
plains, with all their transcendant ra-
dience and beauty, merely for the de-
lectation of rebelious man on this far
distant orbq Behold the harmony in
which they have moved from the earli-
est dawn of the cosmos, and contem-
| plate the regularity of the operation of
those laws in obedience tn which they
must continue to roll until their great
author may see best to utterly destroy
them, aud after doing SO can it be pos
sible to doubt who placed them there '
With our finite powers or understand.
ing we are enabled to determine why
what ends God intended they should
serve, we do know that infinite wisdom
! never devised useless thing. We do
know some of the nses which we make
of some of them The sailors, the
wanderers on the vastly deep, have a
use for them. They point out their
course over the waste of waters, when
night spreads her sable mantel on oul
sphere, and by them the experienced
mariner is able to know where his yes
} sci tosses on the deep in the silent
honrs of the night. But this use oil