The Opelousas courier., 1893-01-14
Reflections for Family Reading.
January 9Th.


There is some appearance of soli-
tude in Nature at this season. The
fields are no longer waving with crops
nor adorned and beautified by bloom
ing shrubs, etc, yet there remains
some plants that brave the inclemency
and rigor of winter, which by their
verdure relieve the general sterility of
the landscape. The Ivy winds round
the old oaks and brick walls indifferent
to winter blasts and leveling winds.
Many, so it is with our lives The
charms of youth and the follies of
which it is generally guilty, all dis
appear in the winter of our lives, but
the charms of virtue, and the wealth
, of intellect endure in old age, and
serve to beautifiy our lives and ennoble
them. The charms of age are seen in
practical piety, and having the world
behind them, they live with view to
eternity.
January 9tks
To the man who reflects philosophi-
cally, sleep is one of the wonderful
phenomena of Gods works. The poet
Yonng has aptly characterized it as
"Nature's sweet restorer." Who has
not felt refreshed by it; and whenever
on awakening we do not feel as much
refreshed as we are generally, how apt
We are to mention it complainingly !?
When troubles cloud our hearts or dis
turb our minds, how anxious are we
that balmy sleep may come and "steep
our senses in forgetfulness When
Wearied by toll, how delightful it ia to
lay our heads down on our own de-
lightful beds and drop into restoring
Inconsistencies. How seldom do we
ref1et npon the goodness of that Being,
who always watching over us has SO
benefcially provided ready means
| of physical restoration and mental re-
/ lief
Sleep comes upon MS imperceptibly,
for it it were necessary or even practi-
cable to ascertain the precise moment
of its approach it could never over
come our vigilance. But God has so
ordained it that its approach and our
captivity to it is an agreeable neces-
sity. How wonderful it is that whilst
we are entirely unconscious-uncon
scious that we'liye at all, all the func-
tions of our organism 60 on with un-
disturbed regularity. Could these
phenomena exist independently of the
agency ofsan omnipOtent Being, whose
| goodness and vigilance are ever ex-
tended to us? These and many other
such reflections should engage our
hours of wakefulness and fill our hearts
with gratitude and alteration
January 10Th.
Nothing is more apparent to reflect
| iDg mind than that God intends that
man should be happy. Every latitude
of our earth where man is found has
been supplied by Him with everything
essential to his existence there. We
frequently repine at the severity of
winter, or the sultriness Of summer
and are apt to envy such as live where
| the great vicissitudes of the seasons
are not 80 observable. But how do
we know but freezing weather is ne
cessary to the publication of the air
we breathe, and extremely warm
weather essential to its ratification,
preparatory to the coming in of cool
er and more salubrious atmosphere 2
Look at the languid and almost torpid
condition of those who live in the
warmest climes; see the loathesome
!aand varied diseases to which they are
subjected, and the Incidence that dis
tinguishes their lives and is there any
fascination in all of itf We have o
storm once in while, but it leaves US
] sunshine, pure air, and the means of
natural enjoyment Should we not
be thankful that God has assigned us
such an inheritance9 Whatever dis
parity may be found to exist by COM
parison of the advantages of the differ
ent parts of onr globe, one truth stands
confessed which is that in every one
of them, God has bountifully provided
for mans existence and given him
abundant reason to love him.
January 1lh.
Snow is blessing. It is useful to
the earth and serves to preserve grain
plants and vegetables from the effects
of severe cold. 1t is said by those who
have investigated it thoroughly that
Nature has given no better protection
to such things than mantle of snow,
It's true it seems cold yet it shelters
the earth from freezing winds and
thereby preserves sufficient degree of
heat to protect seeds lying near its sur
face.
The most casual observer has doubt
less noticed that snow serves to in
crease the fertility of earth The be-
lief is common that such is the fact and
no saying is more trite than good crops
follow heavy SHOWS. This results from
its penetration of the earth's surface
and its consequential supply of prop
er degree of moisture. This idea is to
be found expressed in the LV ch g. 10
s.. Il verses. Thus We see the proofs
of Divine protection in all that seems
nnfavorable to man. Let US not Judge
The "Lord by feeble sense, bat rather
trust Him for His grace
January 18th.
Contemplation of the heavenly
bodies must teach one many of the
wonders of Gods works and the reality
of His Omniptotence. Addison has
given us an admirable and sublime
apostr0phe to Nature which every one
should be able to repeat.
..The spacious ornament on high
With all the blue eternal sky"
This 10 bnt glance, beautiful
| though it be, at the wonders of the
planetary system. We have not the
space to say all that should be said on
this fruitful subject.
The sun stands in the centre of the
1 o. sf.rn ri Z. nnn,a than a noiIfian