The Opelousas courier., 1893-02-25
Reflections for Family Reading
Eebrnnrn IqtL.

February 10Th.
As in the divine view it was necessa
ry that there should be great degrees {
cold in very large portion of til
earth, it was kind in him to so ordain th
elements of matter as to invest yer
many substances with the quality o
combustion. This is found In sulphur
in animal fat, in oils, wax, wood, vege
! tables, bItumens, etc, etc. The quail
| ty of combustibility is latent in al
these, awaiting ignition. This, al
know, is prodaced in different ways
each of which is more or less depend
ent on the ingenuity of man, or result
from lack of foresight in guarding
against such causes as may and dc
often result from negligence. w,
have reason 10 believe there is such
thing as spontaneous combustion. but
if in such occurrences the causes are
aseertained, it will be found following
the negligence of man in some form OF
manner.
The principal of combustion is wise
ly diffdsed throughout nature, and
everywhere do we find it subservient
to mans purposes. We are SO aeeus.
TONED to the use of it in very many OF
the pursuits of life, as we'll in the pre-
vention of suffering from cold, that we
have become unmindful of the grace oil
Him who thus endowed matter, and
our hearts callous and Indifferent to
the signal indication of the divine wis
dom and goodness
February Goth.
Among the multiplied indications of
divine power, wisdom and goodness
which we behold in everything, every
where, every hour of our conscious lives
are the alterations of the seasons. To
those who have never given the sub
ject due attention, it is no doubt per-
picking to understand why it is that
there exists sach difference in different
parts eff our globe. Il is impossible for
man, by the process of his limited
power of reasoning to account salts
faetoFily for it, but reasoning from
what we do know, We are justified in
believing that such differences and al
formations are absolutely necessary for
the we'll beirg of the world in which
we live, To believe otherwise, were
impious audaeity in man, who should
always bear in man that the creature
can never justly and correctly measure
and understand the omnipotent wis
dom and phenomena of God and ma
ture. 1t is quite enough for US to
know that in all climes and during
every season, whatever may be the
differences in different 10
calities, God has supplied his creature
man with all the necessary means of
while he remains on earth.
Let Us be thankful that sach is the
case.
February 2Ist.
How important to us, are the senses ?
Yet, until we see some unfortunate
who has been entirely denied one or
more of them, we seldom give the sub
ject thought. See the blind boy or
girl as it gets about-led by some kind
hand Who can look upon it without
having his sympathies and his pity
kindIed in his heart? The glow of
health may appear on its face. and it's
heart beat with the fulness of every
generous impulse, but the avenue of
sight being closed to its understanding,
all the beautiful world upon which God
has bestowed so much of his wisdom
and goodness in visible form to others,
is unintelligible to it. It hears the
voice of its guide, and is cheered by
it in its perambulations-it listens with
rapturous delight to the song of the
birds as they wing the air and charm it
with thefr carols and their warblings-
it inhales the balmy air-and smells
the perfume of the world of flowers lit
feels the charms that exist around and
about it, but alas! their beauties are
all hidden from it. The guide hears
all, is RECALLED by the fragrance, and he
sees the beauties of Gods handiwork.
They hayo become commonplace to
him, and he is comparatively unappre-
eiative, whilst the child is transported
with admiration, seeing nothing. The
picture is not too highly eolored. And
just so it is with the mute and deaf-it
sees but hears not, and thus all the
pleasures we commonly derive through
this sense, are likewise lost. IF by
interposition, the blind
child could be made to see, and the
deaf one to hear aud to speak in an
instant of time, is it possible to con-
ceive what joys-what emotions would
possess its souls and inspire it's
thoughts 2 Why then should we, en-
lowed with all the senses, be less
thankful for our uninterrnption in the
fall use of them
February 22lsd
1t Is impossible to conceive why
God created man, ii ii was not that
no intended he should glorify him
As far as our finite reason can carry
as, we are led to this conclusion. Man
ID endowed beyond ail the animated
creation, and he ii vain enough to
boast of his mental powers, the exer
,ise Of which enables him to dominate
iii living things. Yet, when he com
pares his recognized imperfections and
inability with what he sees of the per
fections and omnipotenee of the Crea
tor, he has an indisputabie demonstra
lion of his incalculabIe inferiority.
The desires of the soul are not salts
led with the transitory things of our
present mode of existence, but they
aim at the attainment of those beyond
It. La our weakness, we are lured
from the things which make for our
eternal good, to indulge 10 such US
promise present qualification and en-
Ioyment. We are prone to prefer the
of the present, rather than
aspire, by divine direction, to those