The Opelousas courier., 1893-01-28

they can be inhabited by human beings
adapted to such a temperature. May i
not be that God has destined them #"
the final abode of the wicked. May i
not be that they are chaotic world
still wandering in space, awaiting, al
our Earth did the command of th'
Creator to inaugurats order in tl1t
place of chaos How little, after ali
do we actually know of the divine pnI
pose in hurting the comets into motin'
and assigning them their orbits. S"
little, indeed, do we know that MANY
of our race regard them as precursor,
of heavens wrath-many look upor
them with feelings of terror and read
in their aspects the destiny and fall oI
nations and of empires. Some believe
they portend famine and plaques
Intelligent persons know, of course
that they are the creations of God who
holds them in subjugation to his will
January Goth.
We have already spoken of snow, in
connection with the benefits resulting
to vegetation and other things. Let Us
revert to it once again and give it n
little more reflection. It's known to
consist of watery particles frozen III
the upper air; frozen aCater becomes
ice, and they differ in this, only that
the water which becomes ice has been
frozen when in its natural and ordi-
nary density, whilst that which be-
comes snow has been frozen when its
particles were separated and reduced
to vapor. When snow falls to the
earth it is twentyfour times more rare
than water, and occupies ten or twelve
times more space. Here, again is an
other wonderful manifestation of di-
vine wisdom and goodness, for, were
snow ice, what miseries in lien of
blessings would it entail?
January 27M.
From the earliest dawn of reason we
have been taught that life is transit
tory and short even when most pro-
longed. Time, or rather what we are
accustomed to call time is ever on the
wing, and there is no Ecertainty of It's
duration We act as if we had some
mastery over it, but reason and expe-
rience teaeh us that we can make no
reliable calculations of the term of our
probation in this life. In the midst of
life we are in death, and it is only the
passing moment that we can possibly
call our own. We start out in infancy
unheeding its flight, and live on
through possibly many years without
rejecting upon the valne of the time
we have permitted to go by unim-
proved. Giddy diversiods and profit
less amusements are allowed to occu-
py our minds until the best part Of
life has gone by. We then awake
from our Indifference and begin to think
of our prodigality-make up our minds
to pursue a different course. The
cares of the world then overtake us,
and often possess our souls, the cOndi-
tion of our families absorbs our refec-
tions, and at last old age creeps upon
US. Difficult is it then to recollect the
events of long life. Some of its vi
cissitudes are remembered bnt rarely
are they of any avail is our disturbed
reflections. 1t sometimes happens that
our situation is different, but on this we
can never presume. Let us then i'm
prove time as it comes and flies away,
for it is only by so doing that We can
he wise.
AS we are social beings and as Oul
contentment with society depends on
our adoption to its habits and require
ments, we should make it a study to
ascertain what those habits are. He
who lives among religious people will
find a limited sociability if he de-
nounce or repudiate religion. He may
be thought an honest man, a beneyo-
lent man-ready to do a good act and
all such things, but his disbelief in re.
ligion will by the religious community
be urged against him as dishonesty
to God. Here after all is the pivoted
thought which lodges in every religi.
GUS mind Such a disbeliever shuts
himself out from the heartfelt and
hope-inspiring pleasures which a con.
sciousness of an abiding peace with
God, always brings with it. We may
illustrate this thought in another way
The social enjoyments of those wht
do not belong to the Order of Masons
Odd Fellows and other fraternizine
societies, can enjoy their social inter
couse in the ordinary pathways of life
but they are not permitted to enter the
Lodges where brothers assemble tt
commune in brotherly manner witt
one another, This being true of hu
man organizations, how much more
impressive is it, when applied to tha
sense of obligation to our Creator
which devont religion inspiresq Hence
it is that, if we would avail ourselves
of all the social advantages, and pleas
ures which rightfully, are ours, and
which are inherent in society, it is ex
pedient and wise iii ns TO align our
selves with others who seek i" bs gont
and do good by remembering or
Creator with reverence and devotion
January Goth.
How many seriously mediate upoI
the necessity of bread. as an article 0
diet9 All must have it. This is con
ceded. and men strive in one way o
another to procure it. Tt is indispens
able to their support, and yet but com
paratiyely few reflect upon that mani
festation Of Divine goodness. and pre-
science, which have supplied all man
kind with it. Ii is consumed by al
classes alike, by the rich and the poor
by the sick as we'll as those who ar
healthy. It never satiates the appe
tite like every other article of food
Meats are relished for time, bat eac
kind loses it favor after long continue
use, and it finally clogs theappetite. No
so with bread. Ii seemsto be the foo
designed by our Creator for our sup