The Opelousas courier., 1893-03-04
Reflections for Family Reading
February 26h.

IOVfttby %oth'
Night is as necessary to our comfort
and we'll being as the day. We must
believe that the Almighty has made
the best and the wisest division of time
as to these. The habits and customs
of men have been such as to antago-
nize this theory, for we see them en-
deavoring by every device to turn
night into day to all intents and pur-
poses We can but think there is in
this opposition to the natural law.
The birds 60 to their hiding places as
soon as the shades of night fall on the
earth. The beasts themselves lie down
and rest, and the fishes seek their
hooks and places of shelter, until the
sunbeams reach them. When we fail
to sleep enough the consequences are
felt the ensuing day. The desire to
commit crimes, such as arson, stealth g
and many others, when conceived by
the wicked man is generally INDUCED
at night, because, others are then gen
orally reposing.
February 9th.
The laboring man seeks rest at night
because the quiet and stiffness around
him best enables him to sleep and rest.
The uproar of the dissolute disturbs
him, and he feels it, because it in
fringes on his regular and natural time
of rest. As we never violate natu-
raj law, without suffering cor
responding penalty, may it not be that
many of the diseases and Affections we
suffer from, are the legitimate results
of our misappropriation of the night =?
! We have no reason to believe that the
violation of the law-the divine pur-
poses in the creation of it, can be done
with impunity. The eye alone, if new
er relieved by the rest which night
gives, would fail. The mind itself
must have repose or the brain would
become the seat of disease and distract
ed. 1t were wise in all to accept the
night as time for rest instead of ca
rousals and to be thankful for it.
February 25th.
II man were guided through reason
alone, this own reason we mean) he
would often stumble into the greatest
errors We ARE compelled TO believe
that our Maker has made nothing use
iessly. See the venomous reptiles that
crawl on the earth and the poisonous
herbs that spring up, all have been
made to answer some wise, yea, bene-
fetal purpose We can understand the
uses of many, but great number are
still matters of perplexity to US. In
looking at mountains We may be Curl
GUS to know why the earth was not
made one widely extended plain SO
we might look over it to greater dis
tance, or be able to cultivate the space
occupied by them with less trouble.
We see their SUBMITS pierce the clouds
and often crowned with perpetual
snow. We admire the sublimity of
their heights, but fail to fully under
stand why they were made so. They
are supposed to absorb the exhalations
of the valleys below, to condense them
into water, and thus prevent them
from being entirely dissipated und lost
to the earth. Being thus condensed,
| they run down in the form of springs
to supply the running streams and to
irrigate as far as is necessary, the ad-
jacent valleys, fertilizing them all the
while. Some of the valuable animals
find homes on the mountains and can
live no where else. Herbs and roots
possessing great medical virtues are
found on and near their giddy heights
which cannot be profitably cultivated
ON the plains. They are filled with
minerals, and in many places shelter
us from severe wintry blasts. How of
ten have we seen them protect districts
of country from the sweep of devasta-
ting tempests-hold advancing armies
of hostile nations in check, and send
down the cool air of their SUBMITS to
temper the heated atmosphere at their
bases. Much more might be said, but
enough has been to arouse and direct
reflection God shows wisdom in all.
/ March Ist.
| The mineral kingdom presents many
curious phenomana for our reflections.
| Take for example the common magnet.
| 1t is known to have positive and a
negative pole. Suspend it in the air
aud one of its extremities will point to
| the North, and the other to the South.
| Its power of attraction is known to ef-
feet iron and its ores, more than other
substances. If the north pole of one
be placed opposite the south pole OF
another, they mutually attract each
other, but place the two north, or the
| two south poles together and they re-
Del each other. These facts We know,
! because we have seen experiments
often made in which they have been
uniformly verified. Butconnected with
| it is q mystery which human ingenuity
| has NOT vet soIVed We know very lit
! tle of the magnetic fluid if anything at
all. Some suppose it to be a moditica-
| tion of the electric power, and this sup
/ position is to certain degree strength
ed by the asserted fact that iron long
! placed in an elevated position, becomes
/ magnetic. Ifit be true that iron struck
by lightning becomes magnetic under
certain conditions, there seems to bt
| reason to infer the existence and pres-
ence of the electric power. But ad.
mittiDg all, still how shallowly have vi
| fathomed the mysterious wisdom
| Of God in thus organizing matter 7 His
/ wisdom is past finding ont, His power
incomprehensible.
March End.
| The study of nature will necessarily
expand our conceptions of its author
| III We examine the mechanism and wit
mesa the product of the phonograph 10
the repetition Of sounds and speech it
self, we are apt to have our Wonde
excited in contemplating the ingenult.
/ of Edison and yet, wonderful as !
seems to the ordinary mind. what !!
=