The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-10-26


IS is the ribbed sea sand" There is a
strange fascination in his glitterins
eye. He is talking to one OF three
young men that have just come to the
marriage feast, The Wedding Guest
is an exponent of the real world OF
society. There is in HIM not even a
slight element of the supernatural or
strange. The Ancient Mariner repre-
sents the first soul that ever set sail on
the sea of religious life. To him, there
fore, the bridal party, the green earth,
the blue sky, are but as pictures indis-
tinctly seen. His mind is dwelling on
the phantom-like and yet so real ex-
periences, through which he mas passed.
His first words to the Wedding Guest
relate to those experiences. The
young man is impatient.
1.-THE bride groom's doors are opened WIDE
And am next OF kin,
The guests have met, the feast is set
Aayst hear the merry din.
He holds him with his skinny hand,
THERE WAS A SHIP quoth he.
Hold off, unbound me, gray beard loon,
Eftsons his hand dropt he"
There was ship" quoth he. Tie
old sailor ignores the present surround
Jugs, and Immediately begins telling
of his experiences. Then follows the
story.
The ship bears outward into the
great ocean, crew of two hundred
men and the Ancient Mariner,
The ship was cheered, the harbor cleared,
Merrily did we drop.
Below the kirk, below the bill,
Below the light house top"
This is picture of the beginning of
religious life. At first there is moth
ing but joy and hope, encouragement;
free sailing.
In little while there gathers a
tempest.
i.And now the storm blast;came, and he
Was tyrannous and strong,
He struck with his o'ertaktng wings,
And chased us south, along"
Great Misunderstanding clouds of sor-
row break upon the soul of the christ
ian.
The ship enters the region of the
ocean where are the ice bergs and the
fogs.
And now there came both mist and snow,
And It grew wondrous cold,
Bind Ice most high. came floating By,
AS green as emerald"
The soul trusts not to its God in
sorrow, and enters the mist white re-
gion of doubt, where there is dimness
and confusion. Through the dense
vapors it is impossible to distinguish
truth from falsehood.
The ship is bound in the thick, frozen
waters.
"At length did cross an Albatross,
Through the fog Il came
AS IL 1t had been christian soul,
We hailed 1t in Gods NAME"
The Albatross is white sea bird of
good omen. In ths allegory, it rep
resents faith.
The soul surrounded by mists of
doubt. halls with joy the messenger
which says .God liveth."
And good south wind sprang up behind,
The Albatross did follow,
God save thee Ancient Mariner,
From the iisnds that plague thee thus,
Why looks thou sof With my
Cross, shot the Albatross,"
This is the first climax of the nara
live. The doubling soul Stays the INTEL
lectual faith that guided it through the
frozen depths of disturst.
The ship is at once becalmed.
Down drop the breeze, the sails drop down,
Twas sad as said could be.
And we did speak, only to break
The silence ofthe sea.
All in hot and copper sky
The bloody sun at noon
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the moon!
Day after day, day after day.
e stuck; nor breath nor motion,
As idle as painted ship.
Upon painted ocean,
The Ancient Mariner, and all of the
crew, enter into the dead sea realm of
iispair. Doubt is passed, faith Is gone
md only desperation remains. There
5 no God. man dies aud his soul per-
shes with his body; the earth and the
planets made themselves. This is the
region of.satheism and .'these were the
irst that ever burst into that silent
ea." |
Water water everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink.
Water, water everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink"
Water represents Gods commonplace
blessings. They are every where. but
be soul in the attitude of utter
lenial of its maker is unable to receive
hem.
All well adayI What evil looks
lad from old and youngi
instead of the cross. the Albafross,
Ibout my neck they hung y
This shows the influence OF soul over