Year: 1869

many who will gladly second his ef-
forts in the cause of education, and to
whom he may go for council, and
whose encouraging words cheer him
in his darkest hours.


Notwithstanding the many perbiex-
ing cares that hedge up the teachers
way, there are very many pleasant
features about his employment. The
consciousness that we are really ac-
complishing some good, is of itself a
source of genuine happiness. In the
school room we have not to contend
with long established prejudices; but
ours is the noble work of molding the
young and tender mind. And, if in
the course of our labOTs as teachers, we
can cause to take deep root in ono
a1i'ed the love of truth, virtue and pi-
ETY., we shall not have labored in
vain. No earnest, faithful teacher,
whose whole heart is in his work, can
labor long in the uncultivated fields OF
youthful intellect, without sowing
there some seeds that will, in after
years, yield a rich harvest of pure
thoughts and useful deeds.


But ife's crosses come not alone to
the teacher. No condition in life,
however exalted, is exempt from them.
And generally those that gain riches
and earthly immortality, purchase
them at the cost of earthly happiness.
And many who have Iabored for an
earthly crown, have gained it at the
cost of heavenly diadem. From the
pinnacle of wealth and honor to the
lowliest walk in poverty vale, crosses
await us. And how often do we feel,
when some unusually bitter draught
is pressed to our lips, that it would be
sweet to lift the mystic veil that hides
this world from the unseen, and pass
forever beyond the reach of sorrow
and pain. Yet this desire is hardly
worthy noble christian spirit; much
better accept with meekness all that q
kind Father gives us to bear, for had
we not needed crosses to develop and
strengthen us, they would never have
been given. And how many lessons
of humility, patience and faith have
we learned from these silent teach
ers.


The world is indebted to crosses fOI
many of the useful inventions, impOr-
tant discoveries and beautiful works Of
art. Read the biographies of some OF
the greatest inventors and artists, and
men of science, and we will there
learn thas frequently some trying cir
cumstance has originated in theil
minds the plans that have been so sue
eessfHIly carried out in their works
And many of our best literary pro-
ductiOns have fallen from the pen OF
those whose lives have been shrOuded
in sorrow.


AS the finest and most beautiful
specimens of crystal are formed near
the surging fires, pent up within the
earth, so the choicest literary gems
have originated in the minds of those
who have been refined in the crucible
of af1liction.


But life is not all crosses. If we
carefully examine we shall find that
our sources of happiness far out num-
Der our sorrows. Though Byron, at
the age of thirty could say II never
have experienced but three happy
days in all my life," this need not be
our experience, for he dashed aside the
cup of pure, true happiness, and
drinking from the worldly spring of
sensual pleasure, he found its waters
at the best a bitter draught.


Though we may not possess his tai
ents and genius, yet we all have a
place to fill on life's great battlefield; ;
and whether lowly or exalted, if well
and nobly filled, we shall have accom-
plished Iife's mission. While here,
we may never know how much we are
indebted to crosses; but when we
have crossed the "siIent sea- and
reached the CLINE of the blest, and
joined in the song of praise to him
who bore earth's heaviest cross that
we might wear a heavenly crown, we
shall then know the worth of crosses,
and why they are given us to bear.