Year: 1877

/ OUR LETTER BOX.


For the SPECTATOR.
Thoughts Suggested by the Close Of


Lent.


BY VIRGINIA.


Each year, with its revolving seasons
brings to us the solemn advent of Lent
now almost once more numbered will
''the eternal past" whose record has
heen written on high. Certainly, the
most devoted Christian, that each hour
endeavors to bring every thought and
feeling into perfect obedience to the re-
quirements of the "Christian Faith, y
must sadly acknowledge that he has
need of the .sTear of the Recording
Angel" to sblot out" more than one
unconquered SIM for which he prays and
struggles, but which recurs again and
again, humbling his proud heart and
bowling with shame his penitent and
grief stricken form before the "Mercy-
seat" It has been beautifully said that.
There are more things wrought by
prayer than this world dreams IN
Lent is pre-eminentIy the season OF
kprayer, and how ennobling and consol-
ing the knowledge. which experience
brings. that cur failings, our weakness
es, and even our darkest sins are part
of our life education for Heaven. Thus
our Heavenly Father is continually
bringing good out Of evil. Does not the
recurrence of some hereditary and con-
stitutional sin, with which we have
long battled, and which we thought
slain forever, teach US two vital Chris
tian virtues. humility and charity p
For how can we think well of ourselves
when in some unguarded moment we
fall beneath the pressure of a weighty
temptation? How can we despise the
| weakness of others when we, ourselves,
are guilty? rs not true Christian life
like the march of conquering army
into fortress that has been preached ?"
Men fall by hundreds in the ditch! Was
their fall failure? Nay! for their bod
les bridge over the hollow, and over
them the rest pass on to victory. There
are toOO remedies for doubt-ACTTvITY
and PRAYER. He who works, and feels
he w0rks-he who prays, and feels he
prays-has got the secret of transform
ing life-failure into life victory.
Is it not true that "the honest, earnest
man must stand and werk the woman
also; otherwise she drops at once below
the dignity of man. accepting SERFDOM? !?
Freemen freely work. Whoever fears
God fears to sit at ease. Let us be con-
tent i'm work, to do the thing we can and
not presume to fret because it's LITTLE"
We have only to look carefully around us
every day to know that higher power
than our will controls thermos minute
as well as the most important events of
life. Let tus then go on not knowing
1T is better to walk in the: DARK with
God than to walk alone in the light"


The season of Lent is the time of all
other times to pray for some poor wan
dering child Of sin-that he may be
brought back to life of purity and
Christian usefulness. AS soon as we
leave behind us the impressible years of
our childhood and early youth. our
characters, according to the immetable
laws of nature. assume fixedness
and permanence, interchangeable Bless
ed, indeed, Is the character, whose
progression has reached the lofty
platform of Christian principle. Sad,
indeed, when the reverse is true. Du-
ring this season of Lent. soon to be gone
forever, have we prayed for those who
love us, and for those who hate us p
"God and good angels alone know the
vast incalculable influence that goes Oat
into the universe of spirit, and thence
flows into the universe of matter, from
the conquered evil and the vniceless
prayer of one solitary soul? "Wouldst
thou bring the world unto God? Then
live near to Him thyself? If divine life
pervade thine own soul, everything thou
TOUGHEST will receive the electric spark
though thou mayest be unconscious of
being charged Herewith" An ancient
to- hoc ,cs1 L
more compassion"


life lonely and unsatisfactory, ia also q
lesson we should learn during our Lent
en- season.


Father in Heaven! 'Tis my truest, first desire,
In all things to bow me to Thy holy win;
E'en though that will lead through the furnace


fire.


would lie down, be quiet, calm and still.
My way on earth is cherries. sad and lone,
Those who once loved me, coldly turn aside;
But still I am not cherries; no impatient moan
Shall rouse my grieving spirit, unchain my


pride.


The idols I worshipped, Thou hast rent in


twain,


My home and love seem SO far away;
Though my heart be breaking, and my mind


insane,


Father. make me love Thee still-fo this pray.
Daily work on. only strangers come about my


way,


No dear one cheers me with his loving smile.
Through thesad nights stiffness, and the lonely


day,


Ipray Thy strength to guide me all the while.
Strength, my Father!-to perform each weary


task;


Strength to be ever gentle, true and kind;
The strength Thy Spirit gives is all ask,


Strength to do Thy will with heart and mind.
Take every feeling of this wayward, restless


heart,


Calm and stay them all in perfect peace;
Make me choose always the purer, better part,
Till the march of time for me shall cease


OPEKIsKA. WEST VA, March 25th, 1877.