Camden gazette. (Camden, S.C.) 1816-1818, June 23, 1817, Image 4
Morality.
l '
REFLECTIONS UPON C fc * N . XLlll. 36.
" AH these things are against me |
Wc are perfectly incapable to .
judge cither of persons or things
in the dark. Gloomy apprehen- ,
sions are not uncommon in the ex
perience of true Christianity, and
wheifthey prevail in any considera
ble degree we make but slow and
uncomfortable advances towards the
kingdom. Faith in the promises
and hope of fruition, these only can
brighten up the prospect. Rela
tions die j friends change ? trade
slackens ? losses orcur ? sickness
prevail ? slanders arise ? alas ! 4C all
these things/' sa*h the believer,
u arc against me:" We commonly
judge from sight and sense, but the
Lord acts from infinite wisdom and
perfect rectitude. Now, for a man
to refuse the enjoyment of seme
comforts because others are rcmov
' cd, is ingratitude to God and in
jurious to himself. Poor Rachel
refused to be comforted because
her children "were not." Let
us ever remember that the Lord's
assurance is tar better than our con
jecture ; he declares that <c all
things do work together for good
to them who love God, and are then
-called according to his purpose.
A :want of penetration, and ft el
ement mistakes in judging about
the dispensations of Providence,
- occasion no small degree of anxiety
and uneasiness in the experience of
true Christians. The venerable
patriarch Joseph (whose pathetic
and bitter exclamation I have se
lected as a motto for this brief es
Say) was a man tried in a great var
iery of ways, as appears from his
history ; and at times he was led
Jo Vrrite bitter things again1 1 him
elt ; but sure he was not wise in
so doing. As for .Job, it is well
knfcwh that the history of his life is
a mass of woe. (See chap, iii.)
The distresses of David were com
plicated indeed, and sometijTxes led
.-him to draw dark conclusions
against himsfclf. {See psal. lxxiii.)
Now, our want of penetration and
discernment arc owing to ? two
things : ?
U ??? ignorance of God and
his peculiar methods of working. ,
He put Joseph in prison, in order
to bring him to honor. He bro't
Moses into Pbaroab*s house to keep j
him alive. He brought Israel into
straights in order to work their de
liverance. And, to the confusion
ofhiftrian pride, he called fishermen
tOpropogate his gospel, and to found
the first Christian churches in the
world. ts The wisdom of God is
foolishness with men, his paths are
in the great deep, and his footsteps
are not known."
2. Our self-will and natural de
sire to prescribe. We are too con
fident incur apprehensions of what
we think will do best. 44 This self
conceit blinds the understanding."
The praver of a certain woman
agrees to this. " Gr^nt that these
my two sons may sic, one at thy
right hand and one at thy left in
thy kingdom." Jesus reproved
her folly by saying to her and hcr
associates in the petition, " Ye
know not what ye ask." ? Peter,
, on the mount of transfiguration,
proposed to erect three tabernacles,
but alas ! tc He knew not what he I
s%id." ? Now, a special firm per
suasion that all our concerns are
wider the management of the di- :
vine Providence, and that all is .
therefore right, will support us in j
every afliction and trial. I con-"
ceive it was This, as a prevailing
sentiment and * well grounded
principal in the mind of yob which
enabled him to say, " Though he
slav me, vet will I trust him. He
* ?
knowerhthe way which I take, and
when he hath tried fric I shall come
forth as gold." It was this which j
enabled Habakkuk to make that
triumphant boa^t whicfi occurs~in
the third chapter of his book. <(A1
though the fig tree shall not blos
som, neither shall fruit b? in the
vines : the labor of the olive shall
1 fail, and the fields shall yield no
I meat, yet will I rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salva
tion. f> On the blessing of genuine
j faith ; Be it observed, that which
I makes against the body and our
temporal interests often, by the
grace of God's family .are afflicted,
what will become of rebels ? <c If
the righteous scarcely be saved,'?
what will become of the ungodly ?
The gtsfel of Christ is designed to
relieve our fears and exalt obr hopes.
Then, O my soul> read, mark learn,
and inwardly digest its sacred con
tents.
Immortal Glory . ? Let a man
study and labour to cultivate and
improve his abilities in the eyes of
| his Maker , and with the prospect
of ?;j approbation, let him atten
tively reflect on the infinite value
of that approbation, and the highest
encomium men can bestow, will
sink- into nothing at the compari
son. When we live in this man
ner, we find we live for a gr$at and
glorious end.
The following 'beautiful effusion
on F i l i a l PiETYgis the produc
~tTonof Richard Briffsty Sheridan,
Esq. y i
li Filial Piety ! it is the prithal
bond of society ! it is that instinc- !
tive principal, which, panting for i
its proper good, soothes, unbidden,
each sense and sensibility of man !
It mw quivers on every lip ? ? Ir
now beams from every eye !? ?it
is that debt of gratitude which sof
tening under the sense of recollect
ed good is eager to own the v-ast*
the countless debt it ne'er aladfy can
pay ? for so many long years of un
ceasing solicitude, honorable- self
denials, life-preserving cares ! ? it
is that part of ovs practice where
duty drop* it6 awe !? -where rever
ence refines into love ; ? it asks no
aid of memory ! ? it Heeds not the
deductions of region ! ? pre-exist
ing, paramount over all, whether
law or human rule ? few arguments
can increase, and none can dimin
ish it ! ? it is the sacrament of our
nature ? not only the duty, but the
indulgence of man ? it is the first
great privilege, it is amongst his
last most 0 endearing delights ! ?
when the bosom glows with the
idea of reverberated love-^-when
to requite on the visitations of na
ture and returp the blessings that
have been received ! ? when what
was emotion fixed in^o vital princi
pal ? what was instinct habituated
into a master passion ? 6 ways all
the sweet energies of man ? hangs
over each vicissitude of ail that
mu?t pass away ? aids the melan
choly virtues in their last sad tasks
of life ? to cheer the languors of
decrepitude and age ? explore the
thoughts? explain the aching eye*
????
Plutarch says, if a generous and
noble nature be not formed by dis
cipline, ir will shoot forth many '
bad qualities alon^with the wood ;
as the richest soil, if not cultivated*
produces the rankest weeds.
Miscellany.
In the present death of news i', ir.uy per- -
haps be acceptable to our readers to pre
sent them occasionally with * MUoi^e!
of refined sentiment. We have a..-en
none more so than the beautiful little
production below, from thfe pen of
GfcssNEK. It fills the heart with devr*
? tren-,- in con: en)). taring the ?~"hcuuiifC-*;~:
scenery of Nature, and contains a lively j
and interesting picture of the happiness
that springs from the union of two con
genial souls in wedlock. It is repute
witn that flow of feeling that marks all
the writings of its aulhor'.
x " THE A V TUMMAL A 10 RAL\ <7 .
Already hid the sun's rays gilded
the summit of the mountains, and
proclaimed the approach of the
fairest of autumnal days, when Mi
lon placed himself at his window.
The sun then shone through the
branches of the vine, whose ver
dure, mix'd with purple and auro- ,
ra, formed over trie window a sha
dy arbour, tfrat lightly waved to
the morning's gentle gale. The
sky was serene ; a sea of vapours
covcr'd the valley. The highest
hills, crown'd with smoking cotta
ges, and, with the party colour'd
garb of autumn, rose like islands,
by the power of the sun's rays,
QMt of the bosom of that sea. The
trees, loaded with ripening fruits, |
presented to the eye asttiking mix
ture of a thousand shades of gold j
and purple, with some remains of
verdure. Milon, in sweet ecsta
cy, suffer'd his sight to wander
through, the vast extent. Soaie- !
times he heard far off, sometimes
near, the joyous bleating of the
sheep, the flutes of r':e shepherd*,
and the warhlings of the. birds, that
by turns pursued each-Othet on the
floating gales, or died away in the J
vapours of the valley*, Plunged in |
a profound contemplation, for a long
time he stood motionless ; then,
fired with a sudden transport of di
vine enthusiasm/-!* seized his lyre,
that hung against the wall, and thus
he sung : ? ?
" Grant, O grant me, Gods ! the
power to express my transports and
my gratitude, in hymns worthy of
you I FulU blown nature now shines
forth jn all her charms ; her riches
she profusely pours around ; mirth
-andriestivity reigns throughout the
plains. The prosperous year smiles
in our vines and orchards. How
beautiful appears this vast cam
paign ! How delightful the variega
? ted dress of autumn !
<f Happy the man whose heart
feels no remorse : who with his lot
j contented, frequently enjoys the de
light of doing good. The serenity
or the morning invites him to new
' joy : hii days arc full of happiness ;
and nigftt finds him in the arms of
the sweetest slymbers ; his mind is
forever open to the impressions of
pleasure ! The various beauties of
the seasons enchant' him j and he
alone enjoys all the bounties of na
ture*
c< But doubly bless'd is he who
shares his happinest with * compa
nion forced by virtue and the
graces : with one like thee, my be
lov'd Daphne. Since Hymin
has united our destinies, tlwc is no
felicity that is so delightful ?to me.
Yes since Hymen has united our
destinies, they are like the concord
of two flutes, whose pure and sweet
accents repeat the &ame air. Who
ever hears them is penetrated with
joy. Did my eyes e\?? express a
desire that thou dtst not accomplish ?
Have <1 ever tasted any iippiness
that thou didst not augment ? Did
any care ever pursue me to thy arms,
that thou didst not dispel, as tue ver
l>al 'S'JTl di>prV* t',?c frgs ? 4fcV
vnoihtj the c.' cSiai I condveecu
thee to my cotuge, I s.iw u?i ilic
jovi of lite attend u?y tfain, and ;.oin
them-vlves to our hoi*v./ho!fl'
I there kt ev*:*co 'tn
tic order and elegance, !<*: ide a: d %
joy, preside over all oi:r labot.-*" ,
and the god s v o u r h . - t t o b le is ? ' v
undertaking.
<c Since liiou hut been tiie iiLur
ty of my heart, since thou hast been,
mine, O Daphne i all thai surrounds
me is become more pleasing co niv
sight ; prosperity has rested on my
cottage, and dwells among my
flocks, my plantations, and m /'har
vests. Each day's labour is a new
pleasure, and when I retur^fatigued,'
to this peaceful roof, how delight
ful am I solaced by thy tender assi
duity ! Spring now appears more
joyous, summer and autumn more
rich ; and, when winter covers our
habitation with its hoary frost, then
before the glowing fire, seated by
thy side, I enjoy, in the midst of the
most tender cares and pleasing con
verse, the delicious pleasures of do- ,
mestic tranquility. Let the north
wind raaje and let storms of snow1
hide the face of all the country from
my view ? shut up with thee, my
Daphne ! I feel, I more sensibly
feel, that thou art all to me : and
you, my lovely infant* ! crown'my
feltcitv ; adorned with ill the grace*
ot your mother* you are to us an
earnest of heaverVs unbounded fa- ?
vours. The first word* that Daph
ne caught you to ltsgt* was? -that you
loved me : health and gaiety smile
in your features, and sweet compla
cency shines already in voujj eves :
you are chejoy of our \ourh, and
your prosperity wrll be the com
fort of oui latter-days* When ve ?
turning from the labours of the field,
ofMrom guarding my flocks, you
m?et me at Che cottage-door with
cries of joy } when, hanging on my
knees, you receive, with the tran
sports of innocent:^, fhe trifling prcr 4
sents of fruit that 1 have gathered,
or the little instruments that I have .
made, while tending -my flocks, to
form your hands, as yet too freWc?
to culture the garden pr tho^field. ,
Qods ! how dotfS the sweet simpli-\
city of your joys delight roe !-*<-Iri
transport, O Daphne,- 1 rusk to thy
arms, that are open to embrace me >
then, with wliat an enchanting grace
you kiss away the tears of joy that'
flows from my,eyes 1"
While he thus sung, Daphne en-,
tered, holdirig in each arm an infant,
more beautiful than lov* himself.
The morning, bathed in resplendent ?
dew, is not so charming as was,
Daphne, while te&rj of joy ran down
her cheek,? O, my love ! she sigh
ing said, how happy am 1 1 We arc
come ? O we are corhe, to thank
thec for thy tender love, ^.t these
words, he cla^-'d the lovely infants
and their mother in his arms : lost
in delight, they could not speak.?
Ah, he who at that instant had seen
them, must sure hive felt, at wim
bottom of his heart, that the virtu
ous man alone is happy."
. . * .
Wit upon the j calamity of the French in,
Pari, #?
" In France* every thing is seen' through
the tri-colored medium. - A mem i?as
ftome time ago pausing the Thuillet ies with *
white stockings and a red waistcoat.
There was nothing wrong so far, but as it
happened to bf in winter, the end of his
nose was blue, this proved decisive. He
was arrested, interrogated and commited.
The Minister of Police decided he if as not
to be at liberty til! the Spring, to teach him
the nature of his offence in having a- blue
nose in winter*" 4l;
Aristotle being ft iked what it wras to hsvf
a sincere friend / he replied, To ipve one ?'
and the same soul in two bodies* ..