These little bodies, mighty souls inform!
Let it blow, or rain, or shine, there they are sporting and dancing away, under the sheltered sides of banks and hedges, with a resolute hardihood and perseverance that are truly admirable, apparently enjoying themselves as much as the butterfly in the sultry sun-beams of July."
[From a paper by the Rev. W. T. BREE, in the _Magazine of Natural History_.]
If a man will look at most of his prejudices, he will find that they arise from his field of view being necessarily narrow, like the eye of the fly. He can have but little better notions of the whole scheme of things, as has been well said, than a fly on the pavement of St. Paul's Cathedral can have of the whole structure. He is offended, therefore, by inequalities, which are lost in the great design. This persuasion will fortify him against many injurious and troublesome prejudices.----CECIL.
The Christian member of a Christian household has this heavenly and solacing assurance, "that so strong, so unearthly become the bonds which unite those who have long lived together in the unity of the Spirit, no less than community of blood; that they undoubtedly enjoy," even in absence, "a certain, though undefinable, fruition of each other's presence; they hear each other's voices speaking in the depth of their bosoms, dissuading, approving, comforting, rejoicing, and thus realize, to its fullest extent, that blessed privilege, alas! how seldom enjoyed, or even understood, of the communion of saints."----_The Rectory of Valehead._
We cannot keep our bodies long here, they are corruptible bodies, and will tumble into dust; we must part with them for a while, and if ever we expect and desire a happy meeting again, we must use them with modesty and reverence now.----SHERLOCK.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . Death! What art thou, O thou great mysterious terror! The way to thee we know; diseases, famine, Fire, sword, and all thy ever-open gates, Which day and night, stand ready to receive us; But what's beyond them?--Who shall draw that veil? [HUGHES'S _Siege of Damascus_.]
ANSWER, by the late Rev. S. BISHOP, M. A.
_Beyond?_ and, _Who shall draw that veil?_--The man Whom Christian Spirit hath ennobled can: He from th' abyss beyond, the veil shall tear, For 'tis his triumph, that DEATH is not there! That there is all sublime devotion's scope; All rest from sorrow; all expanse of hope; There perfect souls, the path he treads, who trod; There Immortality! there Heaven! there GOD!