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About Columbian centinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 18??-???? | View Entire Issue (Sept. 9, 1809)
POETICAL SELECTIONS, / FOR THE CENT INIiL. Mr. Pointer, THE Sermon delivered by the , Rev. Mr. Brantley, on Sunday last, in St. Paul’s Church, having been re quested of him, you will, by giving a place in your useful paper to the an nexed extract from it, confer an obliga tion on some of his hearers, as well as A SUBSCRIBER. [lt is with much pleasure we comply with the wishes of “a subscriber” in this cast. We art always pleased to see the mind brought to think of futu rity ; for if she confined all her views within the limits of this life, man would perhaps, neither harass himself with so many cares nor struggle so often, for existence itself—But there is a certain principle in the breast of every good man, which, both day and night, im pels hint to the pursuit of glory, and informs him, that his fame is not TO end with the present life, but that it runs parallel with posterity.] So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. Eta/. 90, 12. IN the ordinary course of human existence, those remarkable occurren ces which confer distinction on the Cha racter of men, seldom appear. Life generally makes a quiet transition over this world, and possesses few of those extraordinary features, which can pro tract its remembrance to posterity.— Many of those who have been impelled by no other motives than the transmis sion of their names to other genera tions, are now entirely forgotten, or on ly exhibit to our recollection monu ments of their infamy. This unavail ing solicitude to live in the memory of other times, and to become the objects of remote admiration, may be rendered subservient to the attainment of the no blest purposes. Though you may be unable to stand first on the rolls of fame, and fail in your efforts to secure the suffrages of posterity, yet you may become the honored servants of God, and receive admission into the society of just men made / '.erfret . You may ac quire a name which shall outlive the existence of the universe and raise you with increasing gl >ry to reign as kings and priests with your God. If your days are few and sorrowful; if the ex tent of your acquisitions in this world is bounded by narrow limits ; and it you already loathe the delusive plea sures of sense, apply your hearts to wisdom ; elevate your affections to God ; and cultivate that fear of Him which is the beginning of wisdom.- The pious Psalmist in the chapter o; which our text is a part, gives us a me lancholy recitation of the perplexing • ♦ vicissitudes to which our present exis tence is subject. Thou, O Lord, lurn est man to destruction. Thou hast fix .ed the boundaries of his habitation by an irrevocable decree; and host ap pointed his speedy return to that God who gave him being. The duration of a thousand years are but as yesterday in thy sight; and as a watch in the night. Man may flourish in the health ful vigor of youth ; and like the grass which receives the reviving influence of morning dews, may appear to bid a momentary defiance to the ravages of time, and challenge the probability of many days and much pleasure ; yet he soon languishes under the heat and bur den of the day ; and often before the evening of life falls with decayed vigor before the unrelenting hand of death. His root becomes as rottenness, and his blossom which was once his pride and glory ascends as dust. Threescore years complete the mtasure of his days; and if uncommon strength should ena ble him to exceed this limitation, he groans under an insupportable weight of afflictions; and with painful strug gles drags to dissolution the feeble re mains of mortality. In this manner, () Lord, teach us to number our days. 'Let us see the shortness of our dura tion, and be steadily impressed with a stuse of our infirmities, that we may raise our hopes to a more permanent habitation and pleasures evermore. Youth is the first period in our life which can be devoted to useful acquisi tions. This is the season for the suc cessful formation of moral habits, and correction of vicious dispositions, l ive ry moment in youth is a gem of un speakable value. Our happiness both in this wbrld and eternity may receive a very important influence Iron our youthful appropriations of time. The capacities of man are naturally circum scribed, and require a long and careful cultivation before they can arrive at such perfection as to impart the desir ed happiness. In youth we possess | that constitutional vigor and energy which enables us to secure a treasuie for old age. The imbecilities ol old age are constantly requiring the bene , ficial effects of youthful industry- He therefore, who spends his early days with an inconsiderate profusencss, and suffer* a criminal neglect to deprive him of those attainments so necessary to his happiness, creates obstacles to his future progress, and raises moun tains of difficulty in dreadful succession before him. But youth is the time for remember ing our Creator. This is the season when the mercies and blessings of God make a vivid impression on our recol lection. It is now wc behold with ten der admiration the spangled heavens and variegated earth. Day unto d.<y uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth forth knowledge. Ten thou sand objects testify live wisdom and goodness of God, and fill us with inex pressible Before the invete racy of habit has completed the domi nion of sin, and rivetted the fetters which bind us to its power, we may with less difficulty resist its authority and extricate ourselves from its bon dage. Parents should not neglect these early opportunities for inculcating im portant moral instruction. Yes, ye fa ttiers and mothers, teach your children to number their days. Let them see that tlie world which they inhabit is hastening to dissolution. Surrounded by the infant circle make your approach es to their tender hearts, after this manner: Consider, my affectionate children, that your eyes which have just opened upon the glories of Crea tion, must in a little while be closed by tiie sleep of death. Consider that your bodies, though wrought in symmetry, and warmed by the fervors of youth, must soon be unstrung by a cold shiv ering, and become solitary inhabitants ot Hit grave. Those beautiful faces must soon be furrowed with age ; and those heads will shortly be covered with the snow of eternity. Prepare to meet your God ; apply your hearts to wisdom—Let the language of Heaven drop from your tender lips—-Let your memory be exercised in retaining pious maxims; and let your infant hearts be warmly impressed with the grateful re collection ot God’s goodness. Behold die temptations vvhicli will assail you on every side. Vice will cloatiie herself m the most alluring farms, and solicit y-.ur patronage. The deceitfulness of • our own heart may often seduce you into forbidden courses. Place your af fections on God your Creator, and seek oi-n early that you m o y find him. In regard to the pious education of children, I think the world in practice, u least, -f not in theory, is very gene rally deficient. You are much concern ed parents in making prevision for the present welfare of your offspring. You are forming plans of temporal great ness, which you wish them to execute. You cause them to imbibe with their mothers milk the idea of some distin guished part they are to act in lile. So Far your conduct may be commendable. But when your instructions terminate here, you rest satisfied with the means without having attained the end. You place a complicated variety of arrange ments and preparations before their ob servation, without informing them of the final issue of these preparations. You tell them the riddle of life, but dont give the solution—You inflict the chastising rod, but do not point to the fault which must be corrected. In the language of Diogenes, you take great pains in making the shoe, but do not consider whether it will fit the foot or not. Life is burdensome at best. It is a state of discipline and improve ment. It is a state in which live pre vailing irregularities of our nature are to be corrected. Now, no correction seems joyous for the present, hut w hen it is exercised in producing a reforma tion, its severity is much abated. You then parents, who bring your children into the world, and force them to ex haust the hitter cup of life, without pointing out the disease which must be cured, teach them indeed to number their (lu'ja , but do not apply their hearts to wisdom. You excite a thirst for hap piness, but do not satisfy it. You fix boundaries to an endless progression of the soul, and expect to coniine an in - nite spirit within finite hounds. In chastising your children, if you possess common discretion, you will inform -them that love is the motive which im pels you ; that von do not setk the sa tisfaction of any vindictive spirit; but wish !o reclaim them from some evil. So should be your conduct in reconcil ing them to those events in their hie which Providence has allotted. You should inform them, that this is a pre paratory state ; that their final views and expectations are to be realized in another state of existence. As we advance in age the retrospect of life can only he pleasant in propor tion as we have applied our hearts to wisdom. To look back upon an unin terrupted activity and diligence in pro moting the interests of piety and virtue, must afford an indescribable pleasure to the soul. Those who are in the ha bit of examining their past life will al ways find in it events of importance to themselves—Some leading traces will always he fix don their memory. They will recognize with pleasure the in* pressions they received in youth; their frequent escapes from imminent dan ger, and the visible protections of a su perintending Providence. They must discover with painful regret the omis sion of many important duties, and fre quent deviations from the fiisi princi ples of rectitude. Some will exclaim in the language of the pious Job, “ O ! that it were with me as in months past....as in the days when God preserved me....wher» Lis candle shined upon my head....and when by his light I walked through darkness....when the Almighty was yet with me....when my children were a bout me....when 1 washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil.” Many of you my friends, can review with solemn dread those parts of your life which have been devoted to the dominion of ungoverna ble passions and appetites. You may now perceive that you stood on a slip pery foundation. Ruin in every hide ous shape awaited you. You were ap proaching the dismal abodes of despair; and one step further must have fixed the unalterable doom Though you would willingly blot this period of life trom the annals of your existence, you may nevertheless, in numbering your days include this part in the computa tion. It will shew you the extent of God’s mercy, and his great forbearance with sinners; it will dissolve your hearts in gratitude, and constrain you to love that God who has first loved you. The black billows of adversity have rolled their relentless impetuosity over many. You may have tasted the bitter dregs trom the cup of sorrow, anti felt the Tendings of an afflicted heart. The fin ger of God may have been witnessed in the severe dispensations of his provi dence, and forced you to tremble under the chastising rod. Yes, ye affection ate fathers, you are ready to testify with a tear the distressing privations you have sustained in the death of a darling child. Your sympathising hearts, my motheis, retain a pic icing sense of that overwhelming grief which succeeded the loss of your tend r off spring. Have these occurrences turn* ed your he*. c wisdom Have the chastisements of Hcavtn produced the intended effect? Do you feel an un conquerable determination to pursue the ways of wisdom ; to consider them ways of pleasantness and paths of peace ? On many of you, my friends, the showers of divine benignity have been copious. Ample harvests have filled your barns and store-),ousts, and your cup runs over with b!essihy S . In a few years you have risen to w> a lth and aggrandisement, and can sit wVh unmolested pleasure under your vine, and enjoy the fruit of your industry. While other nations witness with shiv ering honor, the tragical of sword and pestilence, r,n undisturbed tranquility surrounds you. Let the goodness of God lead you to repen tance—remember the munificent vvnich pours plenty upon your beaus. Kiss the Son lest he heangty, and yt perish from the way when hut wrath in kindled but a little. City Hold , Augusta » Lewis M‘Coy,| R ETURN S his sincerest thanks so his friends and the public in genera! tor their very liberal patronage since he has hud the honor of accommodating them at the above stand, and assures them his success has more than equal led his most sanguine expectations. Mr. Samuel Lark and himself have lately purchased the above stand, which is one of the r|ost central in this city for business. They have commenced such improvements as will make it equal to any establish-, mentof the kind in the Southern States, and assure the public that their LAR DER and BAR shad be as well filled as the country can afford, or their exer tions provide: Their STABLES are large, commodious and airy, and are attended by an experienced and care ful OSTLER. July 8. 103 IVor thy of Attention. THE subscriber offers for sale the plantation on which he now lives, K situated in the upper end of Abbeville district, (twenty miles above Viena and Petersburgh) containing four hundred and twenty-two acres, of which there is at this time about 140 aeres in cultiva tion, with a most excellent crop glow ing thereon, and in nn excellent state ot cultivation. The improvements are such as to afford a genteei and comfor table residence to a family, and are . mostly new'. As it is presumed any gentleman disposed la purchase 4viJl view the premises, it w'ould be useless to enlarge on 'he fertility of soil, the convenience to navigation, and the healthiness of the country in which it is situated. The terms will b* made easy to the purchaser. THE subscriber takes the op portunity of drawing the attention of his friends to their debits—though at the same time disposed to be lenient, he cannot forget that duty which lie wes to himself; but in the spirit of indulgence, by which he has always been actuated, he extends his indul gence to those indebted to him, to the fifteenth of September next, alter which time, if payments are delayed, he will positively enforce them as soon as the law wili permit. \ Samuel Savage. August 5. 4 delr skins for sale. ANY peison wishing to pur chase may be furnished with three thousand live hundred prime DEER SKINS, by applying to James Living ston, L.sq. in Cumpheiiton, where they may be seen, or to the subscriber at New Richmond. Lerov Hammond. * July 29. 2 *** WE are authorised to an nounce that John H. Mann is a candidate ier Clerk of the | Superior Com t < 1 Richmond ■; Countv, at the ensuing election. July 22.
