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Untitled Article
approbation , the applause of others ; a paramount desire of being interesting , and the sacrifice of one thing after another , of all , for the sake of beirtg so ! Can any one say that this is an exaggerated picture ? Happy id he who has never known such a victim to the dangers of adversity ; but happier is he who has resisted and overcome similar perils , who has properly estimated his blessings while he possessed them , and becornd better by resigning them !
The means of such improvement are natural to some minds , easy to others , and attainable by all . The grand rule is to look to principles , and to leave feelings to take care of themselves . This rule includes every thing . Principle will lead the mourner to refer all to God ; principle will oblige him to forget himself , and will suggest to him continual occasions of doing good to others . Principle will teach him that affliction is riot intended to set him apart from others , but to enlighten his views of his relation to them , to exalt
his affections towards them , to animate his efforts in their behalf . He must , sometimes , notwithstanding his endeavours to forget himself , feel what an aching void sorrow has left in his heart ; but , instead of turning his view inwards to behold the desolation there , he will look abroad with a searching eye on the varied aspects which life presents to him : he will gather together all the images of peace , hope , and joy , which he can lay hold on , to supply the cravings of his affections . He will go forth into the world from the house
of mourning , calm and erect , prepared to abide its storms , and ready to welcome its sunshine . He will have smiles for the infant , and a heart open to its little joys : he will have cheerfulness for the aged , and a ready hand to help their infirmities ; he will have words of encouragement and of warning for the young , and a watchful eye to protect their interests ; he will rejoice in their brilliant hopes as if they were his own , and will grieve for their destruction as if the loss were his . While he can " rejoice with those who rejoice , "
he will bury his peculiar griefs in his own bosom : when called on to " weep with those that weep , " he will speak of himself only so far as to tell where he found the supports and comforts which , by the blessing of God , have been his . He does not desire to shroud his mind in mystery ; it is there , clear and transparent , for all to look into who choose : he only wishes that the gusts of passion should not ruffle , or the clouds of despondency overshadow it . His regard to duty imposes on him the-care of his health and of
his tranquillity . The works of God are his study abroad ; the word of God employs him at home . He keeps his powers in full exercise all day , and at xrignt he seeks and obtains rest ; 01 , if darkness and silence exert on him their peculiar influence of calling up the shadows of departed joys , he endeavours to be grateful that these joys were his ; , he estimates the privileges they have afforded him , and numbers the blessings he has left : he listens to the assurances of faith , that all these and many more are laid up for him as a
treasure in heaven ; and his soul glows with the resolution , that where his treasure is , there his heart shall be also . It requires no great discernment to tFace the further progress of his discipline . We need only look at some who have thus trodden their thorny path * and then we may see how he will daily advance in the love of God and man , and in fitness for his heavenly destiny . He will ! attain the heights of holiness , and will encourage many to follow him : thither ; for he will say , by example , though not in words , Be of good cheer ; I hate overcome the world *"
Where one suck sufferer is seen , we may rejoice in the power of religion , tended and cherished by adversity : when we see several , a whole family , submitting to the will of God , and working out their own and £ ach other ' s
Untitled Article
562 On the Dangers ofAdversity .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1827, page 562, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1799/page/10/
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