OCR Text |
Show " "Sh believed God would hear and air swer prayer in ubihma was of healing was with her before the Gospel rests restored, in its fulness. This precious gift Sisin a great degree upon her daughters, and ter Ziria has been one of the most powerfully the Church, gifted infaith of aU the women in with? this the sGns to be specially endowed sacred Sft, and in the;: exercise of it has had some wonderful manifestations of, the power. of God in healing the sick, .and, afilictei. She has o oistinguished herself among the sick and the, sorrowing, that:, she has gained with many the appellation; of 'fZina,the,ccjnforter;'' her sympathies are.so keen as to enter into the feeling3 of those who are suffering, and so aprender-thethat preciate their condition as to is sympathy which is eminently helpful. She i3 indicaalso a natural nurse; her very, touch tenderness tive of .this quality, and her great wherever there is trouble, sorrow, br pain, is thoroughly genuine. She would have been an eminent woman physician, had she studied the art, but as it is, with her superior, natural ability in this direction arid the experience she has gaired in her long and useful life among the sick and distressed of all classes, she has won distinction beyond .many who have graduated in the science, and her advice and help are often called for by physicians of skill and learning. av- There is a natural delicacy in tne human heart - ? -- - To be continued. NO BLACK FOR ME. 'No black for me, dqar lore, wheu I am dead; Shroud not that precious face in fa tier al fold, Bat wear a soft, white, veil upon your head, As fits a saintly woman growing old, "Np hlack for me ! Why, when eternal day Has bnrst in glory on my dazzled sight, And God's own angels bear my spnl aw$y, Should my twin-spirbow in woe and night ! it "So keep the lisjht about you; death is light And iifo.and power V pure, and chastened love; And death Is only, dark to doubt and sight, . 7 ; That has no visions from the world above." I would like to produce the whole of this beautiful, little poembmi.hereiis sufficient to prove, that the author's mind was inspired-witthe light of .truth, and reason. "As. tjbef custom of wearing mourning is becoming so universal among us as a' people, I enroll my name among its opposers and as j.his, custom affects women the most, 'tis to them I appeal. The . women of Utah have been called "the of society," and 'tis true that we aim to adopt all improvements, so far as they are consistent with the spirit-- of true progress, and we are to striving discourage all customs that have not a good claim upon sound reason for their continuance. The Latter-da- y Saint women have,; borne much in attempting to sustain practically those principles which they knew to be true, and now cannot we face the ridicule of . Mrs Grundy, or the scorn of Fashion's! votaries, for ignoring a style of dress, grown old in the service of a world left withoutthe light of revelation. ,Wc claim to have received : . su-.ceflp- on f,theubjeet of death and , drapmg ; ourselves in , the gloomy folds ;of mourning apparel is not . in accordance with the glorious light beyond the, grave, which is given usand.nope bv religion ofJesu3 Thn .shoulo( we, cling this custom of our forefathers; so of suggestive us lather ' . heart that we should court cheei Ing influences , te W? Tvlt ed self-governme- nt Convenience would suggest retaining the only part of the mburhing1 ppa'rel of y utility, the y'eOj wMch, vneed not necessarily, be black, nor worn fluttering down the back as thepro-sen- t ' ; style ;demari& - i ll::'! As for 'ornaments, who ever saw black. flowers ? Here nature is outraged instead of'fini-4ateaWh;jhy"bpiiii6ii tolwehr them is an insult to the loyely-hue- d flowery kmgdom, non?u of which were ever known to turaperfectry black, even on the most solemn occasion--th- e death of their own. kindred. ..... Let me here pay a tribute of thanks to one of our leading ladies who first' appealed to my reason and aroused thought on this subje9t. When but a littlb irl l? listened her" request in a meeting of the sisters, which was;, please let the drapery of my funeral be WJaiiB; .'wen my worn and weary spirit has entered its rest, there will be no occasion to mourn." With '! her I say, ,( No black for me.". d, Lelia. September 18, 1881. MUSIC. so speaks to the soul as music ? What art All love music; it is enshrined in our nature. Not the cultivated and refined alone, but also the poor and lowly, all are alike touched by ils soothing powers; It has a place! in our higher nature, and makes us purer and better by its presence. It inspires and elevates,' has the power to make us both sad and cheerful, and while listening to it all evil thoughts leave us, and we think only of the pure and. beautifuh It .gives ua now Ufa, fpe&ks io ua iorvf friend" ship, joy, sorrow, rage and despair, all in its own sweet, emotional language. It brings refinement with it, where it is truly appreciated. But although we all love music, stilt w are Tirkf nil lAfinprl in liAAnmA mnsinians for hut few, comparatively speaking, have the genius. Tf i a rrrArtf. milrA wif.h , nftrenta that' everv rt a r ilia niana Q n rl Binor fnr m1 mtiof lnorii evftrvcirl is hot canable of this, anv more than !. ,'Ti3 every girl can become an artist orHwrit true ws can' all learn to go over a fev notes mechaflically, but few indeed' have the'1 real saul of1 music'- within5' them.' Few! wheri'thev ' play, stop- - to think What talc the author in-- ! tended to tell; if, by the title, they suppose the piece to be gay, 'tis rattled off as qUtckty as possible, without giving the slightest thought mouon to De an may is supposing rapia ifrom the; title, they suppose jt. Wf: be sad,- - it is played so slowly that instead of being moved to tears, we are simply tired. v , : 6b-sole- te - , - , neuca-saryib- ut - " . tells a little tale of fits own, just as much ias though it were written, in words. ' But music!has ajanguage of its own, and, must be rightly. - ! times . cheerful, but like our lives not all i jo; the piece, ;hen a cloud obscures it. now a gleam of .hope, and then despair; a dream of love or 'sorrow, a reverie and all should be told as forcibly bv the performer, as poets tell 'their emotions in beautiful Words. Seeking, to play, or sing, so as to bring out the true soul of the 5 may-requir- e y 1 ; j We love to hear those most, who play pr sing with mci'!'expressionr and'! feel deeply what J ' ' J' V thev "seek' to akel others ieel' 1 ' 4 ! : - "Xt-ha- h S satdthat nhat Vrief ; -- -- ' : . S Can eonsci-enciou- fe -- . , any one honor them less for of feeling which could possessing ddicacy ' not be overcome by that monarch, Fashion, who commands the worship of millions of the thoughtless, who so willingly lay their scruples, their individvality and power before the powerful j&rone ? of - . t especially 01 sensitive people, wnicbf shrinks from exhibitions of great joy or sorrow, and such would gladly dispense With all the paraphernalia of mourning, but have not the courage to disobey the dictates- of a fashion, and yield even in matters of the heart. Is not our sorrow as sacred as our love? Then why display it to the public gaze? The fact that this custom requires all to wear crape the same length of time, proves that it does not .serve its purpose; for, while some natures are naturally more buoyant and hopeful, and the sooner cease to mourn, and others are more susceptible toeonsgling influence of religion, yet alF must wear the outward signs of grief, though the spirit may have regained - cheerfulness. While I deem it a duty to seek consolation and happiness from all sources, to place ourselves in circumstances where we will be under cheerful and happifying influences, I have mentally exclaimed, "Consistency, thou art a jewel ! " while watching black dresses,with crape trimmings, waving through - the gay dance, while the smiling faces of the wearers betokened joy more than grief and while Watching such persons on pleasure excursions, and at places of public amusement, the mourning apparel appeared to me out of season. When one's feelings will allow the habitual mingling in gay society, good taste and sincerity would sug-- I gest a more suitable costume. There appear many good reasons why mourning should be discountenanced How often does it mislead in regard to the true feelings which it is intended to portray? For instance, one widow, whose matrimonial experience has been a scene of conflict, unmarked by affection, or respect, and, perhaps, while sueing for a divorce, death kindly releases her before the law; her neighbor may, be also separated from her husband, a congenial, affectionate partner; both wear mourning, but which is the mourner? mother who lays her dearThe broken-hearte- d est treasure in the grave, and the woman who cannot" grieve When a rich relative, for whom she ha3 little or no regard, dies and leaves her money these walk side by sicfe in similar attire, which is to signify that both are mourners, white one i3 far from being Such. Am I extravagant ? We know such things occur daily. Again, the expense and inconvenience of the custom is another reason for its becoming Perchance- the support of a; family is taken away; to procure mourning they must either incur debt, or' be considered lacking4 in respect for the dead; ;iExtra and unnecessary expenses are thus laidnpoa the widow's shoulders when she-- is leasts able to meet them expenses whjsh often become an injustice to children; for &e expenditure for the mourning outfi t is in many instances sufiicientto payi for, a year's school tuitioA for a family. . Can, the wife Or diughter show respect for the dead by robing thlraselje .in the deepest mournings while" the lftiane of the deceased , is whispered hopelessly kmbng his creditors ? ".' Above jail things, don't crush the natural care-fre- e cheerfulness of children between the folds of mourning; sad realities' will' come soon enough to jcheekHheif fountain of happiness, let it flow While it rwill without restraint. It, some efibrt for 'parents to abandon have been the moutningeostame-whe'ri'thetaught framvrcaildheod to regard it as a necessity in bereavement' but we shave comd out of children in1 the light of Babylon to rear-o- ut direct revelation and let us-- keep their' minds free from- - all- - traditions t and prejudices1 which-cannot.be sustaiaedin harmony? with the spirit" of . our ,religia ;If know ' that - many noble, ' j brave- women, have- mourned vtheip dead with ; the, most, acutCr sense tot loss,- - cherishing their memory with ,., reverence and affection, while they, wob no, dutwaxd, symbol ef the grief long-establish- Aid within. f Spain has decided to release all unpolitical 1 |