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Article A LEGEND OF SIRIAD. ← Page 3 of 3
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Legend Of Siriad.
tion of ears unwilling to listen or assist . At once the tattered garments fell from the limbs of the stranger , the wrinkles of age fled from her cheek and a being of surpassing loveliness stood before them . Her form was clothed in the purest white , so light and ethereal it looked like the fleecy clouds that wanton round the summer ' s moon . Her lio-ht blue eyes shone with a starry lustre , and from her lofty brow the lig ht locks flowed in soft luxuriance . The frown upon her features was scarcely seen , so benificently shone her loving spirit from her mild blue eye . " Profaners of the holy name ye bear , " she cried , " desecrators of the hoiv ground whereon ye stand—know ye not , that without me ye
are but as the sand of the desert , or the feather in the air : as the tree without the fruit , as the stalk without the ear ! Hunger and thirst have importuned you , and ye have not said 'Be filled : ' want and misery have sought you , and ye have not said 'Be comforted . ' Hypocrites and dissemblers ! think ye mere profession ivill do in the p lace of me—or that the offering of the lip will suffice without the incense of the heart ? Hypocrites and dissemblers , unless my holy fire be a living truth within are but as the flesh without the spirit
you , ye ; and the doom of the flesh is death . " Abashed they bent their eyes to earth in confusion , and when they again raised them the beautiful vision had fled . At that moment Virtue entered the hall , having just returned from a victorious expedition against Sin and Ignorance . Acclamations rent the
air , and with hearts still thrilling with the voice of Charity the merited reward was voted with enthusiasm . But theirs was the fate of the prodigal , they had not wherewith to carry out the good intent . Seizing the occasion , Prudence rose , and in vivid colours portrayed their errors . " In the arms of Luxury , in the bowers of riot and extravagance , " said he , "have ye expended the revenues of Charity and wasted the muscle of your power : nothing now remains of the glorious means you once had , but the remembrance of follies to be repented of , and the consciousness of your inability to perform the noble purpose you now entertain . This comes of your admixture with the sons of the murderer ; Negligence is at the root of the evil : you have through
him admitted Selt ^ Pride , Intemperance , and their kindred spirits among you , and until you purge yourselves of them the order will be but as tbe temple of the soul from which the animating spark has fled for ever . 'Tis they who soften and loosen the cement , without which there can be no stability , and expel from the temple she hath reared , the priestess of the order , Charity . " He ceased—but as the pattering of the rain upon the brow of Ararat , was the voice of Prudence in the councils of Folly . The influence of
the vices , backed by Power , was too great to be shaken ; and after the lapse of years , when the divine anger was made manifest by an awful visitation , Noah and his three sons alone escaped from the sweeping deluge of the all-destroying waters . CATO .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Legend Of Siriad.
tion of ears unwilling to listen or assist . At once the tattered garments fell from the limbs of the stranger , the wrinkles of age fled from her cheek and a being of surpassing loveliness stood before them . Her form was clothed in the purest white , so light and ethereal it looked like the fleecy clouds that wanton round the summer ' s moon . Her lio-ht blue eyes shone with a starry lustre , and from her lofty brow the lig ht locks flowed in soft luxuriance . The frown upon her features was scarcely seen , so benificently shone her loving spirit from her mild blue eye . " Profaners of the holy name ye bear , " she cried , " desecrators of the hoiv ground whereon ye stand—know ye not , that without me ye
are but as the sand of the desert , or the feather in the air : as the tree without the fruit , as the stalk without the ear ! Hunger and thirst have importuned you , and ye have not said 'Be filled : ' want and misery have sought you , and ye have not said 'Be comforted . ' Hypocrites and dissemblers ! think ye mere profession ivill do in the p lace of me—or that the offering of the lip will suffice without the incense of the heart ? Hypocrites and dissemblers , unless my holy fire be a living truth within are but as the flesh without the spirit
you , ye ; and the doom of the flesh is death . " Abashed they bent their eyes to earth in confusion , and when they again raised them the beautiful vision had fled . At that moment Virtue entered the hall , having just returned from a victorious expedition against Sin and Ignorance . Acclamations rent the
air , and with hearts still thrilling with the voice of Charity the merited reward was voted with enthusiasm . But theirs was the fate of the prodigal , they had not wherewith to carry out the good intent . Seizing the occasion , Prudence rose , and in vivid colours portrayed their errors . " In the arms of Luxury , in the bowers of riot and extravagance , " said he , "have ye expended the revenues of Charity and wasted the muscle of your power : nothing now remains of the glorious means you once had , but the remembrance of follies to be repented of , and the consciousness of your inability to perform the noble purpose you now entertain . This comes of your admixture with the sons of the murderer ; Negligence is at the root of the evil : you have through
him admitted Selt ^ Pride , Intemperance , and their kindred spirits among you , and until you purge yourselves of them the order will be but as tbe temple of the soul from which the animating spark has fled for ever . 'Tis they who soften and loosen the cement , without which there can be no stability , and expel from the temple she hath reared , the priestess of the order , Charity . " He ceased—but as the pattering of the rain upon the brow of Ararat , was the voice of Prudence in the councils of Folly . The influence of
the vices , backed by Power , was too great to be shaken ; and after the lapse of years , when the divine anger was made manifest by an awful visitation , Noah and his three sons alone escaped from the sweeping deluge of the all-destroying waters . CATO .