it did in the commencement of the year. A most important day has
dawned, and momentous duties devolved on you. The ties that bound you
to the homes of your youth have been severed, and new ones formed, aye
stronger ones than even to the mother that bare you. Yes, there is one
who is now _dearer_ than the parent who cherished, or the sister who
grew up with you, and shared your father's hearth. Oh! could I now but
impress upon your minds, how much, how _very much_ of your happiness
depends on the way you begin. If I could but make you sensible how
greatly doing so might soften the trials of after life. Trials? I hear
each of you exclaim in joyous doubt, What trials? I am united to the
object of my dearest affections; friends all smile on, and approve my
choice; plenty crowns our board: have I not made a league with sorrow
that it should not come near our dwelling? I hope not; for it might
lead you to forget the things that belong to your peace. I should
tremble for you, could I fancy a life-long period without a trouble.
You are mortal and could not bear it, with safety to your eternal
well-being. This life being probationary, God has wisely ordained it a
chequered one. Happy, thoroughly happy as you may be now, you are not
invulnerable to the shafts of sorrow;--think how very many are the
inlets through which trial may enter, and pray that whenever and
however assailed, you may as a Christian, sanctify whatever befalls
you to your future good.

But while prepared to meet those ills "the flesh is heir to" as
becomes a Christian, it is well to remember that you may greatly
diminish many of the troubles of life, by forbearance and
self-command, for certain it is, that more than one half of mankind
make a great deal of what they suffer, and which they might avoid.
Yes, much of what they endure are actually self inflictions.