Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-08-01
THE WORTH OF THE MIND,
BY REV. oRvILLE DEWEY.

VI
aspiration--how few value this. this wonderc i
mind, Tor what 1t is worth! How few see it,
mat brother mind-in others; see if in all the
forms OF wretchedness and splendor alike
though fenced around with all the artificial die.
iinc'lons OF society; sec 1t, through the RAGS
WIN "hich poverty has clothed it, beneath the
cFushlng burthens OF life amidst the close nres.
sure o! worldly troubles, wants and sorrows
sec 1t; ana acknowledge and cheer it in that
nu''D'e lol' ana feel that the nobility ofcarth
1na' the commencing glory ofheaven. is thereP
tNoi IS lhls the worst, nor the strongest view of
'io c"Se'-Men DO not feel the worth of their
wv. v"n MINUS lhey are very proud perhaps,
'hey are proud of their own possessions. thev
are proud OF their minds, it may be. as distin-
guishlng them; but the intrinsic. the inward
the INFINITE Worh of their own minds. thew do
not pereeive-llow many a man is there who
would feel, If he were introduced into Some |.
magnificent palace, and were led throuob = smo
cess'on otsplendid apartments, filled With W,
ana gorgeous turniture--would feel. | VI CIt
ne, lofty, immortal being as he is, wereF an
ordinary thing amidst the tinseled shot, and
MN; or would feel as Che were mo- dina IS
~ beng, for the perishing glares lings, IS
amidst which he walked! How nv a@nan. h
who' as he passed along the wAgide, saw the d
charlot OF wealth rolling by a y, would forget \
Inc intrinsic and eternal dghity of his own b
miho' IN poor, degrading envy of that vain il
feel himself to be an handler
because, not in mind but in mensu-
fation ne was not quite so high! And so long
as ms IS the case, do you believe that men
understand their own mind, that they know
"hal they possess within them? How many. a,
III iac' ieel as II that inward being, that mind. n
we're respectable, chiefly because their bodies -
can on sllken couches, and are fed with costly 4
uAu[ies! How many respect themselves, and ho
ooA iol respect from others, in proportion as oh
hey grow more sPIendidly, not more wisely, III,
ma iare more sumptuously every day Sure 49,;
is not strange, while all this is true. tina, hl
men should be more attracted by objects of
ense and appetite, than by miracles of wis
om and love. And it is not strange that the
plriual riches which man sexhorted 10 seek
re represented in scripture as "hidtreasures.,'
Or they are indeed hidden, in the depths off
ne soul--hidden, covered up with worldly sen
aims, and pomPs, and vanites 1t is not and
TRANCE that the kingdom of heaven that king in P
ON which is within, is represented as a treas.
re buried in field; the flowers bloom, and
lie long grass waves there and men pass by
nd say tits beautiful; but this very luxuriance, viii
onceals the treasure. And so it is in this life ing
lat luxury and show, fashion and outward ton
eauty, worldly pursuits and possessions. tice
tract the eyes Of men, and thew know and
ot the treasure that is hidden in every human appt
ul. sent
Yes, the treasure-and the treasure that is ade
every soul. The difference that exists The
nong men is not so much in their nature trails
ot so much in their intrinsic power, as in the who
ower of communication. Tosome il is given rank
embosom and embody their thoughts but all STAN
en-, more or less, feel those thoughts. The men,
Try glory OF genius the very rapture ofpietv brea
hen rightly revealed, are diused and spread all til
road, and shared among unnumbered minds tious
hen eioquence and poetry speak-when the the o
orious arts, satuary, painting, and music Or
hen patriotism, charity vrtue-speaks to us, in the
It'll all their thrilling power, do not the hearts by v
thousands glow with kindred 10Y and &c. ded a
ICY? Who's here so humble, who so poor rty.
thought or in affection, as moi to feel this?- His
hos here so low, so degraded, had almost comm
i'd, as not sometimes to be touched with the rusal
auty OF goodncss3 Who's here with heart sault
'de OF such base materials, as not sometimes SON!
respond, through every chord Of it, to the Brya
\ OF honor, patriotism, generosity, virtue?- and r
nat glorious capacity is this? A power 10 sentir
immune with God and angels!-a reflection "a,
VI Vi IledNGIl-a mirror that coll Thy
is and concentrates within itself all the NOR Poo
splendors Of the universe--a light kipdIed WI Wh
I'M Heaven, that is TO shine brighter and Did,
ghter forever! For what then, nv friends And
all we care as we ought to care for this?- Dds
hat man can bear about with him-what oc 20
,, what array, what apparel, that beget such Go
ference as the soul he bears with him. Mid
hat circumstances Of outward splendour can Or,
d such imposing dignity to any being, as the Dlg
one of inward light and power, where the ~
rt reigns for ever? What work of man But
III be brought into comparison with this Nor
rk of God9 will speak oft in its simplest Ha
lracter--l say thought bare thought Pres
yet say what is it--and what is its bower ceeds
mystery? Breathed from the inspiration cpIes
the Almighty; partaking of infinite attri- "Ar
es, compromising Analysing and with its BefO
beauty clothing all things, and bringing sai1
thlrgs and themes--earth, heaven, eternity Fron
within the possession of the momentarv be- And
what is there that man can form--what Ho,
Dtre or throne--what structure of ages niece.
At empire of widespread dominion--can Delnb
'pare with the wonders and the rrandeurs be he
! single thought? 1t is that alone Of all mnon q
gs that are made--it is that alone that com
hends the Maker Of all. That alone is the Abo
which unlocks all the treasures Of the mi. else or
70. That alone is the power that reigns dear q
space, time, eternity. That, under Coo, should