, 1840-08-22
ON THE ELEVATION OF THE La
BORING CITIZENS.
BY DR.. CLAIMING,

After assigning the first place to the great
idea of God, the Parent Mind, the Primitive
and Infinite Intelligence-of which he truly
says that, "this one idea, expanded in the
breast OF the laborer, is a germ Of elevation,
more fruitful than all science, no matter how
extensive or profound, which treats only OF
outward finite things"-he continues in the
following grand strain of lofty thought and
noble expressions.-Mssour Argus.
"From the idea of God, proceed to anoth-
er grand one, that of Man, ofhuman nature;
and this should be the object of serious, in
tense thought. Few men know as yet what
a man is. They know his clothes, his COM
plexion, his property, his rank, his follies and
his outward life. But the thought of his
inward being, his properhumanity, has hard
ly dawned on multitudes; and yet who can
live a mans life, that does not know what is
the distinctive worth of a human being?-It
is interesting to observe, how faithful men
generally are TO their idea Of a man; how
they act up to it. Spread the notion that
courage is true manhood, and how many will
die rather than fall short of that standard:
and hence, the true idea Of 4 man, brought
out in the laborer's mind, e~levates him above
every other class who may want it. Am |
asked for my conception Of the dignity of a
human being? | should say, that il consists,
first, IN that spiritual principle, called some.
times the Reason, sometimes the Conscience,
which, rising above what is local and tempo
rary, dlscerns immutable truth, and e~verIast-
ing right; which, in the midst of imperfect
things. conceives Of Perfection; which is uni
versal and impartial, standing in direct oppo-
sition TO the partial, selfish principles Of hu-
man nature; which says to me with authori-
ty, that my neighbor is as precious as my
self, and his rights as sacred as my own;
which commands me to receive all truth,
however, may war with my pride, and do
all justice, however it may conflict with my
interests; and which calls me to rejoice with
love in all that is beautiful, good, holy, happy
IN whatever being these attributes NAV be
found. This principle is a ray of Divinity
in man. We do not know what man is, till
something OF the celestial grandeur of this
principle in the soul be discerned. There is
another grand view Of man, included, in the
former, yet deserving distinct notice. He
is a Free being; created to act froufa spring
IN his own breast, TO form himself and to de-
cidshisowndestin CONNECTED intimatelywith
nature, but not enslaved to it; connected still
more strongly with God, yet not enslaved
even to the Divinity, but having power to
render or withhold the service due to his
creator; encompassed by a thousand war
ring forces, by physical elements which in
flic, pleasure and pain, by dangers seen and
unseen, by the influences of a tempting,
sinful world, yet endued by God with power
to contend with oil, to perfect himself by con-
f1ct with the very forces which threaten to
o~verwhclm him. Such is the idea of a man.
Happy he in whom it is unlolded by earnest
thought.
"Elad time should be glad to speak of
other great ideas belonging to the science
of mind. and which sum up and give us, in
one bright expression, the specuIations of
ages. The idea Of Human Life, of its true
end and greatness; the idea of Virtue, as the
absolute ultimate and good; the idea of
Liberty, which is the highest thought of
political science, and which, by its intimate
to the minds of the people
is the chief spring of our country's
life and greatneSs-all these might be enlarg-
ed on; and | might show how these nav be
awakened in the laborer, and may give him
an elevation which many who are above la.
Dor want. But, leaving all these, | will on
ly refer 10 another, one Of the most impor-
tant results Of the science of mind, and
which the laborer, in common with every
man, may and should receive, and should
strengthen by patient thought. 1t is the l.
dea oil his Importance as an Individual. He
is to understand that he has a value, not as
belonging to community, and contribut-
ing TO general good which is distinct from
but on his own account. He is not
mere part Of a machine. In a mochine
the paris are useless, but as conducting to
The end Of the whole, for which alone they
Not so a man. He is not simply
, means, but an end, and exists for his own
sake, for the unfolding Of his nature, for his
'wn virtue and happiness. True, he is to
for others, but not servilely, not with
| broken spirit, not so rs to degrade himself;
10 is to work for others from a wise selfre-
gard, from principles Of justice and benevo-
ence, and in the exercise OF u free will and
Intelligence, by which his own character is
perfected. His individual dignity, not de-
lived from birth, from success, from wealth,
rom outward show, but consisting in the in.
iestrlctibla principles of his soul. this ouuht |