The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1841-02-12

other that could be presented to the inn
agnation Of man to conceive. 1t is
wide and unlimited in its range of gori-
Gus and benignant intentions to elevate
mankind to his original state of innocence,
and restoring him to that high and lofty
eminence III moral and intellectual point
of view, which the Great Creator of heav-
en- and earth has instituted for the happ-
ness OF immortal man. Were we TO trace
its objects and effects in all its diversified
operations upon human society, it would
embrace the fundamental elements of hui
man exstauce.
Whatever tends TO promote morality
and virtue, aid imbbe in the minds OF
youth lessons of useful information, while
it leads on in the pathway of fame and
honorable distinction, no matter how
humble in its efforts or how circumscrlbed
in its operations, its benefits TO the youth
full generation must be acknowledged
How many, who are bright and brilliant
stars in our moral hemisphere, who have
dazzled the imagination of man with
the brilliancy and rapidity of their career
could trace the FIRST Development of their
gigantic intelects to associations Of this
kind In proportion as mankind advance
in intelligence is their happiness Increas-
ed, from the fact that it ennobles and Dig
niies human nature. Man, in rude and
80 tt,,ot,I g.. gE h,. e
the rafnemenls that adorn human society,
and is stranger to the finer scnsibiites
of the human heart-whle ignorance,
with all its concomitant consequences, Is
shown in all his transactions with his fell
low man, instead of fulfilling the high
destiny in human society to which he
was designed by his Great Creator.
When we take into consideration the
misery and wretchedness by which thou
sands of our fellow beings are enshrouded,
the picture of human suffering, wretched-
ness, and degredaton that would be pre-
scented 10 the Imagination of man is suf-
iicient to excite the commisseralion and
sympathy of the human heart. Misery
and wretchedness in their thousand varied
forms would present themselves to our
view. How grand and glorious must any
effort appear, no matter how humble, that
can accomplish anv thing towards the
restoration of mankind from such scene
of human degradation How has truth
and intelligence, as il were on winos of
philanthropy and love to the human fam
ilv, been conveyed 10 the darl, and be.
nighted regions of our earth, shedding lis
benign influence over the intellectual fac
ultes Of mankind, cnshroulcI in the
gloom Of ignorance and superstition, at
which humanity wccps, 1t has she'd lis
sacred influence like the sun in its elori-
Gus midday splcndor; dispcls the dark
ness from the earth; so has ignorance.
idolatry, and superstition vanished before
the glorious influence of human inlelli-
gence. When we contemplate theme
so mild and gentle in It's character, yet
attended by the most glorious results that
can come within the range Of human in
tcllect. We feel inadequate to do Justice TO
a subject of SO much importance. Intel
Iigence has made the mos; grand and gIo-
rious achievements over the earthly CON
Germs of mankind that are recorded upon
the pages of lamc 1t has startled the ty-
rant on his throne, has entered the temple
of fame and recorded the freedom of ma
tons it has caused the idols to tumble
from heather temples, and the genius of
its superstltions to vanish forever; and
ignorance, that had for ages held domin-
ion over the intellectual faculties of man