Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-05-03
Is IHsIcE 70 COP
RAVENNA OHIO " WEDNESI)AI Ma s.

sesvhy, Is. this thing alive sete Isthost
i Iit had stopped long q go.
So the world moves on People are
prone Is think that what they smile on lives,
and nj at Trey frown upon blighted and
must die. s. go
Mans Mission
By Jol.s .. co (
Man was made to II ork.
hatever 30 iois of liap ness IS r,stod
to an IL this ne conferred on
the iho M llseol,S5 lsssss mind IS
ii fJs Boo1s d Of
vice. and many othef sage apo,hegns Of
like tenor, nre scattered before the eyes OF
the world every day, but how few pay heed
to their teachings? and until they do, they
will never experience the heartfelt pleas
ures of an active and well balanced mind.
i He who works in selfsucrifc;ng earnes,-
ness, carves for himself an eyer-enduring
monument for the end of time, while he
fuIiIs his fore-ordained destiny on earth.
He who labors in the busy hive of our
mundane existence is public benefactor,
| ne WO{RS- Uol oHiy =ioT uHlScli Eul
for. his, as for all future genera
,ions. He boards not the work of his own
hands but sends them forth on home mis-
sion, as it were, among his fellow men,
there 10 exert their influence in humani1-
ing and meliora,iug the condition Of his
brethren. He is not bound with creeds or
shackIed with prejudice, but claims the
whole working universe as brethren. His
mind cameleon.lke may be said to take
the hue of, that on which il feeds, although
the mind Of the artisan is seldom imagina.
live. ii is commonly liberal and generous.
AS the labor of his hand seldom remains
with him but passes into the hands Of 9th.
ers, 30 it j. with the wages of his labor,
which are again thrown. as soon as earned,
into the manifold currents oftrade. Thus
the feelings Or desires of acquisition and
sel6.hness seldom find cengenial soil in the
minds Of the working clrsses, hence the re-
sui, IN o Wholesale feeling Of liberuliy on
religious and political subjects; while in
domestic and family affairs he pursues a
course which those who cannot fathotn his
motives ofaction, condemn as though,less
and extravagant.
The working man, soon as he receives
his pay, is restless and uneasy until his mo-
ney is again coursing through the arteries
Of trade: Although this feeling is praise
worthy and beneficial in many respects, il
is often injudicious aud attended witt, disa-
greeable circumstances. II mechanics
were more prudent and saving, they would
be more independent of others, and would
insure more respect for themselves.
AS the artisan is but working out the
destiny foreordained for man, he possesses
Il greater degree of positive happiness than
the drones i'll our social hive. lie is seldom
troubled with ennu, he needs not the ex-
element Of the gaming table. the stimulus
OF intoxicalion or tho unholy excitements
of evil to drive away the ghost like spec
tres of idleness; but, his mind animated
with the pleasures of industry, moves thro'
the the cnlms and storms OF our chequered
existence to final anchorage in the haven
ofhope. 58st &r
Working men generally possess shrewd,
practical minds, and although they do not
possess the power Of abstraction or of gem
eralizaton 10 any great degree, they have
a keen perception of the self:appnrent and
actual. Thus many of our mechanics
reading the various dognlas and creeds of
; jconfilc,ing sects and view the contradictory
acts OF professors Of religion, not being a.
bic to reconcile the conflicting actions of
the one, or unravel the tangled meshes of
the other, relapse into total indifference Of
either, and abandon their destiny 10 the helm
chance. TO such would recommend a
study OF the pure doctrines of religion,
undefiled by the acts Of man, which are at
the best but imperfect, and firm reliance
ON his own mental powers. .-....
Religion was never intended to make
man an automaton recipient Of this creed
or that, at the bidding OF his religious in
structor, or to make him believe, or say
that he believes in unlikely circumstances
without the aid Of his reasoning powers
But man has mind--an immortal mind
fglven him to choose or reject whatever sub.
|jects may be brought before his mental
powers OF observation; and to relapse into
glorious inactivity is as criminal as 10 re-
lapse into bodily inactivity, and become q
drone in society.
That mental discipline is as necessary
to the mechanic as we'll MS the student. for
they are both working men, will become
apparent when we consider that the de-
gree of of happiness enjoyed by man is
wholly dependent on the state and relative
powers Of his mind. Some are oppressed
with difficulties, overwhelmed with n,isfor.
tune, and reduced to poverty. but still are
buoyed up with the pleasures Of of hope,
and undismayed by the prospect of evil,
while others, surrounded with the luxu.
ries and bouniies oflife. are overcome with
spleen and detected with care. A right
disciplined mind enables US 10 endure the
troubles oflfe and turns all that we touch
into gold; and while it smooths our path
in this state Of existence, it gilds with the
etfulgent rays of hope, our visions Of the
! future.
Education is already opening mine of
invaluable wealth for the use of the work.
| ingman, which will never fail him in the
darkest scenes of life Now and then n
gushing stream of sweet melody comes
from the workbench and the anvil, which
tells us Of the hidden treasures concealed
beneath the rough exterior Of the hard.
L ~