The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-10-10
MISCELLANY.
From the Model American Courier.
Attn AND FIRM n E S S
TALE OF TRUTH.
BY ANDREW DUNCAN.

does not imply physical or moral impossi-
biIiy. All that you need is faith, and firm
ness Of purpose. What, think you, did the
Man o. Nazareth mean, when he said 10 his
disciples, ye have faith like grain oil
mustard seed. We shall say unto this noun
tain, Remove hence 10 yonder place. md il
shall remove: and nothing shall be impossi>
bic unto you p
Il don't know said Robert Hudson. am
not much of a theologian, and there appears
to be something dark about thar saying
Not at ALL said the doctor; ii is as plain
as any passage in the book, it is first-rale
commcn-serse text, true 10 the very letter.
DO you then suppose that men can remove
mountains =
No doubt of it, 6guraiively speaking-for
il is figurative language.
How do you know that?
Because Christ never spokeo Of doing any
Thing literally, that could answer no good
cnd-nevcr performed miracle, but for
some WISE and mercful purpose. Literally,
the text cannot be understood; but, fgura
lively, it conveys sublime lesson-a lesson
every day acted upon, and whether percelv-
ed or not, il has been The means of making
many a great man, and oidoing many womb
erCul things. la short, the lesson taught in
that one text, has been the great lever by
which the world has advanced from age 10
age. Faith in true principle, with manly
perseverance, overcometh every obstacle !;
whether that principle be Of physical or
moral character, scientific or religious. Had
Fulton possessed no more faith in The pow
ers OF steam than did the world around him,
how long before rivers, lakes, and oceans
wave would have been traversed,
Without sail or oar, 'sainst winds and tides I:
That which would have been absolutely i'm
possible without faith, by faith, resting on
ruth, has been iriumphanily successful.
| When the railroad was first projected, the
failhIess we're ready with their iavorlte. lm-
| possiblcr The deep ravine and the NOUN
tain barrier were in the way but faith said,
The mountain barrier must be broken
through--the valley must be exalted, the
rough places made smooth, and the crooked
places Straight and it was done. Next
came the man Morse, saying he could send
Il message thousand miles, and receive an
answer in five minutes! He was considered
-InO0n-zndd,' but the man had discovered d
scientific truth. and the ridcue oil the infide.
could not shake his faith. Difficulties were
ia the way, but, sustained by sublime con-
lidcnce. he met, and conquered ALL Not on
!
exalted, but lime and space are all but ami
hiIafed. Such have been The triumphs OF lai'li
resting upon true principles, that the man is
both bold and ignorant, who now talks about
impOSSib,Hties. Those gigantic proofs ofthe
power and Efficacy ollaiIh, are not solitary
they only appear more striking on account
ufihcir magnitude, and the mighty results
that have followed every inch of progress
made by The most obscure individual, is III
consequence OF the same principle. | am
acquainted with many men. who ten years a
70 could not command the second dollar, now
iiving in Opulcnce. and some who len years
ago hardly knew The first letter in the book.
now holding high places in the literary
world
'9ut.' said Hudson, 'wrat do you make Of
The context? This kind comes not out but
by prayer and fasting
III is cqualy plain replied the doctor, 'anj
means that extraordinary difficulties can on
ly be OVERCOME by extraordinary efforts
including mental labor and physical priva
ton
'Yon may he right said Il; 1know
that faith and perseverance are necessary
IN order 10 accomplish any thing but Time
/ is also necessary. and am now TOO old-it is
now too late
Better late than never, sir. True, you
have spent half the promised term Of life, ir
folly and madness, chasing shadows and drea'
my nothings. But your age. so far from be-
ing an excuse, is I sIiong reason why you
should double your diligence, if your oblec
L is right. lfyour desires are merely after iht
y riches Of present world, about which TIN
n mass are every day becoming more an,
more insane,-I say insane, for if any thins
&c stamps 'lunatic' upon the brow ofhumanity
II il is the uniring devotion of soul, body, ant
!! spirit, 10 those things that perish beneatl
Fl their hands, and which at best they can oul,
e look upon, and Then leave forever.-if you
ii ambition has no higher object than dollar
10 and cents, have no advice 10 give. Yu
must 90 10 the muck-worm, IN The miser i
II his den oil filth and misery, or 10 the fool tina
t. spends his strength for nOught. But shout
H. you feel within desires of higher order
IN The indwelIings Of nobler nature-a crav
Ill ing after mental wealth and moral riches
H. then say neither age nor circumstance
ough! TO deter you. Every onward step ST
'h cures an unending good, a something th'
ne cannot be lost: and were your spirit read
S' pass from lis house OF clay. would still say
struggle 10 gain yet another idea in advanc
OF the store already acquired. Still acbieN
u'S, sun pursuing, Is lllt tTut iuottO lOI iudi
III Let me tellyou story =
when | was lad OF some fourteen g
fifteen years OF age. there lived about half
he mile from my fathers man by the name
en- SANDERS. He was poor man, very poe
d. had been so all his life. At the age
eighteen he could neither read nor writ
on ant! think have heard it said that thel
was not book of any description in his fail
d. er's house, Sanders was remarkable fc
an nothing but his ignorance and personal al
ew pearance-large honed, and over six ie
10 high; but it could hardly be said that h
~ bones were clothed with flesh; lie was som
Thing of Calvin Edison, with a head TIL
appeared disproportionately large. He W;
If looked upon as very unsocial boor, from Il
nd fact that he seldom mingled in the sport
ocl young men of his own age. He seemed
vi love and seek retirement. Between the a.
n of eighteen and twenty, he had, by himse
wllhou, particle of assistance, learned
read well, and write some. An event III
h. oh thic fine nrnvad .bat Sal