The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-02-02

linen | asked
Great God! how can it be, that man can bow
To inert matter. and to things so Iowi
To blocks Of wood, or aught beneath the skies
And things so tangible, that mortal eyes
May scan the whole, discover every part,
And analyze them too, with perfect art'
And knoD themselves superior to the whole,
The reasoning energies. the deathless soul;
To stoop 10 worship things. so basely gross,
So subject 10 decay, to utter loss.
True they have never been taught any
divine precepts from the Book that per.
picked me so much
But they had marked the seasons in their flight,
Had seen the sun careerng in his light,
And winds and water falls and countless stars.
And dying millions in their reckless wars.
And they must fefl, there was a mighty power,
Controlling all the elements, each hour,
Sustaining nature in her dark abyss,
PropeIling other worlds and ruling this;
For on their spirits, ,.was the deep impress
OF supreme power and perfect holiness.
Then said 10 myself. that God has not
left himself without a witness in every
thinking mind
All rational existence has law,
Engraven Oh the heart, so it may draw
To virtues side, and stay the passions there,
And for its final destiny prepare.
Mans destitution, still is kept in view,
And God directs the path he should pursue;
Though all unseen his spirits every where,
Pervadng fire and water, earth and air,
The sea proclaims his power from .hore to shore
The winds repeat it. and the heavens adore;
The thunder utters il in accents loud,
The vivid Iightnings and the transient cloud,
And all are witnesses, that Con Is LOVE.
All, all, beneath the sun and all above.
Then asked, why has not the Almighty
given US some record of himself. his laws
and government--of mans origin and
end-of his requisilions with regard TO our
actions here.-some directions for the gov.
ernment of kings and kingdoms-the rulers
and the ruled! In one word, some definite
law for the government Of every individ-
ual capable Of reason. Is man the only
creature in creation animate ornanmate.
that has no rule to guide his steps, through
this dark labyrinih--no beacon to shine
upon his desoIate path! Then the teach.
ings of the old Book would rush upon my
mind with powerful force. Yet why think
Of that! For though it tells of mans ori.
gin and Of the disobedience that caused
his ruin, and points out. too. the only rene.
dial course for his recovery; in a word.
"brings life and Immortality to light" I
was too proud to bow and confess myself
a ruined. vile sinner. Its truths, if truths
they were, were so humiliating own
that was by nature fallen, polluted. tha,
all my race were rebels against Being
of infinite goodness: that if ever saved
must be saved through the instrumentality
Of anoher-One, too, that thousands had
rejected and despsed. Some of these had
once bowed at His shrine, too, and con.
lessed His saving power and influence,
and owned Him to be mighty conquerer,
as well as merciful high priest.
They had pressed the old volume thou.
sand times to their bosoms. and seemed
willing to die rather than TO renounce its
divine teachings. Yet when they had
wandered far from the home of their youth,
where the Book had constantly been pre-.
sented to view; and become acquainted
with men Of different principles; they first
began to reason. then TO doubt. and finally
10 disbelieve. Then they called in TO their
aid the works of the basest nfdels. nor
was conscience easily slenced, nor early
soon erased. No. no. The
OF soul, the agonies of mind they
endured in this fearful conflict can never
be fathomed until that great day when the
secrets Of all hearts shall be fully made
known. 1t cost them twice ten thousand
lines as much to reject these principles.
as il would 10 have secured their eternal
benefits. For true it was
That some had learn d such lessons in their youth
Such holy precepts, from the words of truth,
That like beacon still affording light,
II shone upon them in the dead of night.
With solemn reasun, and such dread appeals,
The book Of fate seem'd open. broke the seals,
They saw their actions mark d in living fame,
Aud all their crimes emblazen'd, with name,
So deeply, daIkly stained. and so impure,
That the bare sight, they scarcely could endure.
What mind could fathom, what tongue could tell
What dire emotions then, their bosoms swell;
A sad prelude indeeds to what twill be,
When time is past, and dread eternity,
Shall burst upon their sadden'd, daIken'd sight,
And every hope ard expectation blight
The soul IN ruins then, will vent its grief,
Nor can eternal ages, bring reliei.
For these rejected mercy bought with tears
And blood divine, for many lengthend years.
Alter all some of these figure in the
world as men of talent. wealth and in nflu.
,nce, while the devotees OF the antquated
Book, are not unirequeniy The subjects of
lerision. poverty and scorn. This to me
vas appalling, so sought for something
hat would still the vibrations Of this in
ward pendulum -some medium, between