Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1853-01-27
TUE MEN OF TIE TINES.


(FfoG Rev. Chas. Wad.woiIh's SeEmon)
And rs following from shia, We re-
mark, sixthty, that an American Of our
generation should be man Of progress !:
man Ill for the nineleelh century, and
baptised With its baptism. | do not
mean that he should despisc old things
because they are old. We have enough
oisact nleu already. the void knows !:
men who would pat out the sun that
tney might int odace gas lights. aud
ignore the principle OF physical life.
'hnt they might walls and digest to6d by
the application OF electricity men ev.
e'L.slingly paradinx themselves in the
march OF mind. though the direction be
tina: Of wandering star -ou,watd
bound, into black darkness Us if n,au q
intellect were high>pre.sure Iocomo.
tive, and this true human progress, ths
swaggering Of blinded giant. yearning
10 swim stormy seas. and to leap. great
prscipices, But by men Of progress |
do mean men who see ia the mighty
movements that 60 on around us. indl>
cations that as yet the race is in the in-
iapcy Of an oneoming aud magnificent
manhood {: who have no sympathy with
old things. just because they are old j;
whoare something more than overslnps
misunderstanding out with their Ian
ferns when The east is flashing with the
day spring whose type is not Lots
staa uesqae wife, looking back syerIa>.
Lingly to Sodom, but Lis rather Lot him
sell, with his face lifted 10 the noun
tains and urged On by archangels.
Meanwhile and seOenthiy. We observe
that the American Of this age should be
emphat!eally. ava earnest man. I do not
meal that no should b. excitable. w.
have enough Of this. the would know
The American character altogether di,
co.dant and chaotic in. lbs multiplicity OF
elements. holds all those elcnsrts, In com
bination. by hs-principle Of ~ hot fusion.
In the universal furot with which We en-
ter intp all opposite and anlagcnisiie
pursuits; OF politics. and money making
lAna,ical piety and frsnzie,l ssepticism
magnificent church building and expen
siv0 tlisatricais :. hero w0tship, ar.
hyper religious bigotry:. in6Iel social
ism, and great moral reforms the in
lense exciisbi!i,y Of our national you.,
Is a mystery quite incomp, ehensibls b,
the stolld and saperannua'ed philosophy
Of the Old World. But then. exci,abi'.
ity is not earnsstness. Earnest ness l.
not spasm of furious feeling. but III.
con ,tant inspiration of mighty maste,
passion; not Will, lwind on the sea
raising q watsrspout. BAT the STEADY
sweep Of . trads wind, rouAing th,
whole sluggish ocean into billswy end
rssistless lts. Aud this IL what on,
aye needs. 1t 10 an age such as this
lost wotld never saw before. The three
score and ten Of our Yeas are wor,h
more III these tides Of earnest and .fti.
cient life. than The whole nine huadred
and sixty nine years Of the old patriarch.
1t is a time no. 10 be dreaming and
theoriains. buL to be up and doing The
fact that American nationality is vet in
ito infancy, is tbs mightiest Of all in.
dIcements unto American Christians
and patriots to BE- nightly ss'nest in
bringing the infant up in. the ways IL
should go. This present generation. OF
men will leave its character % aninpress
IN our national character unto all gem
erallons. II enc young eyes thar are
just opening on our national glories
lonk out. in he dimncss Of ng, and the
gathering darkness Of death, upon
America and behold U.s.. . gisat people
honest aud temperate. aud Law abb
dag, and united in tried, fellowship, and
loyallo- God in practical obedience TO
his great statutes. aud wO! king. Efficient
ly out. in the tenporsl and eternal in :
tsrssls of the. whole world. The manifest
purpose of divine Providence ia our ma
Cional existence and progress then
there is no influence under the brs ~
heavens tina. can da,kcn thencefor ward
our promise, or lit, up in our great pro-
gfess, hindraqce or disaster. For th"
used metal 10 the mould will have cool.
ed into IRON and hardened into adamanl ;
and. the statue :nils, standing, pla ,e shall
be magnificent and for ever.
And from this simpie thought. how
impressive the exhori.;i"n 10 be at work
for our country 10 consecta,e oar l'v-
Tag selves as. a divine Offering in our M
tlonal service. Elrnestness wiil com''
too late il it come only 10 bapsize with
its spirit the coming generation. NOw
: at least. nationally is the day Of salvation
In the g,eat crsdie beyond the napun
,ains sleeps the giant infant. and viii
all its young HurcaIsan strength. il hsti
vet the docile heart OF earlier childhood:
Sand now the spirit Of tue picty an,
earnest patriotism to mould hs forming
character for a world's good aud Jsho
vah's glory. and alt its future life shal
be in the mighty championship OF h",
imam. rights against every 'uth'"ss oP
preston. Bat leave j. alone as ys "r'
thi. day leaving it alone. Z" gr, up u
ilrs ways of a wild and unlu .0rcd an;