Litchfield enquirer., 1853-01-20
rae nEN FOR TIE TlMEs.


copy Of "A Sermon preached IN the Arch
street Presbyterian church, Philadelphia,
on Thanksgiving Day. Nov. oS. 1882.
b, the Rev. Charles WadsWOrth. Pastor.
Lisa bold. eloquent and characteristic
production. We make single brief ex>
tract here, promising to copy more In
future.
Secondly, That q citisen OF such q
county. 10 such generation, should be
eminen,ly a practical and common sense
nan. The days Of theories have gone
by, and man that will dream over by
potteses and distractions, either rell-
gious or political. is dead fossil, make
The most of him. Even Genius, so long
delight;ng in roseleaves and reverles,
has sprung from the day dreams of its
youth, and gone forth to the substantial
Enterprises of its manhood. Imagipa>
ton hath itself become practical in its
energies. Poetry is not dead, for the
word poet means creator, and its
powers will cease only when a progress
sive race has attained the lUftiest hight
Of it's possible strivings. Nor does poe,
try sleep even. Spite Of all sentimental
lamentations over the homely utilitaria-
nism Of this age, it is, efter all, the most
poetic and imaginative Of all ages. But
Then imagination hath become practical.
Samson hath sprung from the lap of De
lil.h, and gone forth against the Phi>
Hs.ines. The poet, the creator of these
later times, brings forth, not day dreams,
but realities. The steam engine is a
mightier epic than the Paradise Lost
The magnetic telegraph is love'ier and
lof isr creation of true poetry than
Sponsors Fairy Queen or Shakespeare s
Tempest. Genius hath flung the tlow~
cry garlands off. and gone forth
With bronzed cheek and a hard hand,
to work for race in the very van OF
advancing civilization. The age is en-
phaticaIly common sense and practical ;
aad whe.her it he in literature, Or polls
tics. or religion, the man Of dreaming
specnlalicns, and subtle metaphysical
theories, is at best a mummy OF by
z ,ne generation. aud ought to be seclu-
q u from :he busy world ia a glass case.
as remarkable specimen, monstfous
Curiosity. A religious man who would
do good to his country, must go forth
wish lis religion as political light, a
great national SAVIOR. What we want is,
not so much these good men who will
mourn over our national degensracy, and
fast over our our national SINS, and pray
for our national prosperity as those
better men who will rise up from their
fasts and prayers, and 60 forth and work
for the reformation OF our national mo>
rails, and the securanse, through practi
cal righteousness, OF our national we'll
being. The time has come for the diffu.
sion of practical piety into our whole
national politics when the sel6shness OF
personal ambition, and the low intrigues
Of parlizanship, and the whole ruffian-
ism Of demagogue craftsmanship. should
be cast out, and the split Of honest pa
triotism and religious principle abide as
the conserving presence overthe whole
national and political economy.
And SO We remark, thirdly, as that
without which all this must be for ever
impossible ~
That citizen Of such q country, in
such generation, should be emphati
cally.. bold man. l do not mean a
bIusterer, man of ruffianism and sham>
ehivalry, who talks loudly ofhis honor,
and resents insults, and practices pistol
shooting, as If to let out a FOOLS blood
we're essentially to edify FOOLS reputa,
iion. By bold men do not mean swag>
gerers. Quixotic politicians. who project
interyentions and invasions, as Is the A
merican eagle were only game and
gated fighting fowl. No! the land has
already enough Of them. Our entire
political organization, from the lowest
ward meeting TO- the. highest national
council. swarms with them, till one
would almost suppose that every tenth
American mother we giantess, and
had brought forth a. Goliath.
But we do mean that our age re-
quires men OF true and tried courage
men who, taking ruffianism by the beard,
dare 10 do right and stand BY the right
men who fear neither TO- explode an old
dogma. though adored for centuries. If ii
be falsshcod {: nor to stand by an old
custom against world, il it be honora
Die ard truthful who are afraid neither
TO tear the religious vizor from the face
of false reform NOR to turn the back
on The old Sphyax Of conservatism in
the dIection Of true progress; men
that. understanding what is best for
mans welfare and Code glory, will
send as the fax on Samson. every
fstker of party or sect, that would with
hold them from seeking it; doing their
daiy manfully themselves. and leaving
Almighty God to take care Of their re-
putAtion. lat, a4 F{p
f-Me-ebserrs. therefore fouytAly. chat
Of couase such men should be educated
70