Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-01-29
For the Southern Standard.

When first the angel of Wisdom came down
from above, lowering Ger the earth as if doubling
on what land to bestow her blessings, she at last
alighted in the fertile valley of the Nile. There
shut in the one side by the sea, and on the other
by the desert, she fondy hoped to be against
the desolating wars in which the savages of the
time were constantly engaged Guided by her in
fuences, Egypt at once rose to be the mightiest
nation on the face of the earth ana happily had
it been for the people had they remained peaceful
ly at home, enjoying the pleasures of quiet life
But ambition crept in, and their guardian angel
was neglected. Deserving the ungrateful land
she fled, and Africa was sunk into darkness
which even to this day the light of knowledge has
not dispeed. Passing over to Greece, the home
of the wise and the free, there perched upon the
Acropolis of Athens, she shone forth a beacon
light to guide all nations in their search for knowl-
edge. Then, for many centuries, Athens was
famed as the seat of learning throughout the civil
lized world. Thither came the youth of every ma
ton to listen to the teachings of Plato and a
Zeno. But at length petty broils, civil feuds. and
domestic discords desolated the fair land of Greece
and laid the mighty structures of Athens in the
dust. There the bird of knowledge lay for time,
futtering and helpless, amid its ruins. But ere
long rising up and shaking her now sullied plum
age, she left the land of her adoption, following
westward course, hoping, perhaps, in the cradle
of the Sun, to find some land where a lingering
beam had strayed, and where she might find spir-
its congenial to her nature. But striking against
the Tarpeian rock, spark was kindled by the
shock, which, nurtured side by side with liberty in
the hearts of a free people, burst forth in a
fame which ere long illumed the whole of the
then known world with its radiance. Here for a
period of seven hundred years, she found a quiet
resting place. But at last, Rome too was ruined
We next see her amidst the desert sands of Arabia
giving her laws to the wandering tribes of the
East Then for time Bagdad fourished as the
emporium of knowledge. But the Turks coming
down in plundering hordes from the North, robbed
her even of her home amid these dreary wastes
Then, indeed, it appeared as if the lamp was ex-
tingushed or, if it burned, it was in some hermits
lonely cell.
But gradually as the scroll of science was un-
folded, gimmering stars were seen, scattered here
and there DER its broad expanse, and growing
brighter and brighter By degrees until at last the
sun burst forth from behind the clouds of ieno-
rance and superstition in allsthe gorgeousness of
eastern magnifcence. Then passing upward, and
onward in his westward COURSE shestood still DER
the land of America. Yes--the angel, which our
Father gave us. to guide us through LIES devious
pathway. has made her home in America Then
let us cherish her at our fire sidesin our nstitu-
tions--in our societies and in our hearts. Ny.
friends, quench motifs flame; but keep.it brightly
burning within your bosoms, and ere long some of
you may be seen occupying the brightest places
on the star spangled banner Of fame. sab roa 81
aa sai 3ARATHENIAN.1 q