New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-18
The Past our Benefnctor.
sY REV. r. s. sToKR5, JA

The abOye-named gentleman delivered the
third Lecture Of the Popular Course IN the Taberna
Gle last evening Considering the nclenency Of the
weather the attendance might be considered ss very
good
Mr. Stores .sid thst he was about speak ous Of
the mott trite and general Of sufjectl i vs1 sub
iect too on which an original aud eloq Ient speaker
had preceded him in that place but few weeks since
and the impression Of his eoquence still fingered on
their minds He woald therefore solicit the induyen;
attention Of his audience while he spoke Of the Past a.
cur Benefector and Of Ourselves immelsurably in
debted 20 II. As nation we belong 10 that portion OF
the human family which lived in hope, and no, in re
mernbrance. We were apt to feel that the age we
lived in usurped all others 90 immensely and con
spcuousy that we had nothing do bu; put ourselves
10 the ptth of it, determined and splendid progress
1t had relation to the sges that were pssttha
they Of complete insignhcence, undeserving Of
thought. There were always tendencies in demo
cratic people 10 forget the fullness Of the past with
us apt suppose ages gone by Is never hav-
ing had any value or force-never az being eur paron
The fact that each one was forced to 90 out among the
enterprises of the age wreste for himself and secure
a subsistence snd hone-:hat each was indepsnden.
Of another and responsible for himself alone tended
70 place him before us in singular attitude aid made
cut is making any advance. We supposed we had q
right to ell the engyments benefits and discoveries
which the experience of past ages furnished "a with
out stopping to inquire from whence they came That
was but narrow view of the condition of the present
It was no. phiosophicaly comprehensive or accurate
there brealhed no legitimate influence Of dignity and
courage from the supposition. The truth was that
every sge accumulated wisdom, and knowledge, and
force, and experience for the Of It's
God so united centuries each other that each bore
for ward those coming after that all the
Past Ind ever been contributing to advantage and
comfort-our powers and greatness. We who
lived among great efforts Of toll In ike to
be repeated, end TO live In our influence ages 10
come after us This relation we bore 70 the Past would
give new ideas Of the dignity Of lGe-s conception
OF the vast endurance of It. IT would make us form
just estimate Of the force and tendency of the law Of
progress and civilization OF our mission ia the present
and our hope 10 the future. For example, take the
matter of socal development and sec how In that re-
lation the past has been our bencfsctOr observe
what immense accumulation OF benefits. tod
somely, perseverngly, in happiness or sorrow and
suffering gathered. we enter upon the eujoynen.
of life breaks upon us. That original barbs-
rsm was the primitive state Of nation was not
a fancy or myth the history Of European
races in their progressive development in civilization
demonstrated the reverse. Among all nations their
advancement from that state 10 one higher had ever
been tedious oilscme and enduring The original saw
age state In which lived for himself alone gave
way 10 mixed pastoral life, In which the shepherd
half hun,sman and half shepherd gathering groups
Of domestic animals around him, providing them with
pastursee and building his hut pitching the tcut in
the shade Of the hillside by the banks Of the
II - l.
marked 1t but the embryo Of civilization there.
With the perception among men OF their individual
rights came the desire for the accumulation OF proper
~ and by degrees there emerged from that state
another more pcrmaDent-s state distnetively ssrl-
cutursl cut Of which there the principle
OF complete and constant progress this latter state
supplied the only basis Of true social development To
be sure the pastoral life OF the Orient attached certain
types of thought-it state about which there lin
gered the aroma OF romance. But IL did no, establish
any pillars to grace the temple of proressit did not
promote TO various industry-t did not unite men In
reciprocity OF interest and make each anoner for
the rest, and therefore movements forwarded
by II TO a higher civilization Advance in civilization
came with the development OF the agricultural state
and when got established the basis of the social sys
in the lands from which drew life then the many
and various branches Of civilized industry that agrcu
ture called forth were quickened The toiler Of the
earth stood nearest 10 naturethe st and indispens
bic meter of her benefits and so he placed in the
center OF all activities Each outburst of industrial
enterprise emanated from hun He needed men 10
fashion bis instruments particularly o. they became
compex-he needed men TO frame stus for his clothing
and the trades of and oloher Grosehe needed
10 erect buildings for his stately than the
primitive hut, and 20 came architects ard buders-he
needed also merchant to sell his surplus produce thus
was commerce encouraged. Then again he needed some
one TO minister 10 his health when disease casually
took him. the Office Of physician became necessary
He needed others also 10 expound the rues that society
"A
er and 50 lawyers and the various officers O. the
law TO enjoy the advantages Of bis position, IL was
essfary tha. Re had mental cultivation. anu JaIs wat
called out the orders OF teachcrs-the georaphsr the
historian the poet; the mOra the sube and rhe large
MINDED philosopher, the man Of science and the artist
And finally society IS thus Organized needed men 70
interpret GSds messages To Ills creftarcs. and
the order OF Minister or Priest, the anba ssdors OF man
10 the throne OF the Infinite the Ors OF inter
ests iranscencent and priceless. Thus In maps
progress from the savage state gradual extension Of
mutual dependency their reciprocal wants increased
became les frequent while individual and
munsl wealth augmented, Investigation Was set on foot
and Institutions for the iurtherRnce OF benevoence sd
mofshiy were established Tae poet came Ia hs turn
to sing Tor this civilization the artist bestowed upon
The elaborate ornament II hls tk the sentiments OF
the moTat graced Il, science eddtd the light OF ifs
searches. home had honor ami sScrodness attached
II, ard peace With ell H. pleasures tended eventually 20
become the goal OF tile state. 30 the principles Of this
civilization formed the spirit of the household and
worked &hrVSd with ever expanding influence
throughout the State. Thus we enter upon the
possession If those treasures which had been
eunRl6iDg even AZ the very moment OF birth the
graves Of races marked the way OF iEs develOpmen.-
tho application OF theOrems, bu the actual physical
mastery Of difficulties characterized its progress TIE
experience and industry aud toll Of multruies of IN
tense years had wrought oaf for There had been
heard tArou ghos It's march voices Only Of p6o
sophcs inquiry and discussion bat there had arisen
voices OF anguish and dread aud voices sf advice
and eDcoursgenenthereh had been savage notes blown
upon the rude horns and pastoral lays piped shry
the duie web Ss manifold tones Of peaceful indus
tYy all preludng that broad anthem Of peace that wc-
coined us infancy shed the charm OF melody on
hvts In TIE matter 81 political progression the Past
had also largely 0eneisctOr Tse primitive form
OF government the pastoral IN which the father had
enlre aonnsOn the services Of bis children, az
the children estsblished eeniers. as Il were, for
themselves. The original family thus spreading like the
Bsiisn tTee with the increase OF is growth ex-
tended the general plan Of the Governments that orsa
ely srieed Tor the direction OF the household fnen
came IN It's turn the Government OF small military leaf
their dependan,s No doubt the ideal OF Gov.
srUment Was Democracy toward which the pas gra-
dosly tended and which sougE, tor ~ great end the