Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-07-29
(Maat

The FUTURE is indeed an object of deep
interest. In youth it is scarcely deserted as
visible point. In manhood it appears and dis
appears like a variable star, showing in pain
full succession its spots of light and of shade
In age it looms largely to the eye, pregnant
with hope and with fear. Amid the studies
of nature the youth and the man are some-
times constrained to consider it. The death
of the seed, and the resurrection of the plant
startle them in the race of fame. The butter
fly and its chrysalis suggest the changes that
overtake them. But it is in the study Of tho
heavens that the future swells most largely to
the view, and gives us an interest in worlds
and systems of worlds, in life without limits,
as well as in life without end. On eagles
wings We soar to the zenith, and fly to the
horizon of space, without reaching their dis
tant bourne and in the iniuity of space, and
amid the lnfnity Of life, we descry the home
and the companion of the future 1t is the
foreground of the great panorama of eternity
| the arena in which we have to struggle
with the tempter-the gymnasium in which
we are to be taught the secrets of nature, and
the elements Of social progress,-and it is
from its remotest shore that we are to embark
| on the ocean of eternity. m
| What this future is we can gather only from
the history of the past. tits by the impress
| that we can Judge of the direction, the veloc-
| ity, end the purpose of the mover. In his
physical aspect, and in his intellectual mani
festations, man has made no advance to a
more elevated station. His hand and his
head are still the hand and the head of his
primitive race, but by the skill of the one and
the energy of the other, he has achieved, and
has yet to achieve, more exhalted condition.
In the development, however, Of his spirit
ual nature, strenuous exertions have yet to be
made. Nations have put forth their highest
powers in the holy cause. The temple and
the mosque have opened wide their portals in
every land. Orders of men have been set
aside to reclaim from ignorance and vice, and
to teach the great traths Of the spiritual
world and the prison and the penitentia1y
have been called to their aid to protect the
community from turbulence and crime. Civ
il society, however, has reaped but little fruit
from exertions so active and institutions SO
complete, and till universal peace blesses the
nations Of the earth, the citizens of the world
the apostles of universal philanthropy,
cannot combine their exertions for social ad-
yancement. War is the memorable foe of all
progress, Intellectual, social, and spiritual L q
The man who can slay his brother. or who
encourages another to slay him, renounces his
godlike character, and returns to the com
munity of the hyena and the tiger Civiliza-
ton stands still when armies take the field
1t retrogrades when they leave it. Humans
ty shrieks at the trumpet note Of battle and
religion stoops abashed, in presence Of the
warrior with red hands, and the sovereign with
bloody heart. s - I
: The ALLEGIENCE WHICH Christian OWES
TO THE ssPowERs THAT BE. The magistrate
may not only do wrong himself but he NAV
command me to do wrong.-How shall re-
gard this command will regard it as do 8
any other command to do wrong-I will not
obey it. / will look the magistracy calmly
and respectfully in the face, and declare to it
that in this matter | owe it no allegience.
will have nothing to do with its wrong doing;
will separate myself, as far possible, from
the act and its consequences, whether they be
prosperous or adverse. 1t is wickedness; it
has the curse of God inwrought into it; and
! will have nothing, to do with it. From the
beginning to the end, will esehew it, and
the rewards, that it offers. The magistracy
may punish me; cannot help that, i will
not resist, but / will not do wrong, nor will
be party to wrong, let the magistracy or
aught-else command me. ollS e aus p
y In saying this I hope that / arrogate to my
self nothing in the least peculiar. am only
in the plainest and simplest manner stating
the rights and obligations of an intelligent
moral being, accountable to God for his ac-
tons, and bound to reverence his Creator
above all inthe universe. Created undersuch
a responsibility, can l transfer the allegiance
which l owe to God to Legislative assemblies,
to POLITICAL caueusses, to mass meetings, to
packed or unpacked conventions, representing
or pretending to represent the assumed on-
impotence of public opinion My whole moral
nature with loathing forbids it, l could note
do it without feeling that had become de-
spicable slave. 1 could not do it without
knowing that had exchanged the glorious
and incompatible God into an image made
like to corruptible man, and to birds and
four footed beasts and creeping things, and
worshipped the creature more than the Great
or, who is blessed for ever. Z 5rs s
My fellow citizens must not ask this for me
will surrender, for my country, my posses.
sions, my labor, my life, but 1 will not sae-f
ri6ce my integrity; and that is unworthy Of
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