The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1854-07-13
From Chambers Journal.
The Grace and Glory Life.

Have respect for life. 1t is great and
beautiful thing, Notwithstanding all the
gloomy and depreciatory views that have
been taken of it. The giver puts it at
your disposal, as so much raw material
for you to work upon, leaving you, in ac-
cordance with that system of general free
dom assigned to you, to turn it into silk or
into serge as you may pleas. What
superb tissue it becomes in some hands,
and what horsecloth in others! Over
looking altogether the ambitious few who
for mere distinction in the eyes of their
fellow creatures, as being set upon the
glorifcation of their own little PERSONAL
ties, let us view the rational and cultiyat-
ed man addressing himself to the duties
placed before him, and the enjoyments
within his reach, and making out of these
self consistant respectable life, in con-
formity with the natural conditions in
which he is placed-that is, with the di-
vine rules that hedge his being-and then
turn to any one of the numberless unfor-
tunates who abuse this inestimable pos
session by sloth, folly, and wickedness,
and what a contrast is presented! the one
so fair scene, the other such a desola-
tionl-a queens robe compared with a
beggar's rag! Yet what the one makes
it the other may. Each and all of US,
whatever our position, may cultivate in
some degree the grace and glory of life.
We wake into this world, and, after
seventy years, go to sleep again. Ofthat
rounding sleep the phenomena are un-
known. The walking interval, which is
the subject we have to deal with, is toler-
ably well understood. 1t includes labor
for the supply of wants, thoughts, affec-
tons, aspirations; pursuit of happiness
that never appears quite successful, but
only because, if happiness were attained
we should find in it just the misery ol
having no more to seek for. Well then,
we must work, and works always more
or less, you say, antagonistic to the grace
of life. Grant that it is: God has at least
made it hardship to no man-so much
the reverse, that its activities excitements
are Indispensable to our having a pleas
ant life at ALL What we have here to
observe is, that, if work be conducted in
the advantageous ways that our ingeni-
GUS faculties suggest, it need not SO much
engross any of US, not even the humblest
hand -laborers, as to preclude some decent
share of attention being given the cultiva-
ton of the grace and glory OF life. The
poorest drudges may have their times oI
cleanliness and neatness; care may sur.
round them in their dwellings, with things
lovely and pleasant to look upon; they
may walk the upright walk of manliness
and self-respect, if they only will think
they are men, and believe that to be q
Man is something in this grand Economy
There is spiritual life which such per
sons have often exemplifed in fairer forms
than those placed above them in thi.
world; to none is this denied, not even tx
the slave, whose every bodily power is thu
property of another. It is a sad truth
that, as things have hitherto been, the life
of the hand-worker has everywhere beer
one in which hardening, coarsing toll ha:
borne too large part. But the existing
modes of working are not necessarily per
manent Continually are men discover
ing means Of reducing the amount of la
Dor required to produce certain results
and this process goes on at an increasing
ratio. It is mistake to suppose that the
condition of the laborer has not conse
quently been improved. Though it were
true that he still worked as hard as ever
it would be for larger wages, or for wa
ges that could purchase larger amour
of qualification. But it is not true tha
laborers in general, work SO hard now q.
they did in the last age. They have very
wisely determined to have more of thei
time exempt from toll, and we would fai,
believe that at this time, they have no
wholly disposed on objects apart from th'
grace and glory of life. Where it ha
been given to mental cultivation, or t,
pleasures that awaken and crafty tn,
higher feelings and tastes, it has beer
bestowed in perfect conformity with ou
maxim.
i 1t We're hard to say whether the worke
under the compulsion of the masters ey,
and the need of trifing addition to hi
weekly wages, is under greater tempta
ton to neglect the grace and glory of life
then the master, who, having great ant
pressing affairs, feels called upon to Civ
them his days and nights that he ma,
maintain his position, and have the chanc
of securing some provision for those dea
to him. Lamentable it is. that SO man,
of our middle classes thus sell themselye
to self-improVed slavery, leaving scarce
ly space for intercourse with their fami
lies, much less for the cultivation of an,
intel1actu al oifts or e1evatinu taste or fo