The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-06-30
THE GRACE AND GLORY OF LIFE.


beautiful thing, Notwithstanding all the gloo-
my and deprcciatory views that have been
taken of it. The Giver puts it at your dis
posa, as so much raw material for you to
work upon, leaving you, in accordance with
that system of general freedom assigned to
you, to turn it into silk or into serge MS you
may please. What superb tissue it becomes
in some hands, and what a horsecloth in
others! Overlooking altogether the ambi-
tious few who seek for mere distinction in
the eyes of their fellow creatures, as being
set upon the glorifcaton Of their own little
personalities, let US view the rational and cul.
tivated man addressing himself to the duties
placed before him, and the enjoyments within
his reach, and making out of these n sef.con-
sisicnt respectable life, in conformity with the
natural conditions in which he is placed
that is with the divine rules that hedge his
beng-and then turn TO any one of the num-
bcrless unfortunates who abuse this inestima-
bic possession by sloth, folly, and wickedness,
and what Il contrast is presented ! the one so
fair scene, the other such n desolation-a
queens robe compared with Il beggars 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 seven.
ty years, go to sleep again. OF that rounding
sleep, the phenomena are unknown. The
waking interval, which is the subject we have
to deal WITH is toerably well understood. 1t
includes labor for the supply of wants,
thoughts, affections, aspirations; pursuit OF
happiness that never appears quite successful,
but only because, if happiness were attained,
we should find in it just the misery of having
no more to seek for. Well, then, we must
work, and work is always more or less, you
say, antagonistic TO the grace of lie. Grant
that it Isl God has at least made it Il hardship
to no man-so much the reverse, that its ac-
tivitics and excitements are Indispensable to
our having n pleasant life at all. What We
have here to observe is, that, if work be con-
Quoted in the advantageous ways that our
ingenious faculties suggest, it need not SO
much engross any of us, not even the hum
blcst hand laborers, as to preclude some de.
cent share of attention being given TO the
cultivation Of the grace and glory Of life
The poorest drudgcs may have their times of
ceanness and ncatncss; care may surround
them in their dwellings with things lovely
and pleasant to look upon; they may walk the
upright walk of manlness and seIt-respect, if
they only will think they are men, and be-
lieve that to be man is something in this
grand Economy. There is spiritual life
which sncR persons have often expemplified
in Iairer form than those placed above them
in this world; to none is this denied, not even
10 the slave, whose every bodily power is the
property of another. 1t is n sad truth that,
rs things have hitherto been, the life of the
hand.workcr has everywhere been one in
which hardening, coarscning toll has borne
too large part. But the existing modes OF
working are not necessarily permanent. Con.
tinualy are men discovering means of reduc.
ing the amount Of labor required to produce
certain results; and this process goes on with
an increased ratio. II is a mistake to suppose
that the condition of the laborer has not con-
sequcnlly been improved. Though it were
true that he still worked rs hard rs ever, it
would be for larger wages, or for wages that
could purchase II larger amount Of gratlica-
tons. But it is not true that laborers in gen.
cral work so hard now us they did in the last
age. They have very wisely determined to
have more of their time exempt from toll, and
we would fain believe that this time they
have not wholly disposed on subjects apart
from the grace and glory of life. Where it
has been given to mental cultivation, or to
pleasures that awaken and crafty the higher
feelings and tastes, it has been bestowed in
perfect conformity with our maxim.