The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-05-01
MAN.
"Man is an animal. ."-Anonyn

"Some men > sole object and entire end
L. money, and for that purpose they bend
Their energies. Others have great desire
To attain noted name. and for it they hire
Their very souls, so that they may gain
Their object. Others have q lesser aim
Than getting money or eternal fame;
Their only object anddesire in life,
For which with generous zeal they ever strive,
Is to make others happyl In the end
Methinks these last are happier, for they tend
Toward that celestial state of mental joy
Engendered by life free from alloy!"
SOLITUDE By Poor PETER.
When God created tile earth, he ordained
man as the leader and comptroller of all living
beings and things which were brought into ex.
istence with him. lie gave him mind, which
was denied all cse-a mind which should be
enabled to grasp the entire mateiality of earth,
to weigh tie causes and effects of transpirations
TO call up the past, to anticipate, to q certain
extent, the future-a mind which should enable
him 10 provide for future wants Of himself and
his dependencies. How wonderful is its forma-
tion-how singular its aspirations.
Drawde says" have long been studying
myself, and hence, man.. What an odl piece
of mechanism, how intricate, how perfect, how
incomprehensible Yet the deeds of this same
man are the more singular of all! Study it as
specimen Of workmanship, or as an idea, as a
curiosity of perfection. or as an acting, living,
moving, self dependent existence, It's ever the
same incomprehensible, wonderful, god-likew
Looking upon the mind as the man, and per-
,,,th oil sfo
minute perections, TO resolve itself into its nc.
tual individuality the servant and protector Of
the mental organization, the study becomes the
more interesting, the more instructive, yet the
more perplexing This it is which controls the
entire physical system, the earth, the universe!
Here do we find the germ of everything, the in
telectual power which renders the earth so per-
feet the moving, controlling being which can
measure Eternity and produce to form seeming
chaos-here, the likeness of God This it is
which renders heaven SO sweet to our anticipa.
tion, yet itss this same mind which makes
earth earth. Here at once are seated the exalt.
ing, ennobIing, purifying. and happifying, and
the lowering, debasing and grovelling tendencies.
God has made lnan free agent, with power to
live according to the dictates of monitor which
is seated within, and which is possessed Of more
or less power as its possessor may cultivate it,
'IIs this which gives man the idea of wrong
and right, which is the guide given whereby he
may direct his steps, which shall lure him
toward happiness and holiness and eternal fc-
licity, or which, disresarded, may fail to per.
form its functions through an inculcated weak.
ness, and leave man to the Natural result Of his
own evil tendency, speedy arrival at present
sorrow and wickedness and posthulnous misery
which shall have no end.
Yet this mental power, this man, is not alto
gether, in these latter days, the controller Of it.
self, ree,agent! The desire to stand we'll in
one anotLer's esteem is the bane which destroys
mans independence, which makes him mean,
cringing and comparatively helples creature.-
How infinitely better would b. the entire organi.
cation were our conduct less regulated by that
Of others. If Mrs. A. buys splendid article
Mrs. B. must over top her, if Mr.. II. goes
into new house of splendid and hence NIGH
ly expensive style, Mr.. s. must match him, even
though he spend half as much again as he is
really WORTH But we have taken different
course from our orig ginal intent, and have exceed
ed our limits. In closing, however, we would
take the liberty to suggest that man, and by
man we still mean the mind, is intended for
higher aspirations than the mere temporal pur-
suits which seem to form its chief end here in
New York, and should strive to attain a lofier-
imagine a scrlnon! Poor PETER.