Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1855-09-13

ipbibe, your minds are like clean sheet Of
paper upon which to write; if what's good and
useful be written thereon, you will fnd il OF
incalcuiable advantage; but If what is written
be worthless and wicked, you will never be !
able to repair the loss We receive the Grea-
Ter portion of our ideos and impressions from
our associations and The books we read There
is something colnmendable in the appearance
Of q book; but they are like men, good and bad.
Our land is full Of light literature, bound in |
yellow, red and blue, known almost at sight. |
They are lasting, damning curse to every
one who touches them-they have been
wrought out by sn over heated Imagination,
which delights 10 make vice virtue, and re.
gion mockery and woodland by CIV
ing color, touch AMI taste 10 the most abomi-
nable wickedneSs Of men and women, make
them assume The air of all that is enobling
and virtuous, you are Unsnspectingly made TO
drink the poison, and the place for virtue is
made an aching void. Shun them as you would
an adder, t cir way is down TO the chamber Of
hell and death. There is book which we
can recommend 10 you, whose teachings and
influence, has brought US together under so
favorable crcumSi ances TO day. One in whose
origin, destiny, character and influence we
can place implicit confidence. 1t is the Bible.
relation we sustain 10 it, and what it is, as there
appears 10 be growing disposition with some
to remove il from the common schools place
il has held so long and so useful in our c0un-
try. With the past generations it has not only
been ths chief sabbath school book, but almost
the exclusive common school book and more
especially with those in The earlier periods of
our country. There is no book we can gain
more useful knowledge Of the existence of
God, and his will 10 man than from the bible.
II may be urged by some we can learn from
the book of nature. When we have summed
up all we have learned from that alone il
amounts TO comparatively nothing, Where do
we find more light and knowledge Of the ORR
gin and destiny of man, and more that COM
ports with reason than is found in The bible
Who enlightened by its pages will compare
himself with the old school of philosophers
even Socrates himself, who it is thought had
gathered knowledge from some of the writings
of Moses from the light he possessed. And
for advocating the doctrine Of one God the
Athemans put him 10 death, and afterward
erected on alter 10 him, and put an inscription
thereon 10 the unknown God. The apostle
| Paul after that took it for his text and preach
"whom ye ignoran.ly worship him declare
unto you" 1t is plain 10 every rehecinl
/ mind that men and nations bear no comparison
: with those under the christian light Of the bi
| BILE. From no book can we gain better idea:
OF the creation, more wisdom than is found II
s Soomons Proverbs. And such eternal truth
: for mans guidance than OF CbriSt's sermon or
a the Mount. And greater lessons for law gver
e and rulers than from Moses. And sublime
strains Emusic than from David, either an
y. cient or moderp Aesop's Fables, Homer's II
E lad and many Others are old books, and mod
ern ones can be numbered by the thousand
I; But where and out of what book or books cal
such lessons be learned as in the book 0
n books, and where and with what book can W
s supply its place, or a dozen, or a hundred, or
i thousand could we adop. in its stead, as grea
y rule by which 10 mould and fl man for hsppi
ness, for society, in fine for all that pertains
. this life or the life 10 come, echo answer
Y wherel II Goes not cume 10 us in question
S able shape. II has been handed down fror
/. age 10 age from generation 10 generation.
has passed the ordeal OF persecution 5y fir
e and sword, and withstood the skepticism an
: vain philosophy Of men in all ages, and il
d principles TO day are deeper rooted and ground
|, ed ia the hearts and minds of men than at an
e other period of time. When in the history {
IS The world has not its benign influence bee
o felt when il has had free access. But it ma
= urged by some, as it not unfrequenily is, tht
n ii has caused war and bloodShed. II can wit
IS all plausablenesS be denied for The book teach
a es right the reverse, and for further answer W
:, may say do nations war less who have II mo-
Z; and are they less enlighte, ed and happy? Tn
n answers must be plain to every one. An
e neither is responsible for secarianism an
h cTeeds o: any other kind of wckedneSs, n
IS more than the good acts Of an honest man ar
= responsible for the wickednesS Of his fellows
y Designing men in all ages have sought powe
& that they might rule, and nothing is so apt
10 sti1e the calls OF nature as religious bigotry
h and the good effect OF this book has alwa,
ID been perverted when some dogmatca priest {
J. tyTranlcal church or government would unde
,r take to mould and coerce all men 10 their pc
IL culiar tenets. No period 10 the history Of Ii
D.. world has been so propicious for lis spread {
in this. No government has give 1t such unlln
le tied sway as ours, and il ought 10 be the priL
Is and boast of every American 10 keep and teac
Of its immortal precepts, not only in Sabbai
" schools, common schools, hut in all our schOo
is of learning, il should ever be retained in the
D as the unerring beacon light OF The Liberties
n our happy country. For whenever il ceases
IN have place in the latter, our 0rernment wi
m have lost its sceptre, that time come when
q may will mark the zenith OF lis power and 81,
~ ~. 1t is a fixed law Of the creator and with
p the comprehension OF all, that just in propo
~ ton as a people bee me virluous, intellige
E. and religious so will they rise in the scale
b. power and national greatness. The pTeseI
D. prosperous condition OF the Sabbath schoo
d, with their soul cheering and enlighening il
ar flue nee speak we'll forthe United States. NJ;
nt Their glorious snn;ve rsary be hailed and che
as shed from one end OF this Union to The othe
IN To every christian and patriot must be froug
c. with more than the things Of time. And mi
he that banner "Unio1 Sabbath Schools" whic
rs you have placed before me and SO significant
th this days proceedings ever be our motto, unit
IS. not only in Sabbath schools but union, in Stat
ly and we could add more union in churches.
ce becomes no people so well as ourselves aud
at none does it appear so valuable. May III
n and their present blessings ever be The studi
ip object of every American TO perpetuate. NJ,
10 sabbath schools and Sabbath school annive
o. saries never cease to be the pride add glory
IS our country. May they be perpetual.
e. -----------~--~~~
lst ONLY A SNAIL SHowER.-Some ofthe fusit
Id papers affect The belief that The opposition
no Chase don't amount to much after all. tn
us brings 10 our recollection The old anecdote