Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-05-21
ORIGINAL PAPERS,
TOT Tie opiFit OF tbe hB0
THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR.


mans life. And this is as it should be-
Forwe recreated forhappiness, and hence,
while engaged in its pursuit we are only
gratifying the inherent longings of our ma
ture and striving to attain that destiny for
which we were designed. But what mad
equste, and what unworthy means do the
great majority of mankind employ for the
attainment of this noble end Blinded by
an Ignorance Of its true nature and Of the
source from which its living waters flow,
they concentrate their energies ON means
which cannot yield more than a temporary
sensual qualification. And thus they spend
their lives, always reaching forth the hand
to grasp the glittering bauble, and always
sinking back in sad disappointment as it
bursts and disappears. They are never
happy-their cherished object is never
reached, because they have mistaken the
way. 1t is foolishly imagined that the
great ultimatum of earthly happiness con-
sists in crammed Golfers, princely palaces,
and splendid equipage. And, hence, eve
ry energy Of the soul is directed to the ac-
quirement of money. The immortal spirit,
forgetful of its sublime origin and lofty
destiny, bows with deeper than eastern
devotion at the bright shrine of the al
mighty dollar; while around that fatal al
tar are wreathed the gay garlands of de-
lusive hope, and over it glares the meteoric
glory of shining but quickly fading bow.
What sad and deplorable spectacle
must our degraded race present to the pure,
unfalen intelligences of other worlds =
Men rushing to and fro with a wild and
Il 10 fho
powers of mind and body in the death-like
struggle for that which satisfeth not and
which must perish with the using No
hardship or suffering can appall and no
danger alright them from the pursuit of the
gilded phantom. The dark depths of the
earth must render up their stores, the
mountains, wales, forests, rivers, and old
ocean yield their increase. The old man,
tottering on the verge of eternity, family
grasps his staff and with withered form
aud trembling step pursues the bursting
bubble The young and vigorous, with
hearts heated with high hopes, catch the
cursed eontagion, and, leaving every emo
bling pursuit behind, rush with foolish
frenzy into whatever occupation promises
the amplcst reward And woman, too,
whose affections should constitute her
wealth, is often seen bowling at the attrac-
tive shrine of mammon and too nearly
true is the conceit of the fact, that, "wo
men, like moths, are caught by glare"
But let us briefly notice some of the re
suits of this money-loving spirit. Anc
first we say that it degradcs mans nature
This it does by confning his thoughts, hi
energies, and, in a word, all his powers
to low and grovelling pursuits-pursuit
in which the elevating affections and trul
ennobling principles of his nature are neN
or called into hcathful exercise. 1t alier
ates the heart from the great source of a
its joys and confines its homage to a spler
did but perishing idol Of its own creation
1t contracts the irsmortal soul-cramps an
narrows down all its powers-until frol
its diminutiye size it would " rattle in I'll
hull of tobacco seed" While true n,
biity consists in the exercise of the M
best affections of the heart, and the cult
vation Of the loftiest capacities of the il
tellect, this throws up an insuperable bu
wark to all advancement in real, elevatin
virtue One raises the soul from eartl
and points it to realms of eternal bliss, tt
other fettcrs its aspiring wings and confnC
it To earth and its heeting vanities. Tru
nobility will lead the humble soul to boy
in happy, hopeful submission, to the mi
seeptre of redeeming love, and daily
drink new and ever-howing joys from Il
wells Of salvation but this degrading spi
it moulds q golden calf and offers on
altar those sacrifices which should belor
to Heaven alone. Too often have soci
comfort and domestic happiness been d
stroyed bythis ever-increasing, never-sat
fed spirit aud those relations in whiC
the finer and more ennobling sensibiliti
Of the soul should be exhibited, only ser
to display the basest and most ignoble pri
ciples OF fallen nature. We have sc
the aged father, after day Of toll and ca
though enjoying all the comforts of veal
gather his family around the fireside, a
what? Does he give vent to any of
natural feelings of fathers heart, at su
time, or strive TO lose, in the cheer
smile of fond wife, and the merry prat
of his children, the cares and anxieties
the day? No No word escapes his
which refers not to some of his m,
schemes for boarding wealth. No thou
or desire of aught save money seems Q
to enter his bcnighted brain and his
agination, in its widest flights, scars
higher than this pitiable, perishing plaI
If this is not degradation we know
what is. The reckless proAigate, the {
ing robber, and the bloody murderer, /
have some moments when the stings of (
science will recall them to their senses,
direct their thoughts to nobler pursu
but this man is blinded by the glitte
gold, and experience too sadly proves
there is but little hope of his recovery
And if there is any scene which can ca
the angels to weep, it must be that of a
ing with an immortal nature, and '
powers akin to their own, prostituting |
self by this base worship of the almis
dollar"
Nor is this spirit more favorable to
moral progress Of society at large, tha
individual advancement in virtue.
society takes its character from that @
individual members, and It's advancer
or deGlension, in any particular, must