Squatter sovereign. [volume] (Atchison, Kan. Terr.) 1855-1858, 1857-09-12

oef or Strauss or EOurier-brOacheS q
novel doctrine. and his lecture room is
crowded with all sexes and ages. aeog for
/ the eccentric and the daring. The field
of controversy is beaten and dusty. We
1 are deafened with The ringing of shields
+ and the rattlinr of arrows.
/ Such are some of the most prominent
features of the time-features that the
most superficial observer detects. And
still we ask-what is the Idea of the Age 2
What is the deep under-current that flows
beneath this moving show, with tide that
tswelis with eyery morning, and sets on
ward. and never ebbs. What, amidst all
this tumult and effort and busy toll. is the
Idea of the Ace 2 Let us look not mereiy
/ al lis superficial ASPECTS, its details, its ev.
erv dav-life. hut at its great movements.
! its reforms ;,s associations. lis books and
i journals. and ai<..---..s - -..e shall
| find. I think. that the fdea Of the Age is
THE MELroRAr1oN OF HuMANIrY.
/ Itis GRAND sipht-:hat GRAND old
lforest-that hides in its bosom the swift
deep torrents. and is crowned every day
bv the setting sun. There il stands
and grows in ali variety. PLANS. and ber-
ries. and flowers are there Of MANY hues.
! GherG-In0 III,
and the tall nine. and the mighty hickory.
Silently in their places and postures they
stand and GROW. But il is a prauder SIGHT
when a fresh wind comes up Then every
fibre in that dense wood sounds like harp
string. and all through it. it's million leaves
culver with ecs,acies. So men. in everv as
meet interest ms as tbrouoh the passine
hours thew stand in their lots and work
ont their tasks Rut thew present a GRAND
er SIGHT in an age like this. For over
their hearts an all their condi,ions the
voice ,b,, sneaks for buman;,v n,sbes lilo
a swift wind and whether thew will or mot
,hey are moved bv its Impulses.
/ II is not INV main pupose to eulopize
4 our time. I wouId not sneak Of it in i'm
inflated terms. or unduiv elevate it in com.
parison with the Past. We have already
said that !, owes much to the Past. Nei.
ther can we be blind to the fact, that with
all our brilliant characteristics our age is
also stained with evil. There is mucl,
rasbuess and fanaticism. and hollow. sick.
edng formaIity, and selfish, eager grasp
ing, and licentiousnes. and crime. Per
haps a great deal of the philanthropy
our day, sis as sounding brass, and tink.
/ ling cymbal." biased bv private ends. OF
carried on. with narrow views. But still
we must acknowledge that even this is the
excrescence. or over-growth, of deeu
sincerity that works at the heart of things
There could be no counterfeit if there were
no realay-there could be no symbol il
there was not an Idea. After all has been
subsrucsed tt,e. jj.-sies sea.ai-s. sub
tract. looking upon our time in candid
philosophical spirit. it is plain that to this
purpose of meliorating the coudi,ion of the
race there is an extraordinary tendency.
We may discover this tact In our lnsti-
''".ons 81 Educdfaon. HE Idea oi edu-
eating the Peopte-of giving an equal ad-
vantage with mans best weapons, to poor
and rich-is not 1t noble one 1t involves
some depth oil philosophy-shows, evident
~, some progress IN mans history. 1t is
Clearly the effect OF a conviction that all
men are equat-that In every man there is
a great capacity; and that, IN order to de.
velop the true man. that capacity should
: be educated-drawn out. 1t is the result
of u conviction. that stronger than the Sin
ews of war, more glorious than the splcn.
dor of wealth, is that knowledge which as
both power and riches. In short, this Idea
Of common-school education, is the resul,
of far-reaching vision into the truth ol
mans nature. He is no longer viewed
as property, as the born serf. the bond-sol.
dier, the crushed artisan, the many-handet
laborer for a pampsred tew-but as n,a,,
as a priceless unit among the spiritual Gre
ations of God. So pleasantly ON every
hillside, and by every village church
stand the places of learning. from whic;
| y \ r
issue the people, armed for seli-governmen
, and prepared Tor progress. Already iron
! thence issue voices that shake thrones!
The Idea Of the Age may be discover
= ed in our systems of Mutual improvement
| and in our establishments for diffusins
E Useful Knoscledge. | am ready to gran
|. that in the one there may be much pueri
! !ity. and that the othur is, perhaps too Otter
. dealt out In pap-spoons, with baby ak ant
Sill LII