Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-09-16
What O'clock is It?

ing information adopted by one Of the most
formidable associations in the, cause OF popu-
lar liberty in Germany, was TO ask the every
day question" What O'clock is it" The
uninitiated regarding it as an ordinary inqui-
nv, answered It as matter Of fact; whilst
the proficient would reply, 1t is high noon
at Strasburg," or, 1t is the hour of sunrise
at Gottingen;" thus conveying information,
and opening the way for further conference.
In this age Of social errors which have mis-
directed the best energies of our nature, and
entailed grievous evils too heavy to be longer
borne, the plain inquiry, @What o'clock is
itp might serve good purpose both for pub
lie and self-inquiry.shl lpeilA Rir'moM n4tD
"What o'clock is ~ master politician,
with your lip.lesson of the progress of the
age and the advance ofliberal principles, but
for your heart-love embracing the maxims
which lead to official preferment which have
desolated the earth for centuries, and the
party bigotry which usually occupies "sculls
which cannot teach and will not learn. -
By my dial this is the nineteenth century of
the Christian era, when the hinges of the
closed gates of the temple of Janus should
be rusty; the hour in America is not the
mere dawn of the beneficent day of "peace
on earth, good will toward man," but half
way point to the meridian. But the index
of your time-piece, if it regulates your no
tions, must point to an hour of night, a lin
gering fragment of the dark ages and dark
lanterns, pregnant with intolerance, and too
tenebrious to allow you to see that the peo-
pie of this state are grooming under the bur-
thens of unwise and extravagant legislation.
There is a second hand to your time piece,
which travels round the points of "Bun-
combe,'' a /" re- election" and that rotation
in Office /" which is particularly agreeable
when it consists in revolving from one station
of emolument to another.
ia "What o'clock is it ~ most active hoarder
of wealth, insatiate and Unsuitable speculator
in that which makes the blood and gives vi
tality to the energies of the human race
The shadow on the great dial of beneyolence
cast by the gnoman standing on the grave of
Howard in the far Crimea, approaches noon.
1t yerges toward the moment when the great
doctrine of human brotherhood shall be fully
recognized--not by mere breath homage, so
easily paid for receipt in full of all the
claims of humanity, but by the varied active
ministrations of life---hourly demanded by a
comprehensive charity of opinion; by de-
sire to prevent, as we'll as to alleviate
which sustains from falling rs well as raises
the fallen--and regards allth world, and all
the worlds wealth, and secondary to, and
only the means entrusted for exhibiting in
practice the teachings on the hills of Judea
some eighteen centuries ago. 1t is just the
hour for high purposes; just the seed time
when a few handfulls here and there will
spring up in bounteous harvest. But your
index, | fear, points to different hour; TO
the gray dawn, when the light wages dou-
BILE war with darkness, and the morn may
come in clouds. To you it is just the time
of day to make that speculation which adds
another to your thousands and beggars the
widow and the orphan. 1t is precisely the
moment to foreclose that mortgage, issue
that warrant, monopolize that grain and pro-
vision mart, or push that claim which will
make You rich in things save the thanks of
the poor and the blessing Of their Creator.
=" Casting bread upon the waters F" as bad
investment in your eyes; and laying up
treasures " any where else on earth would
put them out Of your reach. ~
,ros". What o'clock is 2" 1t is time, account
able man of the nineteeth century, for you
to believe that it is the hour when the hope
is rapidly ripening to an assurance of that
better day on earth, "wheu shall be felt, and
recognized and known" all tue lofty purpo-
SEES of being which purify the mind, furnish
lofty motives for action, and ennoble every
duty. h 1t is time for deep thought and
prompt action for the exercise of persever-
ing labor in well gdoing-in advancing the
veal of your race; in casting aside the big
otry of prejudice and intolerance; in daring
to practice those precepts which all admit
and which are really intended to be more
than dead creeds,--and now is the very in
slant to take the, first step in other paths
than those opened by selfish aims, vulgar
ambition or childish pleasures. Go ahead,
accountable man of the nineteenth century
- If you wish to increase the size and
prominence of your eyes, just keep an ac-