Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-08-27
THOUGHTS ON THE OGEls TELEGRAPH.

An eloquent sermon on the subject Of
the Atlantic Telegraph vas preached in
Canton on the last Sabbath, by Rev.
Nathan II. Chamberlain, rom which we
are permitted to make The following ex-
tracts:
Observe where this telegraphic line is
laid. Far down in the dark depths Of
waters inaccessible. that ioplummet ever
sounded, it stretches fol more than six
hundred leagues, along ae silent, shad- /
owy, mystic bed of the sea; across soar
ing mountains, whose submits are swept
with changing tides; laying its slender
folds in the black craters choked up with
waters; across wide plains or Sudden
preeiPice, in the secrecies Of whose yayn-
ing jaws unnamed denizens of the ssa
abide over rock, and boulder, and soft
sand over solitary relics of the prime
val world, preserved in the calm depths
vestiges of the tropics and the poles
strewn there by the currents of the sea !;
over fair sea shells, and the debris Of long
forgotten races, of fish, and bird, and
beast over the gold of luckless mari
ners, laid away in safety of ocean Sc
crecy over the ribs of shattered ships,
laid up amongst the gathering ocean
sands in a mausoleum beftting a gallant
barque; over the skeletons of i'll starred
mariners, wrapt in their winding-sheet
of waters laid where unnamed monsters
of the deep might float slowly past il,
and leviathan might sport above it; laid
where no ray of light can ever reach,
where the bright sun touches into IN
told splendors Of infinite shape and color
ing the sea-pray of the surface or
where the moon clothes with silvery
mantle the midnight waves laid in the
eternal night of changeless darkness
darkness old as when God divided sea
from land lin those sunless, hueless, joy
less depths no eye can ever see; laid in
the hushed quiet of tideless waters; be-
meath the sweep of ocean currents in
halls of silence no sound of rushing
waters or wintry winds can reach laid
in the unseen, untroubled, unchanged,
mysterious under sea.
Thus, then, Science climbs slowly her
starry nights, lifting Humanity into su-
premacy over the universe of natter
Thus her vo;aries labor, and, as in the
ocean telegraph, ever and anon record in
an accomplished purpose the post they
have attained.
Thanks, then, for the priesthood of
true Science; priesthood, also, of the
Church, who, though sometimes forget
ting that, like the medieval cathedral
the plan-work of the universe is ever
across-still lead the race onward to its
appointed sway over matter. Thanks
for the workers resting, and for the har.
messed band of labore~s; for the histo.
ric record, and for the acted present
for the unknown that watched the star.
on Chaldaic plains nigh forty centuries
since; for the Copernicus who discover
ed, and for the Calico who approved
and for those that in silent observatories
swept with telescopes last night the
heavens for the unknown and wander.
ing philosophers of an unsatisfying heath
enism, and for the fathers of the Churcl
. Of Christ; for the great names in oui
modern roll of fame ; for the discoverer,
that sailed, and for the inventors thai
construct; for Kane and Humphrey ant
Watt and Heryey and Stephenson anC
Fulton and Whitney for those lustrous
names of dead men, shining in their star
ry armament, that light Humanity on it,
predestined way and thanks, more
over, for those living scholars that ira
verse seas and bury themselves in labor
! atories, and watch with Nature until sh,
speaks to them for the young men earn
est, and for the old men confident; fo
the venerated Nestor that waits calml,
amidst laborious tasks Of learning, witt
falling powers still consecrate to scienc
that led him across the world; grea
! traveller, great philosopher, great man
waiting for his entrance into the perfee
science of our Hereafter and thank
for him, no longer alien, but country
man, who for the sake Of science put
back imperial bribes, and tolls as n
slave work, that he may reach the trutI
in Nature thanks for these men, no
because they all profess our Christian
faith-for the clearest eyes in seienc
|, have sometimes wells Of skepticism hum
over them-but because by such ih
= supremacy Of man is widened, and hu
manity is slowly lifted over those starr.
T stairs Of knowledge, 10 recognize NOR
Il. IS fke ftr.feffs-se. e.