The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-03-24
For the Spirit.
THE DESIRE FOR HAPPINESS.
Essay read bg j. p. MERCER, before

IdE D1SlhE fOh f1AI lin ESS.
Essay read bg u p. MERCER, before
Seneca 7oacnshap Literary Society.
To the true student of Nature, there are
no questions of more genuine interest than
those that more nearly concern himself,
and of these none more so, than the de-
sire he feels himself, and sees manifested
by all his fellow beings to be happy. And
though this desire is essentially the same
with the entire family of man, before it
has become morbid by vile polutions dis
covers that the means used and deeds done
to satisfy the same, are as diverse and
heterogeneous as the imagination Of man
oan contrive, or his ability perform, And
the student naturally inquiries "why is
this?' and receives from further observa-
tion the answer that ignorance of the laws
Of being, mind and matter, produces such,
as natural result And withou! foolish
ly going back from the time being, to in
quire into the original cause of ignorance
or evil, or puzzling his finite comprehen-
sion with infinite questions, he takes the
world and man as he finds them, and turns
his attention to investigate the course Of
thought and action, the present, middle
and remote or future objects, the race Of
man have. in view. And here he discovers
q perceptable, division into two great clas-
scs, gradually diverging from a sameness
in many practical acts, to the extremes Of
virtue and vice, yet all aver. by their pre-
cepts and actiens, that they are employ
ing the correct means to satisfy and attain
the great center and essence Of all their
wishes HAPPINESS Or if not now doing
so directly are preparing or expecting to-;
and herein is the great error of all, Of
which wise poet has well said:
..Of mans miraculous mistakes this bears
g The palm, that all men about to live,
b Forever on the brink of being born" tAs
bs All pay themselves the com pliment, that
some day 'they win live," enjoy comforts
pleasures and be happy in their apprecia-
tions. But reasoning from the known
laws of mind, the student learns that such
effect cannot possibly result from so di.
verse causes as observed in the course Of
the thoughts and actions OF mankind. Of
the larger class he beholds in their career,
from the cradle to the grave. the workings
of conflicting elements, in the misuse of
means, the perversion of reason, knowl-
edge and the light of Revelation. And
again aud otherwise, an indifference or
unconcern by part or all at times of this
division of the race Of man, that would
indicate they were mere automaton ma.
chimes, propelled along on times unwearY
wing without any manifestation Of the ex-
istence of will, or rational freedom;
seeming never to think why or what they
are existing fer; yet endowed with all the
elements necessary to correct thought anu
acton-but onward, moving and pursuing
some unknown something until drifted
by the currents of vice aud carnality into
some hinomian valley of misery, years it
NAV be before the mortality of time is
changed by death, to the then unchange.
able and unending misery, thus began to
be developed, and that must go on per.
petuating, as evinced from the very nature
of the principle Of like producing like.
The elementary cause Of such effect upon
the mind and beng of man, remaining
unchanged atthe end of mortal existence
Reason and Revelation seal the conclu
sion as irreyocable. r-ss
The honest student, having humbly
traced, by those lights, the unsatisfactory
course and end of one class Of character
turns with interest his hopeful investiga
tions to the other; and looking to the
ultimate workings of the means used by
snch, discovers the great end of humal
existence happily consummated, to the ex
tent time and earthly sense permits man
partially happifed!i And from the same
nature of the Interchangeable principles in.
volved must go on perpetuating and per
Ifecting this diverse result to man; happi
flying the one that has acted as become hi
free, rational agency, in exercising his OWL
will, in adopting all the surrounding cir
cumstances and means of being, and &C
cepting the assistance necessary to insure
conformity to the laws of miEd, matter
and being; while the other character, al
observed, passively passes on with the con
ceited and thoughtless throng, to become
! by their own acts and inaction, the natu
raj subjects of nnhappiness 1' q g. :.
Having thus analysed the courses O.
! thought, action and inaction of mankind
and the, ultimate effect for veal or woe
upon his destiny, and thereby learned tina,
man has the powere free-wil and means, tc
become happy or. miserable, as he elect,
himself; the honest student then, as an in
! telligent agent, wisely wishes to exercise
the elements Of his being, under benign
Influence; SO that the great desire of biz
existence may be truly realized; and fore.
seeing by the aid Of science, reason, ano
revelation, cause and effect, all along tht
pathway to happiness, pursues the journey
of life, doing all its deeds as time, talents
means, and opportunity offer, meeting
misfortune mildly and wisely, and thereby
developing the talent, sympathies, feelings
and thoughts, that are to prove Of elevat'
ling efficiency in happifying himself al
all along through, life; while he gradually
fills up his urn of desires, by aDpreciatine
/ Al Il