Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-04-16
For the Register.
AN EXTRACT

y AN EXTRACT
From an address giuen by The. F. Lang, Esq,
GtG public meeting Of the Bridgeport Union Lit
erary Society, March 18th, 1858.
The rising generation is of considera>
BILE Importance, forming as it does the
foundation of future generations. Yet
they seem somehow indispensable to the
increase or even the continuance of hu-
man population, and to constitute the
same connecting Ink with the future that
our fathers formed with the past Hence:
the Importance of this philanthropic, this
heaven born institut:on-the Literary So>
ciety. Need l tell you it is the moral lever
and great auxiliary by which the world is
to be evangelical? Then let it be re-
membered that those moral instructions
impaired from these societies will make
indelible impressions upon the entabla>
ture of the youthful mind that will de-
scend with it down the vicissitudes of
coming life to the silent dormitories ofthe
mouldering urn.
II is q simple fact that individual fam
lilies form neighborhoods; neighborhocds
communities; communities states; and
states nations. Now each neighborhood
is capable of having Literary Society.
This affected, the grand object is consum-
oted. Then the prayers, tears, and
holy expectations of the great and good
will be more than realized. Then our
mighty nation will stand redeemed and
disentbraied from sin and its concomitant
evils, shedding a transcendant lustrc in the
constellation Of nations, steadily burning
in a solitude OF her own glory.
l would now call your attention to the
Importance of improving your minds.
The infinite value Of time is not realized; !;
1t is the most precious thing in all the
world-tbe only thing of which it is a
virtue to be covetous. and yet the only
thing of which all men are prodigal.
In the first place then, reading is a
most interesting and pleasant way of oc
cupying our leisure hours-nll Of us have
time. or may have time TO read. The
difficulty is, we are not careful to i'm
prove it; our hours of leisure are either
talked away or idled away in some way
equally vain and foolish. (for instance, at
a game ofcards or something of the kind,
and then when we grow up we complain
ofour minds and hearts.
Would to God that this very institu>
tion here in Bridgeport would grow bet
ter and better. that we may all see how
worthless we are now, and that we may
yet rise. step by step. until we reach the
high pinnacle of fame pointed out to US by
the Creator Of the Universe. 1t is cou-
sideration of no small weight that reading
furnishes material for interesting and
useful conversation. Those who are ig-
norant of books, must of course have
their thoughts confined to very narro W
limits: what occurs in their immediate
neighborhood, the state Of the market,
the idle report, the tale of scandal, the
foolish story; these make up the circle ol
their knowledge and furnish the topics
Of their conversation. They have moth
ing to say of Importance because they
know nothing of ofimportance. A taste for
useful reading is an effectual prese1va-
tion from vice, next to the fear of God
implanted in the heart. Nothing is a
better safeguard to character than the
love of good books; they are the hand
maids of virtue and religion.
The high value of mental cultivation is
an other weighty motive for giving atten~
ton to reading. What is it that main
ly distinguishes man from a brute? ;?
Kno1Oledge. What is it that makes the
vast difference there are in men as they
appear in the same society? Rnowledge
knowledge is power, it is the Philoso,
piers stone. tho true alchemy that turns
everything it touches into gold; it is the
scepter that gives US our dominion over
nature-the key that unlocks the store.
house of creation and opens to us the
treasures of the universe.
The circumstances under which we are
placed as free and independent citizens
demand of us careful improvement O
our minds. WeEive in an age of menta
excitement. The public mind is awake
and society in general is fast rising il
the scale OF Improvement; at the same
time the means of knowledge are mos
abundant. The road to wealth, to honor
and to, usefulness. is open to all. and al
who will may enter upon it with the al
most certain prospect of.success. In thi
free community there are no privileged
orders. every man finds his level; if ht
has talents he will be known and estima
ted' and rise in the respect and conf
dence OF society. Added to this, every
man here Is freeman; he has a voice II
the election Of rulers in making and exe
cutting the laws, and may be called t.
fill important places of honor and trust II
the community Of which he is member
what then is our duty in these circum
stances? are we not called to cultiyat
our minds. improve our talents, and +
acquire the knowledge which is necessa
~ to enable us to act with honor an
usefulness? The part assigned us on th