Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-09-30


Will is the emphatic word in this declaration ofth
| Apostle that is they who ,ciH be rich at all adven
tures without regard to means, win Of course fal
into many foolish and hurtful lusts As to falling
into temptation surely there be nothing wrong
that if we make war upon, and successfully resis
the temptation. ] am no theologian, but in my
view, this is world of temptation and trial. il Isl
world of snares, and state Of probation. II is {
school, in which our moral nature is to be develop
ed and disciplined and we are to be educated for
pure and more exalted state OF being than this
Business is in truth test of virtue fiery furnace
TO principle He who passes his days in studous
ease, holding converse with the spirits of the great
dead meditating on abstrac-truths, and sees life
only through the windows of his study knows moth
ing Of trial. or danger, or temptation. He may be
swindler, or a forger, or a murderer like Web-
aer, and never suspect it, But no mah can spend
many years in business without developing his char
octer to his own conscience at least If not to the
knowledge of the world. If he is man ofweall
wit, he will become habtuol liar IL a man of lax
mortal principle, he viii become rogue, and CON
sequently bankrupt. If his conscience tells him
that he is still a man of moral uprightness he need
fear no other trial" do not know what the Apostle
means by the declaration that "the love of money
is the root of all evil" But do know that he could
notintcnd that the proposition should lie taken in
its broadest sense. For it must be obvious to the
commonest apprehension that the love of money is
not the root of all evil. II was not for example,
the root whence sppne Adams transgression, and
the evil
"Uf mans first dsobediencc and the fruit
Ofthat forbidden tree whose inotta taste
Brought death into the world ana all our woe
or have notread alright the great poet the Bible
So lit does not seem TO me that he in.cndcd to affirm
that the simple abstract love of money is wrong,
necessarily the origin of evil. Iii he did, then are
professors Of this age very great sinners in this
gard; for that they are lovers Of money, no one
WILL presume, pretend to deny then, is one otthe
innate desires of The human soul necessarily the
source of moral esili then have all civilized COM
munties been wrong in holding in most sacred re-
gard the desire Of property, aud in fostereg its ac
QUESTION. But, upon the hypothesis that Paul smp-
ly meant an inordinate love OF money, such love
as leads dsmen into dishonest pactces-no very uncom-
mon thing for-weak, erring, fallen humanity-the
more evident than that such love of money is the
root of many evils, and justly reprehensible ac-
count of its immoral tendencies
But why this eager desire for wealth. manifested
in the character of the American peOple2 This is
question of easy solution. Wealth is power, and
man naturally find of domiuinn ceels IL os a meauS
of gratifying this desire of his nature. OF all the
roads to influence and standing this, in our country
is the shortest and surest--much more so, in my
opinion, than that pointed out by Lord Bacons
celrhrated aphorsm that knowledge is power. AS to
the comparative merit digHity OF these two
fpower, do not stop to inquire But lmay remark
that it is unfortunate that men, qualified by nature
and educated to instruct mankind, have SO often
spoken dsparagingly, and even sneerihgly of those
industrial pursuits by which the natural resources
OF the country developed, onr physical wants
supplied, and wealth accumulated. They have been
characterized as low, base sordid, groyeing, and
selfish. And why, or how2 What is better or more
difnifed than honest productive industry? Is it
learning The old English proverb says, that IA
handful OF good life is better thn bshel of learn
ing" Is it the Ottm cum digHdte--ease, with Dig
nity-whch so much charmed the Romans2 "Idle-
ness, runs an English proveb sis the parent of
want and shame Another ''ldlencss is the root
of all evil Another still 'sIdleness is the sepul-
chre of a living man." And yet another. "An idle
brain DEVILS Workshop" "a busy man,
says az soverb sis troubled with but one
devil an idk Ran with thousand A Spanish
proverb says, that 'men are usually tempted by the
devil but an idle man positively tempts the devil"
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard" says the Soloman,
'consder her ways, and be wise" But even if
idleness were virtue and blessing, it is mprac-
table, But am digressing. Having said this
much by way of introduction, shall, in my next
paper proceed to an discrimination Of the relation OF
popular education to, and its bearing upon the pc
cuniary interests and industrial pursuits Of the
country.
LUDIMAGISTER.