San Andreas independent., 1859-01-15

Delivered on the 6M instant, before the members
Of the San Andreas Lyceum and Others, in
Odd felloars' Hall, San 4ndreas
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN - The occasion
which assemblies us is marked one one
pregnant with boundless results The discov-
cry of a continent is great event; or, of
some new heavenly body; or, some new ele-
ment OF motive power; or, some new discov-
cry of utility and universal benefacton all
these, and multitude of other events, are
great-great, relatively as we'll as positively.
But in no way can we measure the immensty
OF worlds, but as we are related to, and con-
nected with them; and then, only compara-
lively. continent of untold worth may be
discovered; but race of ignorant savages in
habit it, A new planetary system, equal to
Jupiter, with its annual revolutions more than
ours by twelve times, and its lightning march
more than twice twenty nine thousand miles
per hour = presenting face twice fourteen
times larger than ours, with quadruple of
moons, amounts, in the boundless realms of
space, when our vision is aided by the max
imum of combined astronomic genius Her
schefs telescope. new element of motive
power may be discovered but like the con-
densation of electricity, so lately tested. result
in nulity for all practical purposes. As to
new utilitarian discoveries, from the years of
Laurentius and Gutenberg, Galileo and New
ton, down to that last great wonder-the At
lantc Cable-only such as have been useful to
society, possess the elements of glory as con-
nected with man. The present hour presents
an event of this character: the opening of q
new era in the history of this place, and the
addition of new element of physical, intel
lectual and moral power.
| am aware that this new Library and Ly-
ceum, but recently opened, is intended more
for the intellect than the body, and more also,
for the moral sensibilities than the physical
but mind and body shall both acknowledge its
quickening powers. The immediate object of
your association is Knowlcdge and no less a
mind than Bacon has said" knowledge is
Power" Let us inquire the character of this
knowledge. At the very threshold of the
vast temple, is inscribed that other sentence
" Know Thyself;" and this is in perfect con-
sonance with the words of the Wisest-" :" He
that ruleth his spirit is better than he that ta-
keith CITY," 1t is the province Of beasts to
be ruled by passion of men, by reason; or,
rather, we should say, by mind. For reason
alone, is cold and inanimate, whilst passion
alone, is too subtle and exctable but bv
proper mental discipline, and heart culture,
the two can be so blended as to govern and
restrain over-excited passion and at the same
time arouse and stimulate it from sloth to a
freshness and vigor equal to any emergency.
And emergencies will occur which no human
foresight can reach, when this command of
yourselves will be of inestmable advantage.
by sklllful use of this power many man
has, by single effort, apparently placed him
self on the summit of " Fame's dread Temple
but the truth is, the success was the result of
thousand laborious efforts. Long years of
patient labor, with every energy of mind con-
centrated on single idea, like a focal point,
pierced the shadowy vail of uncertainty, and
made truth sparkle and glow in It's own sun
light, until absolute demonstration satisfied
every mind. For this "powcr" all should la
Dor. But this power must not spring from a
reckless independence, nor from love of in
dividualism, but from a love of sealing truth
on other hearts and minds and performing
well the great drama of life.
The abrogation of all law, both human and
Divine, is the seed of all the latitudinarianism.
skepticism, inGdelity and down
right atheism of the age. A dark and stormy
sea is this-sunless and drear are these cav
erns that entomb multtudes-a vast moral
malstroom of wide circling eddies which have
ingulphed thousands While Iwould not ad
vocate rushing into the iron arms of custom.
or being the servile initators of others. still
would warn against all transcendental latitu-
dinarlanism. Avoiding ella, dash not on
Charybdis. To this end, it is necessary TO
search after the secret springs and motives of
human action; and in our own bosoms lie the
great fountain-the world in miniature This
must be an individual Knowledge, and the
work which each member shall make on soci-
ETY., must be the stamp of truth of virtue
But this pre-supposes deep-seated moral prn-
ciple necessary, and places you in a proper re-
lation to every created being in the universe,
to nature and to natures God. Science
yields brighter light; nature appears in
richer dress, clothed in the livery of Heaven.
" Brightness shines in the midst of brightness"
We would not dare affirm that the greatest
minds and clearest heads have always been
connected with the purest hearts. Very far
from it. But we may safely affirm that if these
intellectual giants had possessed holy hearts
light from heaven, through which to see the
work ofheaven's Architect they had seen
clearer. The sight of Almighty intellect thor
oughly corrupted, is one which angels may
weep over and Heaven deplore.
Hume, Voltair and Bolingbroke were a trio
of this character. God designed their hearts
a palace for Himself; but the Kissing of SER
pents and the dragons den did they become.
Such are akin to the fallen angels If the
mute lips of antediluvian ages; if the theoc-
racy of departed eastern oracles; and if the
tongue of Christendom would speak.
it should be announced that there q can be
no real greatness or glory arithom moral prin-
cple."
A retrospective view of the world from the
fifth century downward to the great Reforma-
tion, presents, on the whole, melancholy
spectacle of intellectual darkness; not be-
cause there were not men possessing all the
mental faculties and noble powers now, or
ever since enjoyed but because these facul-
ties either laid dormant or were aroused into
action by the working of evil principles.
The active powers of men will always fol-
low the understanding and when the intel
ectual faculties are not directed to the pur-
suit and contemplation of noble ends, they
will be employed in designing and executing
schemes subversive of human happiness and
Improvement
The acquisition of knowledge, the progress
Of literature and science, of religion and mo-
rality, are as essential to human happiness as
light to the eye.
This mental garniture, or furniture is found
in books, and a learned modern writer says of
books = 90 They are masters who instruct US
without rods or farruleS uithouf words or on