Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-06-14
Ladies and Gentlemen

Ladies and Gentlemen
Having been chosen by You TO pre-
side over this organization-an o-gsni-
cation which. perhaps. is doing. AMI
viii! continue TO do. much good in
community. can but return to you
mysincere :hankS fof cDnfa rring on me
favor. ami placing me in a position,
which l am no wise worthy of re-
ceiving or capable Of filing.
If it were not that | am constrain-
ell TO believe that | am acting under a
sense Of duty. | would in no wise sc-
cept the position. But the path OF
duty sometimes leads us into what. at
first sight. seems to be deep lsbyr-
inth-a wide sea Of trouble and diff
Guilty. The horizon is darkenei. the
storm clouds gather around. deep thun
ders roll. the malened lightning shoots
its frey missiles through the skies,
and furious winds threaten to tear our
unfurled hammer into shreis. Amid
the cla>hing din of the maddening
warfare. the hear. often siskens. the
voice fails. and iimiliiy. the bsne oi
humanity. seizes our frame. crushing
the spirit and dispelling every
Thought.
But may we not he encourage. when
we reject that the path of duty l. be
decked with ever blooming flowers.
swcetScented ami beautiful, AMI all
those terrific AMI mal.lening element,
ale only imaginary, AMI will vanish
~ tn. mist of the early morn. when
truth an virrue discharge their heavy
M l..ry into their brutal rank>? Is,
the all of .livine rlemen.y AMI your
assistance. | trust may he enabled
to discharge my official du'ie>.
The "tjr,t of as em5ling ourselves
together in the apa 'iiv in viii IN We
have met to-day. is the improvement
of ourselves. morally. socially. intel
lectually AMI physically. When We
look around lis AMI reflect the con
.iition of >ociety-ihc great ocean al
m,ral depravity. mental darkness. AMI
blind aspirations. in which grea'
portion of the human race is plunged
is it not our privilege. aye. is it not
our duty. To Use every effort to improve
ourselves and to enhance the true pleas
ure and happiness oi others? Duty
calls. loudly. sterniy calls. on every
on TO laLor for the 20 d fmsnkind-
10 improve and make better our ell, e.
AMI others.
How can it be done. you asks. Ii
can be accomplished only by unyield-
ing energy. AMI increasing labor. La.
bor. either mentally or physically. Is
the province OF all. He that will moi
labor-who spends his time in idle
ness and dissipation. is a blank, aye
more than blank. in the great univ',,
of God. lie is not only ininring h.m
self, but oil within the circle of his in
huence. The lounging. lille votary o
pleasure, Is pest; aye, q seeihlnl
curse to the community in which h,
resides: because he will not labor
himself. and i'll his ahiect illenesS
! ("for Satan finds some mischief still
for idle hands to do" every bruta
passion is cultivated. every imagina
tion of the heart becomes polluted
and the soul becomes transformed int,
a great reservoir of corruption. whost
delight it is to spread ruin. wretched
ness and woe in the ranks Of society
The great object of such an one is t'
drag others down. on level with hi
own corrupt self. H. is ever seekin.
new victims t. glut his fiendi>h luSts
The young. the innocent. and the nm
wary are singled out. a net is set. an
baited with the most tempting NOR
sci. The garb of innocen.y AMI th'
robe of the beautiful is stolen. an
every scheme that Satan can invent
or art can devise. is resort to. To nak'
sure the innocent victim. Having ~
compli>hed his brutal ends. this serth
ing. depraved bundle of corruption
in the shape of humanity. stalk
abroad in community ami laughs an
tests. yea boasts of his conque,ts :
Have nver-drawn the picture? thiHl
! AIN nm Ter. rather.
This ia moving. hu>y. buSiln:
wnrli. Everything i moving on
The earth, the air. The waters are ev
er in motion. an the millions of liv
ing beings are moving onvar PRO
crossing. Man. the nohe>t work -
Gpd. is IN lnwel with min susrp
tible OF enlle>s impi OVEN 'n'; that "a
MT he still; mini, a soul that j
'"ntinually growing wiser AMI he't"r
or ever receding AMI growing darke
AMI more dehasrd. Did YOU eve
think at it, that we are at thi~ ver
momen; progressing in one Of the
sales Yes. there a,e two rna Is. an
only two in this life. and all the mil
linn> of human beings are traveiin
on in one or the oih,r. There
no hGif-ray ground We are in IA
ROAD that leads IL wisdom. lite an
eternal ie!i,iry. ar we are plo''iins -
in that roal whi.h leads To darkness
the chambers of death and eterns
woe This is the order Of things. o.
tshlished by that Supreme Mind tbs
never errs; and we cannot change th
decree If we would. Are we in th
right road? Are We improving ou'
selves anil Others? Have we set on
standard high. and resolved 10 cor
quer or die? oh. let ms plant our stan
sr,l and unfurl our banner on the higf
est pinnacle of perfection in the ctel
nal world. Let us ever strive to gai
tnat high position Of purity. viriu
and perfection. which adorn angel
and drink nj that pure fountain th'
/ Il 4 IL. -.