Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-10-22

The annual meeting Of the American Anti
qGaran Society was held at their hall, in this
city, yesterday, the president, Hon. Stephen
Salisbury, in the chair. The record of the
proceedings Of the society, at the last semi.
annual meeting in Boston, was read by the
secretary, ana approved
The report of the council was presented by
Hon. Pliny Merrick of Boston. 1t made the
following reference to the recent gift to the
society by the PRESIDENT
"There is another acknowledgment due from
us, which the Council are happy to avail them
selves Of the opportunity afforded them by
our present meeting, to make. The noble
statue, which we find today embeshing the
hail OF entrance to the apartments of the Ii
brary, and which attracts the notice and admi-
ration OF every visitor, comes to us a generous
gift from the president, the Hon. Stephen Sal
isbury. 1t is copy perfect and exact in its
minuest details, as may be verified by com
parison Of il with tine Photographic likeness
taken from the original, which remains at
Rome, Of the statue Of Moses by Michael An
gelo, and which has always been regarded us
one of the most remarkable, both in concep.
ton and execution, OF all his productions. 1t
would be difficult 10 select from the whole
range OF the works Of art, an object more sig
nitcant of the general design and purpose of
our institution, or more appropriate as an or.
nament to the hall where we treasure our col
leCtionS The great lawgiyer OF the Hebrews,
the earliest nation OF antiquity from which
authentic records have descended to cur times
stands almost at the remotest point Of all his
torical know ledge, and his name, and some
conception OF his image, therefore, naturally
present themselves to tile mind of every stu,
dent aud inquirer, i'll his CONCENTRATIONS upon
the origin, progress, and history of mankind.
The possession Of this excellent work of art,
SO interesting in all its associations, is in itself
Just subject Of congratulation but the soci.
ETY. will be Jealous TO preserve and exhibit it,
not alone tor its beauty, excellence of work.
manship, or intrinsic value, but as perna-
nent memorial of one OF the many acts of
honorable munifceuce OF its constant benefNc.
tor The Council have requested that the
interesting paper read by Mr.. Salisbury, on
presenting this statue to them, may be com.
municated by him to the society at this meet.
ing"
The report of the treasurer, Hon. Henry
Chaplin, shows the present amount of the Ii.
brary and general fund to be $2l ,066 04 col
lection and research fund, S., 436 80 book
keeping fund.- S6,087 Al; publishing fund
/ Sc, l64 76 Total aggregate OF the four funds,
S4l,775 03. Aggregate Of cash Oh hand in.
Guiding in the foregoing statement, S637 SO.
The report of the librarian, Samuel f. Ha
ven, Esq, was read and accepted, 1t states
among other things, that
"There have been added to The library, since
the 2lst Of April last, 2l7 books and 1901 mis-.
cellaneous pamphlets. The other collections
have been more in number and variety than
usual. Amid public occurrences OF absorbing
personal interest TO every citizen. brought
face to face as we are with political changes
and conflicts OF arms that are to fill the pages
OF future history, il would not be strange if
the events OF the present should be regarded
as oveIshadowing in importance even the
rarest relics of the past. Ii there was ever
time when historical associations should be
busy in their vocation, it is now, when docu.
ments are to be gathered and preserY ed which
may yield true solution Of the exciting ques.
tons that agitate the land, illustrate the real
conditions OF public sentiments and secure to
poSterlty an accurate account Of the measures
and exploits of great revolution"
The report concludes with the following
appropriate reference to the statues of Moses
and OF Christ, grazing the hall
Jonathan Edwards is said to have conceiv.
ed the idea of writing history from the point
of view OF mans redemption. Had he execut.
Gu HIS pan ne would perhaps nave produced
treatise whose religo metaphysical logic it
might be hard to refute, but harder to believe
Yet cognizance OF divine responsibility to
superhuman power can no more be discarded
| from history, than the manifestation of divine
attributes can be etfaced from the structure of
the universe. Under some form of faith the
pathway of men and nations has always lain
between the terrors of law on the one hand
ana the hopes of mercy on the other.
OF these commanding elements OF destiny,
Moses and Christ are the arch types and sym,
bols. In Moses, seated amid the lhunders and
lghtnlngs OF Sinai, on the outmost verge of
recorded time, we see the personifcation of
iphexble justice; and in Christ the emblem
of tUIgi seness and redeeming grace. Viewed
in another aspect, they may be regarded as
representing the principle of authority
and dominion which in the degenerate form
of human ambition, has rendered human his.
tory little else than a continuous struggle for
supremacy and power; the other, the princi-
! pie of love from which have sprung the better
impulses of modern eivilizaton-the public
/ charities, the phanthropic missions unknown
4 by the ancient world, the assertion ofpersonal
rights, and the ties of universal brotherhood,
which are tile moving causes OF the historical
changes in whose progress we are partcipat-
ing.
These gifts may be accepted, with others of