The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-12-19
SYMMETRICAL CULTURE.

| D1MNlG IhtOAA NSL1OALs
In the order of creation God made man
last. He created him after His own
image, and told him that he was to shave
dominion over the fish of the sea, and
over the fowls of the air, and over every
living thing that moyeth upon the earth" "
By creating chin after his own likeness" ="
aud giving to him the sovereignty of all
animated creatures, God bestowed upon
man those superior physical qualities and
mental powers which SO pre-eminently
distinguish mankind from all other finite
beings.
A careful examination of man shows US
that he has very complicated, yet har-
monous organization. His nature is
manifold. Besides physical nature,
which is common to all animals, he has q
social, mental and moral nature, and the
wonderful gift of speech. Naturally his
body is symmetrical and beautiful, its
texture delicate, yet powerful, and its
movements gracefully majestic. Standing
erect he is truly an object of admiration
and of power. BY exercising bis five
senses he can receive many definite per
ceptions, and pleasing sensations. Thro'
the sense of smell he can receive the
sweet perfume Of flowers, aud eau, to
some extent, distinguish one object from
another. Through the sense of taste he
knows, in measure, what food is nutri-
cious or deleterious to his system. Thro'
the sense of hearing he can hear those
rich and varied tones of the human voice,
the pleasing sounds Of musical instru,
ments. the joyous notes Of many little
winged songster, the esighing of the breeze.
and the roaring of the tempest on the land
and on the sea and he can hear kind
loords. Through the sense Of touch be
is conscious of heat and cold, and of many
other sensations. By this he is able to
acquire great deal of positive knowledge
as to the qualities of matter. BY the
sense of sight which is received through
that most wonderfully constructed organ
the eye, which expresses BY Its tears
the irrepressible grief of the heart, and
by its smiling brightness the cverfowing
JOY of the soul-by this sense he cen de-
rive, oh, how much knowledge, and how
much pleasure At one instant he can
see the dust at his feet, and at the next
be eau behold the far.off sun shining in
the heavens. As he views the benefcent
Ruler of the day, rising in the east, pur-
suing his course up to the meridian, and
then going down till lie sinks below the
western horizon as he gates on this i'm
mense orb, he can think that its Greater
is his Creator. In cloudess night he
can lcok away up into the Grmament, and
there behold the moon and more stars
shining than be can number, aud all pro-
claiming the existence of a Great First
Cause. On clear day, in the Spring
time, when the trees are putting forth
their leaves and blossoms, aud the flowers
are blooming, let him ascend an eminence
where his vision can range over fertile
fields, an old forest and mountain, over
meandering river falling over precipIce,
with a city on its bank, over the ocean
far away in the ditsance-and before he
knows it, Nature is "paiuting on the ret
ina Of his eye, all the beauties Of the
earth and sky" Man is indeed "fcarfuIly
and wonderfully made" BY his reason
be can trace effects to their causes, and
causes to their effects.
BY his will he can govern himself, call
intO action his powers, and direct their
course.
BY his memory he can retain most of
his observation and experience, and thus
be governed by their valuable teachings.
| BY his hope and Imagination he is able
to endure present suffering and af!iction
by looking into happier future, and
there behOlding afar off the "Promised
! Land"
By his speech he can express his tho'ts,
his joys and his sorrows, arouse or soCthe
the human heart, speak kind words to bis
fellow men and sing praises to his Creator,
BY his conscience he is able to Judge
between right and wrong, and thereby
follow that path which will conduct him
from a state of mortality to glorious
| Immortality.
Such are some Of mans powers. But
let US ascertain how be came by these
They were not bestowed upon him by
his Greater as personal property, or real
estate is transferred by man to man. But
the receptive and erpansiUe capacity
the susceptibility of cultivation, of pro
gress and of improvement were alone
given to him, aud all subject to the laws
of his nature. In Infancy and childood
he is entirely dependent upon his friends.
But by properly exercising his physical
powers, aud mental energies he gradually
becomes developed and strengthened 10
his whole being. When We examine his
whole nature, and the immutable laws