The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-04-05
For The Jcfersonian,
Mr. WHACKHAMMER'S LECTURES.
NO. XIV.
THE FINALE.

For US to trace the line, invisible,
Which, zigzag runs, between the good ant
bad.
Poor, finite judgment, erring in the start,
Errs every step when it attempts work
Which but the Infinite Supreme can do.
1t is enough to know that zoe are right
II is not required to know another's wrong
"Judge not" are earnest words of Holy
Writ,
And this command should bride every tongue
Deep in the heart, all hid, the motiue lies
And man can read it there but for himself
DEAR HEARERS The lecture season
Is oyer-with the rigors of another win
ter-and the genial sunshine of an open
ing Spring invites to out door employ
ments and enjoyments. I have talked to
you from December to April, aud | hope
have not talked altogether in vain. My
remarks have been off handed and plain,
and given with view to DO good. The
motive was right, however [ may have
erred in Judgment. [ have aimed at the
truth and | leave it with you to say if
have failed. | think there are many
plain fallacies which, as intelligent, think
ing, free moral agents, it would be we'll
for US all to look and amend. The most
important Of these, which relate more es-
pecially to our ell-being in this life, l
have tried to point out. If we pride our
selves on our superiority over the brute
creation, we certainly should use our
powers in the right direction, and seek,
by our own improvement, higher ele-
walton. Nature has done her part and
given US the power and means to do ours.
If we have not the aspiring purpose to be
indeed, "the noblest work of God" we
are unworthy the faculties that are able
to bear US up to such height.
There is, in fact, too much of the su-
perfcial and too little Of the real in most
Of US who pilgrimage on earth. Real facts,
solemn truths, are not pleasant to man
kind, in general, until they feel the pre-
cipice of death is just step before
them. Surely we are faliible beings,
but we are fallible because we do not
ponder our footsteps. We rush on fol
lowing all sorts Of false -aIIuring tights,
restless always, contented never. With
all the promises of the Bible that the
righteous shall lack no good thing in this
life, there is distrust even of Heaven
and We choose our own wisdom rather
han Gods way and his unerring wisdom.
Life is hustle and confusion where
each is grasping after phantoms that van
sh with possession and without. The
world is the master as well as the moth
n Of US all. We are ruled by the world,
)ut we want to be thus ruled. Fashion,
vanity, thoughtlessness characterize us
md yet we boast Of our capabilities and
'ur superiority What inconsistency !
Must man immortal man, created in the
mage of Him who spake and it was done
,ut duped and misled by the nothingness
# an iignis fatuus! Must man, the on
Y creature made to walk the earth erect,
Sith all things put under him." must
le look dorm when it is his privilege to
ook up! Such STOPPING will not con
Iuor but lose reward. 1t is a sad fact
hat our aspirations are so low, SO narrow,
10 dead! Life is short and there is much
% do, but short as it is, and busy as we
ire, the better treasure is wholly neglec
ed, or but indiderently attended to. In
spite of professions it is almost entirely u
secondary matter! AS a consequence We
may we'll expect wars and plaques and
judgments. We merit these rather than
blessings. The greatest wonder is that
mercy bestows so much upon us as what
we do enjoy. We have sorely felt the
,hastening of war and we have confessed
he judgment merited. Have we improv-
I'd the chastisement Do not the threat
sned cattle plague and the cholera hint
hat we have not? Must it be repeated
n these And how many times must
these sad things be thrown upon us to
learn us wisdom and make US faithful to
our convictions Of duty
But, as / said, this closes my course of
Lectures for the season. There are ma
ny things | might continue to talk about
but we will now get out of doors and be COM
Portable without house and anthracite.
The birds are with us already. The balmy
southern air is waking vegetation. The
fields, the woods-all nature is waking again
from it's dormant slumber to life beauty