Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-01-10

Ohio, Dec. 27, 1865, By Rev. C. S. Abbott
1t is said of an ancient philosopher
who was overjoyed at the discoveries he
had made respecting the lever, that or
one occasion he remarked if he had
something outside of the world for a full
crum, he could move the world from Its
place. He felt that by this arrangement.
he co uld bring sufficient power from him
self to thus start the world from its prop
er position. Whether or not he could
have succeeded in his attempt, is not ma
terial to inquire into-I am perfectly sat
isied that no philosopher should have
the opportunity to try. l, for one, am
well content to dispense with all expert
ments of this nature so long as l am in
it do not care for the world to be dis
turbed in an unnatural way. But this
story is suggestive of other thoughts, and
while not caring to move the world out
of its place, we may well reflect on that
which keeps the it moving in its
place. This brings me to the announce
ment of the subject on which l desire to
speak at this time. 1t is Power, or more
proper, the Power of Society.
am well aware that instead of being
novel or an obscure theme, it is a very old
and plain and commonplace subject. 1t
may not be such a one as you expected
from me on the present occasion, never
theless it is of practical use, and before q
body which l conceive to be somewhat of
power in the moral world, it strikes me
as being highly appropriate. If then you
have been expecting an epitome of ma
sonic history, an account of those who
have been shining lights in masonic biog-
raphy, or that language of praise which
is Justly due our order, or a de-
fence of our principles, l can only
express my regret at your disappointment
and hope that it may not prove so great
but that something of interest may be
picked up by you, and something useful
be carried away with you.
In an address of this kind considerable
latitude is generally allowed the speaker,
and, although he is not permitted to wan
der so far from the road as to lose sight
of it altogether, he is allowed the privi-
lege to stray off on one side or the other,
to pick up what he may find profitable
to his general design. At the start,
therefore, should, perhaps, say that my
purpose is to adopt somewhat the plan of
the preacher who said he would divide
his discourse into three partsi: first, he
proposed to speak of IT,; second, at t.; and
thirdly, he proposed to scatter. l do not
know but that you will find the scatter
ing division by far the largest in what 1
have to say.
In loose sense, power may be defined
briefly as the principle by which any ef-
feet is occasioned. 1t belongs to both
the physical and moral worlds, and in
either is that element by which anything
is influenced. 1t is not restricted to mo-
ton, but it concerns rest as well; there
is as great an exhibition of power in the
stoppage of a piece of machinery as there
is in its activity. In some way or other,
too, this principle may be considered as
entering into everything with which we
are acquainted, either as being in itself a
power, or as being capable of such a use
that through other agencies it may be-
come so.
1t resides in God, and it is communica-
ted from God to man, and in man it be-
comes the cause of whatever greatness
he attains, and of whatever result he
brings about. 1t is not confined to what
in the moral world is good, and what in
the physical world is US -ful and profta-
bic, on the contrary, it may effect much NOR
al evil, and the natural world is full of the
evidences of its destructiVeness. The mis-
chief occssioned by the bursting of a
steam boiler is as truly display of the
power of steam as is seen in the harmo
niouS movement of large and complica-
ted piece of machinery. There is power
in a rebellion which seeks the overthrow
of lawful authority, as well as in the gov
ernment which is able to put down rebel
lion. The devil shows power in endeaY-
oring to thwart the will of God, and
bring ruin to our race, as well as God in
overcoming the power of sin, and saving
man through a crucified Redeemer. In
rejecting on those several forces whereby
the world is kept moving in its place
those influences which tend to produce
evil in some shape or other, and those
influences which come in as counterac-
tors of evil, and those which appear as
positive agents for good, they divide
themselves naturally into physical and
moral, understanding by the latter the
exercise of the mental powers, as well as
of that moral sense whereby we are
prompted to the relief of the poor,
blind, naked and destitute of the world,
to circumscribe our passions, and to
square our lives according to the rule Of
God, and of that whereby evil is wrought. !
You thus observe that this subject op-
ems up to US a very wide range for
thought; it brings US into an almost |
boundless plain, and bids US run hither
and thither as inclination prompts. 1t |
is q theme which takes us into the work |
shop where the mechanic plies his trade;