Des Arc citizen., 1866-06-30
TIE EETI9E,

considering our late gloomy prospects.
 THE FUTURE.
 What an expressive terra? how moment ous the realities 1t involves with what interest do we look out for coming events {? Tie past is known, the present is being realized but who can fathom the great future? Prophets could only reveal the things uniolded to their raptured visions like the bright track of some flashing comet through space, their revelations reaches beyond the ken of mortal vision or finite comprehension Hope sometimes ventures forth on the trembling wings of imagination, till lost in the bounaless ocean of futurity, it poisos itself in the dreamy realms of fancy and ideality for 3 moment and then like Noahs dove, re- turns to the ark of safety. But oh! what would we give to have unfolded to us the things held in mute reservation in tie womb of fltarity? John, on the isle of Patmos, desired and louged to know the things pent up and sealed in the book of seven seals, the breaking of which seals. the Lamb alone prevailed to unfold or un- derstand.
 In childhood and youth we sighed for manhood and maturity, now we look for ward to coming events with restless anxie- ty, never satisfied with the present; impa- tent, toiling, anxious creatures we, ever straning our visions to penetrate the i'm penetrabe future. Sufficient unto the day are the ills thereof" falls upon our leadcn ears like the dew on the oceans wave, lost and forgotten. Such is the hot and hurried career of man strange para dox philosopher and fool But have we any consolation, any assurance that our efforts and labors will conduce to good Aecordingas as you SOW, so shall yoa reap" If you SOW to the wind you shall reap the whirlwind; if you build upon rock your structure shall endure. Then 1t seems we caa in part shape our destiny by laying down such premises az will predispose cer- tain results, we can avoid many of the ills of life by timely establishing such antece- dents as will induce favorable eonsequeats. 
 This brings us to the physical proposition Of cause and -antecedent and conse- quent. h other words, man is a free agent and not necessarily doomed to pleasure or pain, independent of his own action or volition. We speak in reference to temporal affairs, things of everyday oc- currence, social relations, ordinary pur- suits. Again we assume that with timely exertion, and judicious plans and reasona- ble expenditure of means and labor, we may safely calculate on the results of the ordinary amount of loss and gain in every enterprise in which we may embark To illustrate: Suppose we engage in an en- terprise of internal improvement in the way of a railroad from Des Arc to Dardan- elle and Fort Smith, the result will cor respond strictly to the amount of labor and means expended in the construction of said road; and those having the means to assist and deliberately refusing to assist in the movement now being made, will have to be included iii tue codicil and not in the will--if included at all Are there any such men in and around Des Are? if so, such can answer what is to be their fu- ture. The history of every great enter prise has encountered obstacles and diff culties. Even the inventors and discov- erois of all ages have been persecuted or maltreated Calico, Kepler, Newton, Harvey, Columbus and Fulton, each in his day experienced the barbed shafts of ma lignaut prejudice and ignorance; but for tunately for them and the world, each lived to realize and enjoy the triumphs of genius, skill and perseverance, over the fierce mutterings of superstition, prejudice and ignorance. Notwithstanding it was their lot to suffer reproach, contumely and imprisonment, still they lived to enjoy bright and glorious future, and finally closed their brilliant career with the con soiing reflection that they had been the benefactors of their race. To such men the future is always glorious Then let us hs encouraged hy such worthy examples