The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-12-21

ORIGINAL ESSAY.
BY HARRY MoRELAND.

be considered true. On all sides, the
world presents one vast scene of inces-
SAINT mutation. The myriad forms of
animal life spring forth into being, en-
joy an ephemeral existence, perish and
pass away. One generation of men
pursuesanother to thegrave and the IA
ther descendsto the tomb that his place
may be filed by one who was but a
short time before. an infant prattIing
on hisknee. The breath of the Destroy
er, Time, blows upon the monuments
of human power and skill, and they
crumbleintodust. Seas are now sweep
ing where once stood populous cities;
and some lone column is all that marks
where the prince of the earth had
reared their stateliest palaces. EN-
pires have risen and grown until ma
tions quailed before them, when they
were suddenly swept away by some
newer power. Dynasties have fallen,
customs have become obsolete, laws
have persisted, even religions have van
ished like "a tale that's told" Every
where we behold the same wild career
of change, Of mingled dissolution ana
reproduction, of vigor and decay. Ev
erything we see is fastening to its de
struction, that new forms may arise up
on its ruins, and run the same rapid
course toward the goal of death. Is all
this, then, indeed, nothing but chaos ?
Is it no more than a lawless tumult of
conflicting principles, without object or
system? Does it tend to no results :?
Must the humanrace, Ikea blind mill
horse, travel forever the same unvary-
ing ground, grinding out, hOpelessIy,
the self-salne evil products? Far from it.
Where our imperfect vision can see but
wild confusion, there exists harmoni-
Gus order. Where we can see no plan,
every element fulfls the mission as
signed it by Omniscience. Look out
upon the hosts of shining worlds that
crowd the arch of heaven. The mind
is bewildered, lost, in contemplation Of
the countless throng, andall seem scat
tered there by the wiIdness Of acci-
dent, and yet each rolls swiftly and
surely on its predestined circle, depart
ingno iota fromit, in discourse throagh
infnity and eternity.
So it is with the history Of mankind.
Through all its strange vicissitudeS
the rejecting mind can observe the OPP
Grafton of one mighty principle lead
ing on to the accomplishment of as
mighty purposes. On all is written
the great law of Progress. This is, in
deed, the distinguishing mark Of our
species, obviously dividing it from the
beasts that perish. One after another,
the generations may pass from the
stage of action in solemn array, going
down to the dead. Empires may sink
into ruins, and whole nations be swept
from the face Of the earth as by the
breath of the pestilence, but the course
of the whole race is still onward. Sci
ence goes calmly on, adding little by
little to its ever accumulating store,
and evolving one important principle
after another, while philosophy, from
time to time, throws some new ray Of
light upon the mysteries Of the uni
verse.
The first idea comprised in the word
civilization is the notion of progress or
development. 1t awakens the idea of
a people advancing, of people in
course Of Improvement and ameliora-
.tion. Besides the progress and ameli-
Grafton Of social life, another develop
ment is comprised in our notion of civ
ilization, the development of individ-
ual life, the development of the hu-
man mind and its faculties, the devel-
opment of man himself.
Itinclude5 two elements; the first of
these is the development of the facul-
ties and powersof the individual. The
breast of the savage is a sealed casket
of precious jewels. Although endow-
ed with capabilities for all that is great
and good, he has noopportunity Of dis
playing them, and is unconscious of
their existence. They lie smothered
and buried beneath a mass of low cares,
sordid appetites and stormy passions.
Now, in the progress of civilization
these faculties will be developed by ex-
ercise and discipline. No one will at
tempt to deny that the man of today