American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-07-06

of the infinite mind. Simplicity, ele-
gance and sublimity mark its style,
and make it attractive Its precepts
are exactly adapted to you, to me,
and to all mankind. Every page Of
the Holy Book is stamped with be
nevolence toward us. Let me urge
You, then. to take the Bible and bind
it to your hearts; and, while it is
proper for you to real other suitable
books, never forget that the Bible is
the book of God, the only book which
proposes to mako you happy in this
life and happy .toreoer.
You will seek happiness in vain,
even in this life, if you disregard the
claims of the Bible. Happiness and
virtue are twins, which can never be
divided, they are born and flourish, or
sicken and die together. Some Of
you have, no doubt, read accounts OF
some of the men who seem to stand
as representatives Of all those whom
the world calls great-Alexander,
Hannibal, Caesar and Napoleon. You
might be inclined to think that these
men were happier than others because
they were elevated above them. Did
we know their private history, the
secret emotions of their breasts, and
could we read their verdict upon
human life, it would, no doubt, be a
confirmation Of what Solomon wrote
long before-"All is vanity We
greatly mistake when we associate
the thought of happiness with mere
human glory. Alexander, Hannibal,
Caesar, Napoleon, each, in turn, made
the earth tremble under their feet.
Alexander desolated cities and coun-
tries, until nearly the whole world
yielded to the power of his arms, and
ended his life in a miserable and dis
graceful debauch. Hannibal, having
put to fight the armies of the mis-
tress of the world, and made her very
foundations quake, fled, and died,
unlamented, in a foreign land, by
poison administered by his own hand.
Caesar, having conquered eight hun
dred cities, and having dyed his gar
ments in the blood of a million of his
foes, fell by the assassin's knife, in
the hands of his supposed friends.
Napoleon, whose mandates kings and
priests obeyed, filed the earth with
the terror of his name, deluged Eu-
rope with tears and blood, and sighed
out his existence in lonely exile.
Mad ambition governed these men,
and disappointment" is their upprO-
pirate epitaph.
How unlike this picture, was the
life and death of our own Christian
Observation-Disclosures and Stonewall
Jackson. Having battled nobly in
the cause of truth and justice, they
departed, as if in pleasant dream,
and their memories are embalmed in
the hearts of their grateful country
men.
And, now, addressing myself to
this attentive audience, let no trown
ever fall upon the hopes of the phi
lanthrOpist in the cause of Sunday
schools, nor chill his enthusiasm, by
a look of indifference. The united
effort of the Sunday schools is carry
ing virtue and intelligence to mil
lions of Ourrace. The tide is swelling
and widening as it advances. Like
money, it's interest is becoming COM
pound, doubles, and in the course OF
years, becomes vast national treas
ury. Give these children fortunes,
without education, and the chance is,
they will 60 down to the tomb of OBJ
liviOn, and, perhaps, to ruin. Give
them education and they will be a for
tune to themselves and to their coun-
try. 1t will be an inheritance worth
more than gold, for it will buy honor.
Give them education, and you qualify
them for honorable stations in society
and government. Give them educa-
ton, and the silver-shod horse of
despotism will not long walk over
their cOuntry'S ruins.
One word, in conclusion, to the
teachers of this Sunday school. Go
on, teachers, yours is q noble enter
prise, a glorious mission. l can i'm
agine none more so. You have in
your keeping the destiny, to some
extent, not of these children only,
but, it may be, of thousands, yea,
millions of others unborn. The in
t1uence you exert upon the minds of
these children, must, by an invaria-
bic law of progression, widen, and
widen, and widen-until the last dis
solving scene of earth'S drama shall
announce the knell of time; nor will
the influence cease with time; but
eternity must reveal the balance.
How great, then, is your responsible
ity, and how strong the motives to
urge you forward in this glorious
work. Yes, albeit, you may never
hear the trump of fame sounding
your name-you may not hope that
monumental marble or brass will
commemorate your deeds; you will
have the richer reward of the CRATE
full remembrance of these children,
and your last dying moments will be
cheered with the consciousness of
having done your duty to God and
man.