The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-05-02


For the Lancaster Gazette.
Doctor Child, who is an Amcri-
can writer Of a high order Of abili-
ty, teaches that all the wretched-
ness and woe Of the world, as al
so all vice and crime, even murder
itself, are but SO many methods Of
the suprcmesuperintending intelli.
gence to work out ultimate good.
And, thus. following his line of
thought, the argument would run,
the sweetest and most beautiful
flowers come up through the mud
and slime Of earth; the loathsome
and repulsiye worm crops out into
the lovely butterfly, &c. If this
method Of reasoning is legitimate
10 correct premises. then, applying
it morally, the most abandoned
misery and mental depravity should
yield highest felicity and purest
spiritual life, as an unfailing rule;
while the most degrading vices
and frigbtful crimes would as in
evitably bring, at last, the most
exalted and refined states of So
ciety, socially, morally and reIig-
iously.
Doctor Child may be right, or,
he may be wrong. If he is right,
he stands in advance Of the gen.
eral age. His, however, is not the
first mind that has conceived the
thought that, "whdterer is is right"
nor does he stand alone now. He
has many contemporaries. With
my education, ! have to confess
that can see nothing but fatalism
in the doctrine-blind fatalism,
with nothing for me to do but TO
wait for the issues of conditions
which, if am thus circumstanced,
/ can neither control nor change.
But experience has made me eau
tious. / DO not condemn where /
do not understand; and thus l
would teach. 1t is our preroga-
tive to disapprove, and to dissent;
but courtesy is due to the opinions
of all. To attempt to sweep away
propositions, or opinions, by stern,
positive denunciations, is to as.
sumo that one has reached the
acme of knowledge; that what be
assumes to know, is eternal truth;
that the principles he processes
are never TO be superseded. Such
a position is unenviable, because
it is manifestly an open profession
of darkened mind-of inter ig.
norance. The beginning of wisdom
is the perception of our own igno-
rance. When men are willing to
confess their ignorance, they are
ready to begin to learn and not be-
fore.
Each ones religion and political
views should remain unassailed;
they are inherent and inalieDable
personal rights. We all owe the
government, and society, their le.
gitimate requirements. When we
have complied with these demands,
we are individual sovereigns.
The problem of life is TO be
worked out to the end; but how ?
that it is which concerns us. Are
we antomatons? machines? work
ing as we are worked upon? If SO,
we have nothing to do. We don't
accept the proposition; at least We
will not accept it now; because ev-
erything that concerns our present,
or prospective future, seems TO call
upon us TO be busy; to make the
most of lie. We speak of free
WILL Of volition. We think we in
tend 10 do as it pleases us to do.
Can wei Do we? We follow mo-
tives; and ] am sure that we never
act without q motive. But then
what are motives? how inspired?
whence come they? A motive
points to an end. Are the ends
sought centered in ourselvesI or do
they propose the public good; the
good of others? These are sub
jects for thought.
Ignoring, then, for the purpose
before US, the doctrine that what
ever is is right, VIC propose TO con.
template the objects, aims and ends
Of life. Practical thoughts, facts
only, claim our attention. Life is
not ideal; it is to us real; at least,
to be rational, we must so conceive
it. Shall we instruct only those
who are setting out on their mum
dane career? That should be our
special task, but there are many
young heads on very old shoulders;
even grey hairs grow above mex
perienced brains. At whatever
stage of the way between the era
die and the goal of threescore and
ten, our tents are for the present
pitched, we must assert ourselves;
individualize ourselves. We must
be ourselves, and no body else.-
Character is purely individual,
And now, kind reader, as we
commune together, hereafter, let us
see what the world has for us TO do
by which we can be of some use
to ourselves and the world. And
as VIC 60, let us do our work well,
and not be deferred because we are
afraid we shall not please some
body. DELTA.
We find the followin going the
rounds:
A young Ohio soldier, nowliv-
inO in Cleveland. was wounded and