Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-01

enemies cruel. 1t sowed discord upon the
winds like dragons teeth, and this beauti-
ful world, musical with cong and adorned
with flowers, it made battle field and a
graveyard. 1t stood between us and Heaven
and cast ceaseless shadow upon the soul.
1t found the human heart an Eden and
made it miniature of hell. The Chimes IT
had caused, called upon each one 10
condemn it, if they did moi, it would
condemn them, and time and eter-
nifty would lie the executors If the
judgment. He then spoke OF the temp
tations TO vice, and told the children they
would not find the world, when they came
to contend with il, as they found it now,
and as the JOY and hope of youth pictured
it 10 them, quiet sea whose every dimp
ling wave was smile of innocence, or a
carress of love. He spoke OF the great
power of temptation and of the pleasing
shapes it could assume, and illustrated 1t
by historical and classical illusions.
He then spoke of the importance Of ca
tabishing a rule for the guidance of life.
He recommended what Sallust said of Ca
lo-that he choose noble aim, rather imi'
tated than envied what was excellent, con-
tended in bravery with the brave, in mod
esty with the modest, and in interity with
the upright, and was more DESTROYS to be
vituous than seem so, but as convenient
rule he recommended "Ghis above all, TO
thine OWn SELF be true. Be so true to your
self that knowing every thought, motive,
and action, you cannot accuse yourself OF
anything that is wrong" This rule he
thought also included ones duty in actively
pursuing noble aims. In vlrtuous at
tempt you would always have the best part
of success. Suppose you risk your life
to save your friend and fail, You have at
tempted to do what was right and in that
far you have succeeded, God alone could
dispose the practical result Of your effort
If disappointed in the result ola virtuous
undertaking, YOU would be sustained un-
der the misfortune by the pleasure attached
to the testimony Of good conscience. He
spoke of how sweet and pleasant virtue
was of itself, Of the happiness and the ele-
walton of spirit in the magnanimity OF
honor, and said that virtue was the mystic
harp where all the toll and SORROW, glad
ness and grief of life were lost in music.
Men were respected alone for virtue; if
they had nothing but vices to recommend
them, they would be efectualIy banished
from the society, the sympathy and conso-
lation of mankind, and would stand alone
in social desert. 1t was through virtue
that we realized friendship, love, religion
and all that was honorable in life. Through
il we communicated with all that was
grand in the universe. 1t was the con-
Meeting link between man and God. Vir-
tue and good deeds was the ladder from
earth to Heaven, and we might kneel at its
feet, and like Jacob, listen 10 the ascend
ing and descending footballs of angels. He
said that everybody sympathized with the
author Of virtuous action, wished him
well. wished to see him succeed. When the
action wac sublime, sympathy rose to en-
thusiasm, and we regarded the man
who performed it as an hero. This enthu-
| siasm is the homage which humanity paws
TO great virtue. This is all the secret of
greatness. 1t will be easy for each of YOU
| to be a great man and an hero by con-
stantly pursuing virtue, but you must make
| it the habit of your lives. The spire that
almost touches the stars does not rise $50
lated from the ground, but begeath it and
| supporting it is the vast cathedral of stone,
SO, by constantly pursuing virtue, you will
make no mistakes. You can rely with coz
| 6dence upon all that you do. Your ac-
tions will sustain you and lift you up above
the murky fogs of vice which hang about
the beaten tracks of life. You will grow
in virtue 10 the strength and dignity of
! manhood, and have the willingness and
ability TO perform those great actions
! which will make you an hero. So pre-
pared for the battle of life, you are masters
of your destiny; go forth in your power
and subdue and posses the earth.
He then asked what acceptable words of
encouragement he could offer to the young
ladies to induce them to strive TO be noble.
He said they did not need much encour-
! agement, for they would be noble any way.
| He would not cite examples of virtue from
| history worthy of their imitation, but re-
| ferred them to the many to be found
! about their own homes. Their noble
| characters might not be so we'll known
to the world, but he would remind them
that the beautiful river il mot omplishing
! its,design only when roaring over 4 cataract,
but rather when making the meadows
green and happy, and the flowers bloom, "a
it wandered through the quiet valley; that
they could easily find about them those
who were altogether worthy Of imitation.
Their rewards were in the blessings which
| follow those who do good, and the position
and the power which they held within the
sacred home, where they were ershrined
the divinities of the place. He compared
the labor Of life to the building of tenn
pie, and said it could not be completed
without woman's aid Mans part of the
work was TO furnish power, to dig cut
materials and lift them to their places;
woman's part was to do the finer work, 70
polish away the roughness, 10 flute the col
umns, pat on the C)rinthian capitals, make
the work glow with beauty aud crown the
whole with the spire that points 10 heaven.
That woman's influence was an influence
Of spirit; the virtue she had herself and
| encouraged in others gave her posi-
ton and power; virtue was her throne,
and when she took her place upon ie none
would dispute her sway; vice was her en-
envy, and in her contests with it the glories
of her victories would not be in the num-
Der slain, but in the number sqred that
virtue was Gods fayorite, and that He had
sent woman on earth to be its guardian
angel, TO take care of it and cherish it.
After a few concluding remark, he
closed by repeating the closing lines of
| Thauatopsis