The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-23

aud decline to grd ShemselYes no with mel
lectual and moral strength for their duty, and
the deed Is done-the great Interests of humanity
are betrayed-the rising sun OF the worlds hope
sets at midday and in thick darkness-cotrup'
ton, p1ofllga3y, and incompetence will swarm
into the high places OF the land, and the srong-
holds OF virtue, liberty, and religion will soou
be undermined and give way before reign of
darkness and of terror combined, such as the
world has never yet known, aud which Heaven
grant 1t never may knowl For Caunot believe
the young men OF this day Will be untrue
to their trust or that they will ignore the tact
that all the great interests of Christian cIvilza.
tion are locking TO the intellectual and moral
qualifications of the ptesent generation OF young
men as to their sole resource and only hope,
under GOO.
IL. But | have spoke of David as look
ing upon his youthful son not only
as one upon whom great responsibilities de.
Yolvcd, but one also IN whom great expectations
centred and before whom sublime opportunities
opened. solomon came forth into public life
at remarkable epoch IN JeHisu hlstory-the
most splendid facilities surrounded him, the
mo magnificent opportunities were before
him. Great wolks which his father hai
planned and puryO =, but which he bad not
been permitted to eSecpie, were reserved for
his son and successor. With the experience and
counsels Of this sreai father to beg II with, with
ihe riches and resources OF great county ut
his command, with he coG idence, affection,
and expectations OF a great people cen,rIug ia
him, with the promises and prophecies o! Tei
giou itself clustering around him, aud with rich
personal endowmeuts within hun, surely solo
mons opporiJulty was rare and splendid one
Surely, there vas every motive tlat could stir
young mans soul TO induce him TO be strong,
and show hluseIi every inch a man!
Need tell you, my Young brethren, that expect
atlUns lar greater ClUster around you, and oppor-
tunities infinitely more magnident open before
you? You Come forward IN one of the most re-
matkable eJOChs IN the worlds history. No
other century Of time, snce the world was
framed by the word OF God, has sWelled with
such marvellous deeds, such stupendou5
changes, such vast reaches of discovery, such
pulnTppn1ent thrypl N
intellect aud feeling IN q word, such improve
mCnt and sucn progress, as that century whose
closing half we are jlst fairly entered upon.
Two of the mlghuc.5 physical agents in the
unlverse-steam and electricIty--haVe just been
brought under Grman control, aud har-
messed to the service Of man. By the one our
srel 9Th for physical eXertiOn has been multi
Piled to the strength Ct hundreds of horses, aud
our speed over land aud sea made equal to the
flight OF the eagle. By the other, thought
making the atleuuWed wire its pathway and
the lightning OF heaven its chariot has
practically aunihi!a'ct space. The uttermost
paris OF the earth are brought within speaking
distance. At an early hour of the same morn
ing the earthquake wave was rolling beneath
the city OF Sau francisco, and sending its star
tied citizens into the streets, saw the citizens OF
Philadelphia reading the particulars from the
bulletin board Of the daily press. The he vs..
paper we take with our breakfast gives US the
news from New York, aud London, and Paris,
and San Francisco the previous day. One can
not look through even the briet years of his
own observation, aud then around upon the
present, without being filled with wonder aud
awed at the graLdpHr Of the scale on which
history has been gGcumulating her stores, aud
the magnfcence wan which science has uu-
folded her resources, Surely it IS no extrava-
gance to say that never did q generation OF
young men enter UPON their career with
advantages 90 great. ith pros poets so glorious.
The light OF all past experience shines upon
their path: the new and wonderful agencies of
the present, like ready servitors smlliagly wait
their approach, while The unsdllled pages OF
future history wau TO enrol their names and
their manly achievements Something mas been
done by your fathers, bat more, far more, is
expected, aud most reasonably expected, OF you,
the sons. Young meu, shall Chese expectations
be doomed to disappointment? for one cannot
believe it,
No, l cannot believe thatthese young souls,
full of generous and noble impulses, eau for q
moment think of what this heritage OF light and
liberty and true religion has cOSt-What ages of
labor and sacrifice, what fiery furnaces of
hardship and suffering these precious things
that cOnsti tute our present inheritance have
come forth from, wit hOut feeling their cheeks
burn with shame at the thought OF trans mltting
such an inheritance eufeebied and dIl4pldated
to the generation that shall succeed them! No
(methlnks | hear your hearts respond), no!
this must not this shat noU be! But, my young
brethren, TO keep things at their present atus
is not enough; while il would be treason against
God and humauity TO do less, it would be in-
glorious not 10 do more. 1t was the,glJry OF our
fathers that they iC- proved on the past--that
they greatly enriched and beautided the inheII-
tauCe tnat was bcQueathed to them, and il will
be the undyinC repro9ch OF their successors if
this full tide OF splendid and glorious progress
shall be checked Oh their accession to power and
responsibility.
They enter upon their career not only With
peculiar advantages, and stimulated by the
thought OF the great expectations that accom-
pany them, but grand and peculiar opportuni-
ties for sublime achievement are before then.
Il has been well agd truly said that this pas
sing will ever be recognized In history as
On age Of noble conceptions" Yes, like King
David it has planned and prepared for thou
sand Godlike enterprises which it has not been
permitted to fully execute. 1t has propagated
sublime schemes, bat 10 its successors is the
glory mainly left to realize them in sublime
of progress. An age Of discovery leading iu an
age OF performance. First the great iiea., then
their application to life. This Christian age is
well tuInished with idea9. 1t has schemes on
hand broad enough, varied enough, noble
enough, If successfully carried out, to usher
in mienial glory. The time mas come, not
so much for Ideas as deeds; not so much for
words rs Tor actions. In word, what the age
most wants now Is men. Men 10
to carry out its noble schemes Yes, this age is
to-day reeling and staggering under the noble
burdens it has assumed, and what II most wants
to-day is men OF sineW and soul TO put their
shoulders to the work and help to bear 1t on TO
glorious success. You doubtless remember,
young men, during the carly part of our recent
national struggle, how the recruiting officers
everywhere posted up their bulls, capped With
flaming capitals and hankcd with notes of
exclamation, headed. "Men wanted ~ and then
followed the qualities demanded, the services
required, and the rewards offered. Oh, it seems
to ne If we were to look with anything like u
spiritual glance around US we should see posters
on all The grand and noble enterprises OF the
day and the age. with similar heading, VIZ,
Men wanted; sound-bodled, lar2e.hearted,
clear. headed nCblespirited, thoroughly
equipped men wanted The noblest employ
ont nTnH Hn- ,.a.