Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-12-01

uldtt ana TASK Ine pO"oAo vi Oh0 III
telIec> in its attainment. Individual
truths lie imbedded here and there,
like thebones of the fossil deep down
in the sthta of the earth. By effort,
by comparison, they are seen to come
together, bpne to its fellow bone,
till at length the mammoth frame of a
complete system stands before us. We
find in the Bible complete systems of
theology, government, and practical
ethics, just as we find the system OF
astronomy in the heavens, or that OF
geology in the earth. We have only
to find the true key or center and all
the orbs and strata take their proper
places around it. And these efforts
of thought, these very struggles of
mind, CqufofuU IUI UlIO uuuUI oUduuIuS
and adjustments of these truths, are
of more value than its efforts in any
other direction. KnOwIedge is com
municated, and the highest kind of
knowledge. The mind eagerly grasps
it, because it was made for it, and in
grasping reaches, rises, upwards as
if impelled by irresistible power
Truth, too, in the Bible, absolute and
eternal truth, is placed at the founda-
tion. 1t underlies everything. And
here is met an essential demand Of
the mind. 1t is truth as distinguish
ed from both faIsehood and error
the essential truth of God coming
forth from his own eternity, and car
ried out into all departments of men
tai desire and research. We follow
no uncertain vagaries. We reachIafter
no vain phantoms. We are not led
away and bewiIdered and discouraged
and disappointed, by misconception,
doubt and conjecture.
We adopt no conviction on the
ground of any blind and transient i'm
pulse. But we have a reason for the
hope that is in US. Truth is magni-
fed and real knowledge therefore is
increased. The light is clear and
steady, and constant. We plant our
feet upon an immovable rock, and de-
fy the destructive tempests of uncer
tainty and disbelief.
Thus the Bible, by presenting un-
doubted truth through forms a d
channels adapted to the mind, tends
to emancipate 1t from the cOrruptions,
grossness, sensuoIity and lolo oices ochich
check its gro,obh. The fierce demands
of a vicious body are controlled; the
yoke of ignorance and the fetters of
superstition are broken; and the tenn
perance and sobrieJy of life inculcat-
ed promote the full expansion and
power of mind. Freedom Of opinion,
liberty of individual thought, ncceS-
sarily follow in the train: for the
truth is at once recognized as the priv
ilego and the undeniable right of ev-
cry human soul. 1t units a man for
becoming either the dupe or the tool
Of despots and designing men. Thus
the Bible is adapted, both in matter
and manners, both in what it is, and
the way 1t comes, to be the moulding
and directing power Of all intellectual
movement in this world.
1t contained the very seed and germ
OF all human progress. And our
view of this adaptation is strengthen.
ed as we read the records of hist07y
We find there that what the word of
God has actually done among men
thus far in this direction is an addi
tional argument for its adaptation tC
the same and greater results hereaf
ter.
In this field we find facts which
overwhelm us. The Bible contains
thought which, barely on account of
its antiquity, and its appeal to mems
love for the ancient and long lived
has been a growing power in the
worlds enlightenment all through the
ages. Here is the earliest record of
our race in a written form, the only
authentic history of the world before
the food fact, to blot out which the
infidel science and Socialism of Europe
might well toll for centuries. Here
is Hebrew poetry in its golden age {
thousand years before the birth of
Horace, and reaching back even tt
the antediluvian infancy of the race
biography, also, stranger than fiction
fifteen hundred years older than the
earliest romance written Of Europe
and the prophesies, literature with
out parallel, marvellous and faith
Omless, compendium of the world
future, unexhausted by the wisdom o
twenty centuries, all of which was an
terror to the Augustan age of Rome
hints also of astronomy, geography
cosmology, medicine, music, husband
ry, military science, and modes of trav
ell, four thousand years ago. How
have such facts as these. roots ant
tibres as it were, running into the un
derground of other ages, wrought al
along in history, amidst the rush an(
wreck of other things, to hold human
ity to something substantial and sure
Here has been an anchorage, say wha
you will, which has saved the worlG
for future epoch. 1t has been fel
as one of the powers of control OF
earth. like gravitation, to hold th'
world in it's orbit through the evolu
ton ofits destiny. Then, too, take
another aspect. Look at the amour
Of uninspired literature springing di
rectly from the Bible. "No other vol
ume has contributed so much to thu
great organic forms of thought" Th'
thinkers of the world, either as friend
| or foes have ALWAYS been attracted