Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-04-23
The Better Country.

various countries on the globe are brought
into communication and comparison, so
as to be virtually neighLors however dis
tant. The civilized part Of mankind are
in motion and interchange as never be- |
tore, coming and going with a'freedom
once impossible. Hence the advantages
and the deficiencies of every land are
the better understood, and ways are
opened for improvement. Our people
partake perhaps more thar any other of
this activity. Going abroad with every
wind, if restless and ambitious, they at
tach themselves TO all countries, holding
loosely by their own or, if sound in
mind and heart, they the more prize
their own, finding some other country
older, it may be richer, more luxurious,
more learned than theirs, but not on the
whole better country. They tell us
of that which is to ours a fatherland,
with its accumulated wealth, venerable
institutions aud traditions, and robust
civilization of the nelghboring rival
empire, and its science, refinement, and
luxury of Germany, its castles and
scenery, its lore and romance; of Italy,
its sunny cline and historic legends
and monuments, and modern art of
Egypt, and its hoary antiquities and
picturesque populations aud OF the
Holy Land, stored with sacred memories,
set apart 10y the footprints of the Divini-
ty, yet desecrated by ignorance, barbar-
ism, and imposture. From each of these,
and from every star country" there comes
to us mixed tidings. We can see mucL
compensation as between one and an
| loth har ~, fl,,, hi, E,,A
to covet any in exchange tor this which
we call our home, while this too has
wants aud evils which compel us to own
there might be better. In those that
seem to be most favored, over against
some blessing. from God is some curse
from man; with the benefcence of nature
there is the degradation of soci,ty; re-
finement degenerates into tffeminacy.
stable government into oppression, and
liberty into disorder; side by side are
splendid wealth and squalid poverty, the
elevation of the few, and the prostration
; of the many; old institutions are welded
to old abuses, and multiplied and impos-
ing religions observances TO the grossest
superstitions. The most desirable facili-
ties seem 10 bring with them their own
, perils. In various ways, what is want
ing in one thing is so far made up in
some other, that the existing diversity
among the nations does not measure
|. their substantial inequality. Nowhere
on the earth do we find the presence of
all good things without any evil things,
nor of all evil without any good; and
: this we are ready enough to admit of our
country when we call it better than all
we have named. 1t contents us, if at all,
, \only on comparison with other parts OF
the name world.
Now all such comparisons ought to
: lift every thoughtful mind to higher and
, more satisfactory contemplations. 1t
' would be well for us, as growing habit
, and the wonder is, we are not all irresisti
: bly, tempted, if only for our relief, to
, overleap all these limits, and think and
> speak often, not OF this or that eligible
:, region on the earth, but of ga better
: country, that is, an hedcenty."
!, - The word country, in this familiar
= Scripture, is brrowed, as being under
. Staad, from foregoing use, where th'
k properly signifies fatherland, ma
country, or home. The writer say
the patriarchs whom he comlnemo
u; leaving tHen ONu lduu, aH'
ing that which God had promised
!. aith, as 'strangcrs and pilgrims OIL
arth," sought indeed fatherland O
e, but better than that which they
l. known; and then, to show that thi
+ 4 ! & not the land of Canaan; the litera
ect of the Divine promise TO Abra
he adds, ''That is, an heavenly" Ii.
uch, therefore, it was better, NOR
able than any country on earth.
he description is generally under
Gh of the future condition of God
Il children. More particularly it is thei
:, final abode, after the resurrection, upo
~ Christ's second coming, the "place
&c ''f which he told his disciples he went st
" prepare" for them, and which evidentl
they were to enjoy when he should "com
again and receive them TO himself" to
the sacred writer seems to have in vie'
= a condition to which not only the livin
h- Apostle but the deceased patriarchs ais
Us still look forward, to ancient worthie'
s,, sn as he afterwards says, having receive
!, not the promise" or all that was prom
ne ised, "God having promised some bette
ne thing for MS, that they without us shoul
;, not be made perfect" And further,
"a we adopt the view always extenslNei
y; held, which DIR. Chalmers among othel
!, has eloquently set forth, that this eartl
nc purified aud renovated at Christ's secon
no coming, will then be made the abode {
NJ his people, we understand by the bette
nu country the "new earth," of which oth'
Scriptures tell US, and which thus tran
~ formed in its condition aud use, will b.
'e- come heacenIy. Under any interpretatio
I.s the phrase denotes the future home,
les what an ancient writer calls "the bles
80 ed fatherland of the just"
SO And what theme is better fitted
na cheer believing hearts amidst priva
~ aaxieties and ills, or public agitation
'o- and calamities, even in "perilous times
lu- Let us be at home in such thoughts.
eir The "Valley of Death" in the lslaI
nd of Java, is nothing m ore than the crat
70 IL. 4 l. lNsn