The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-11-10
HENRY WARD BEEcHER-oN rHF SIT
vUAFIoN HEREAEFER.

and i think of is purely imaginary
Imagination is the pathway between
the flesh and the spirit. 1t is that
which gives to every man aspiration
Men despise it because it is not "a
measuring quality. We are taught
that it is not safe to build ON, but ]
aver that in the economy of Gods
providence, the human race has been
instructed more through its imagina-
ton than through its reason. We are
not to suppose that there is hell
literally place of fire and birthstone.
I don't believe it, and you don't be-
lieye il, and, you ought not to believe
it any more than you are to believe
that heaven is really paved with gold
ell paving stones. No one believes it {;
if they did, there would be more mis-
ers anxious for their souFs salvation.
IAmusement.J The great trouble
with symbols is that they first repre-
sent then hinder. 1t is possible for
the Bible itself to stand in the way of
understanding. 1 hold it is the duty
of the Christian to- interpret not the
letter but the spirit of revelation, and
many good people will no doubt be
shocked to hear me say that the the
ory on which the Scripture was en-
ployed to represent heaven, and then
instead of those figures, you may take
your own and make your own figures
of,heasen. Now, Mary is not men,
toned in the Apocalypse, but the Ma
ry who left you broken hearted, and
went up to heaven, you can never for
get; and then when your old father
who was prophet, priest, lover and
friend to you, disappeared from your
sight, and went to join other friends
in another land, you began to people
heaven with familiar faces, and heav-
en- begins to get full of people, and
you have of heaven a vast land inhab-
sted by departed friends.
The reason then, of the indistinct-
ness of teaching is apparent. We are
not developed. We are not prepared
to understand the things that lie be-
yond us. We see through a glass
darkly, but bye-and-bye we shall
stand face to face. For instance, the
lower classes of society--the gross,
and animal, and even vicious-cannet
understand the higher. states of soci-
ty. They cannot understand the
position OF pure, virtuous and refin-
ed family. In other words the bot
tom ofsociety cannot understand the
top; but the top can understand the
bottom, because the higher always in
cIudes in it the Development of the
lower. So we cannot interpret that
which is above although that which
is above interprets us clear down to
the bottom. If men understood the
blessedness of the state which is to
come, it might be snare. We are
here to suffer, we are here to earn, we
are here to be wrought upon. You
are seeking for yourself. You will
never find yourself this side of the
grave. Now my friends, do you
make Alright use of heavens? He who
has a true way of looking at heaven,
will be more patient, more industri-
Gus, more manlyon earth. He has no
fit heaven, whose heaven makes him
effeminate. He has struck the true
way of making heaven whose heaven
makes him strong, hopeful, sweet,
gentle, aniable and teachable in the
present life. Now may God grant
that every one of us may look not
simply at Scripture, but through
Scripture into lie itself, that we may
fashion for ourself heaven that is SO
near US that it may ever distii celes-
tial influence upon us. liiii'9a 7 tsi-
il-Gi]- L--- - ----z 80 iil > ii.
THE PREVALENCE OF FEvERs-How
~ 0OAhO- 1hEns
From all directions we receive re-
ports of the remarkable prevalence of
fevers-typhoid and intermittent, In
one small town in this State, there
were recently six interments in one
day, Of persons who had died ofty-
phoid fever. And we hear of almost
cases of fever and ague--
many of them occurring in localities
where the disease had been unknown
or infrequent, for several years past.
. The unprecedented heat of the past
summer, which reduced and exhaust
ed the systems of many people, and
the remarkable drought and decom-
position of vegetable matter which
have followed it, are esteemed; by
medical men, among the prolific
causes of the extraordinary prevalence
of these feyers. a5g 4ti.!.raz. = r
- It is well, at such1a time, to bear in
mind that much may be done to guard
against these diseases. Rooms should
be thoroughly ventilated, especially
by means of frequent fires in them,
even when the weather is not cold
enough to require a fire for the pur-
pose of warmth. a,T 9i", ''.t iaeii
= Warm underclothing should be
worn to guard against the sudden
changes OF temperature which are al
ways occurring at this season. Extra
attention should be given to diet and
exercise, Eat plenty of ripe fruit, and
avoid green fruit and wilted vegeta-
hles, a9Qw Ts fnTa.3a .yiiIei
Take particular care not to get over
fatigued, and to have plenty Of sleep.
A fow drops of carbolic acid scat
tered through the different rooms OF
the house will be an important addi-
tional safeguard. u "74
The observance of these simple pre-
cautions by our readers, is likely to
save many lives.--N. y. Ledger. Has
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