The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-05-25

u AAAs ACi CDHlc NL1t " nO hbCo thNA
own places in life, and who will rise above
the sea of passion, and stand unmoved like
Mount Atlas
When storms and tempests thunder ON his
brow,
And oceans break their pillows at his
feet
Young men are often prevailed upon by
friends to choose profession for which they
have no taste and in which their souls
never become absorbed. This is one rea-
son why so many who begin life with
loud flourish of trumpets 8 fail TO become
what they promised to be in hfe's morning
march they could have become distin-
guished had they not mistaken their call
ing.
Parents urge their SONS to become minis
tiers. lawyers or doctors, when if left to
their own choice they would become far
mers merchants. artists or mechanics. One
profession is recommended because it is con-
sidered more dignified than another. when
in reality il is not the profession which ele-
Yates the man, bat the man the profess
sion.
The noble man enobles his work, and
bears lis insignia OF royalty upon his brow
and in his heart. The humblest profession
can be made honorable by allowing men of
high worth to enter it. who have a love for
that calling; who can prepare themselves
for its leaders, and by their influence draw
it into closer fellowship with other yoca-
tions.
All pursuits were humble in their Begin
nings but when perfected great and worthy.
The little stream which flows from the
mountain side, at first reflects from its sill
very bosom only the shrubs and flowers that
grow on its banks. and perchance a loving
star, looking upon it through the opening TO
liage, from the blue immensely; but when the
little stream widens into a river and finally
swells into the deep and dark blue ocean,"
it images on its breast all the starry skies:
N no haiUbf or breadth uh NJ
ton would reach, when carried to perfec-
ton, images the whole heaven of truth with
all its stars. All true work is sacred. 1t
hath its summit in heaven"
The universe of stars sweep onward in
their separate paths. and no clash disturbs
them in their endless flight. If men
were in harmony with themselves
they too wo1ld reYOlve peacefully in their
orbits without all the Earring which so Of
ten disturbS the Intellectual worlds that
revOlve here amid the busy scenes of life.
Let every man obey the sacred prom ptings
within; select the calling he loves most, and
for which he is best fitted. He will know
then what the worlds wide harmony means;
| he will hear the streams of music borne
aloft from yonder choral spheres, feel in his
heart the measure which Eternal Nature"
keeps; and with his harp tuned to the mel
ody of heaven, and every step keeping time
to ''the song of the song of the live useful,
happy life"
The next great requisite for living a noble
life and attaining a true manhood, is the
proper development of those powers to be
chiefly employed; thorough preparation for
lite's career. "All men make up man-all
powers taken together make up the world"
they are all important, and must be deyel
oped but one man must not try to perfect
them all. The greatest men of all times
were but limited; only certain endOwments
they admired in others and cultivated in
themselves.
My maxim in education is . Ndturdn,
| SeQuere. = follow nature. True progress is
made only by Obeying natures law; i. e.,
! by cultivating the predominant faculties,
and by pursuing course suited TO the in
clinatiOns. Mental freedom is of great i'm
portance; because the mind is preiudiced
against what is forced upon it; without
love for any subject we will never master it
or be benefited by it. Truth and mind are
mutually adapted to each other; and when
truth Is presented at the proper time, and
in the right way, it will be grasped with
cagerness and studied with delight.
On this subject. some will, perhaps, con-
slider me uaorthodox. Three years ago, on
the rOStrum of our University Chapel, a
venerable divine and educator OF our land.
for whose wisdom and genius l have the
most profound respect and admiration, ut
tered in substance these words: Young
men, in prosecuting your education. pay
most attention to those studies you dislike;
if you don't relish mathematics, logic, or
any of the others stick the closer to them"
/ w I'LL ali puC utlCICHCc- luuSI say THAT the
philosophy of these remarks / could never
see. Opposed to this doctrine allow me to
quote the words of the immortal Goethe:
one of the brightest stars that glitters in the
/ intellectual sky of Germany; whose genius
embraced both poles of the human mind;
poetry, and science. Hear his words:
Education should be adapted to a mans
/ inlcinationS. The first and last considera-
| tion with man is activity; he cannot act on
| anything without the proper gifts for II.
I aY,l arffs ho hnr oil
| power is born within US. 1t is our ambig-
/ nous. dissipating education that makes men
uncertain: it aWakenS wishes when it should
/ be animaiing tendencies; instead of for
Warding our real capacities, it turns the
/ attention toward objects that are often I'M
congenial with the mind which aims at
! them. There is my philosophy on the whole
| subject. Let it not be said from this thatI
undervalue any science or pursuit. respect
| them all from the highest To the lowest: /
| only advocate obedience to natures law,
which enlightenment will show all men.
| and culture teach them TO obey. When l
| first read Sir VIM. Hamilton's celebrated
esssy on mathematics, in which he main
tanned by powerful logic and reasoning that
such subjects were injurious-illogical-
would induce skepticism-any mind could
master them, &c. | surprised at his
extreme, and somewhat fascinated by his
lance with his works 1 found
| that ne contradicted these views;
they were not therefore his true sentiments,
| but were called forth by the heat OF debate.
| Even if he had not contradicted these views,
have we not a living contradiction of them
daily before us in our "hIgh priest of ma
ture." before whom many of us have often
| stood with intense pleasure, as he minister
ed at natures altar, and revealed to US the
sublime mystery-wOyen realities of her
glorious kingdom? | again repeat i'll
reverence all truth. A single department in
one of the divisions of science, when car
ried to perfection, includes an extensive ac-
| quaintance with all the others. This is no
| idle assertion that the simplest truth has an
infinite relation with other truths; they all
have their centre in the Divine mind. The
universe is one great thought of God. There
is an iufinity above man and below him. In
| all natures realms there is a mysterious
union. The gentle breeze that awAkes the
sad, sweet strains of the AeOlian harp. at
the silent midnight hour, may be but the
dying echo of a storm which is bowling the
grand old cedars of Lebanon.
The lily-muffled hum of summer bee"
Finds some coupling with the spinning
stars"
The signs of sad heart perhaps ruffie
the soft bright plumes on the folded wings
OF heavens highest archangel.
All the rivers hasten to the ocean, all the
clouds ascend until they wreathe themselves
| around the Snow-clad SUBMITS of the lofti-
est mountains, where eternal sunshine plays,
and everlasting frosts weave their mantles
of white: So all truths unite in the great
ocean OF truth. or ascend to heaven. till
their SUBMITS reach the same skyey regions
of Repose."
The poetical paths will finally lead us to
love and study laws that seemed at first re-
pulsive. The Beautiful will lead US on till
the object she seeks becomes one with the
philosophers aim. The Venus of earth will
lead man up TO those heaven-piercing re-
gions where she viii re- assume her flashing
crown, and unveil herself 60 his enraptured
view as the Urania of heaven. So the god
dess of the Useful viii lead her deYotee up
ward until she unveils her face as the Eier-