Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-11-30
Man.


"Wbat is MANI" In the consideration
of this subject it is not our purpose to
give the reader either physiological or
anatomical discourse, but rather to notice
him as a being.
The subject, though a very common
one, ought not to be the less interesting
to us, for nothing is mCse true than this
1.-The proper study of mankind is man.
He is compound being, and the first ac-
count we have of him is found in Holy
Writ, wherein it is said that God created
man out of the dust of the earth, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life, and man became living soul. Be
yond this, we have no authentic history.
The Chinese claim history of 100000
years, but as to the truth of this we have
no positive testimony, hence we must be
content to leave the matter to Moses.
Considered as physical being, man is
an animal of the class Mammalia, of the
order Bimana, genus Homo, and is the
only one of this class that walks erect,
which principally distinguishes him from
the lower orders.
We arc told by naturalists that man is.
the only animal of family Mammalia be-
longing to the order Bimana, but scien-
tific investigation places the orangoutang
and Gibbon in the same order Again;
you will observe the arterial and venous
circulation is the same in man as in the
lower orders. You find him attached to
his species, subject to anger, craving
food, and with instructive principles in
common with other animals of this class,
and were it not for the fact that he walks
erecl and possesses the power of opposing
thumb and fingers, which is possessed in
very small degree by the lower orders,
he would have little to recommend him,
when physically considered, above the
coarser kind.
But we discern men propelled by some
thing other than animal and physical
| life; something else than instinct; some
thing other than that which prompts
him to provide for the present, without
having any ulterior end in view: he
seems to profit by experience and instruc.
tion, without the promptings of an inyol-
untary instinct, and nationally makes due
preparation for his wants. The lower
animals profit none by experience, neither
do they prepare for the future--in this
we see one Of the peculiarly distinguish
ing traits, intrUigence. AS an intelligent
being, there is not only disposition to
provide for future demands, but we find
him intellectually accomplishing wonders.
Go with me, if you please, to London
! and there for moment view the magni-
ficent works of art, buildings of antiquity
with their sky-reaching domes, rivers el
evated above highways and highways
passing under rivers, bridges that have
withstood the destructive hand Of time
for 1000 years; to Egypt, and behold the
obelisks and pyramids; to our own coun
try, and view the vast network of rail
roads, with their huge iron wagons drawI
5 by the snorting steel horse, and if we ash
E What has done all this? the answer is
) Intellect. See him circumnavigate thu
f globe penetrate the earth, and from thu
{ bowels learn lessons in science, and from
I The data gathered there trace her progress
, in creation. Again you find him mas
c ter the clements, and in that cake cf ic'
discover the principles of combustion
r and that the slightest change would Sc
) the universe on fire. You find, him trav
5 cling out through space, contemplating
D unnumbcred systems, suns and worlds
b determining their size and density, thei
0 movements, their orbits and relation t
a each other; you see him guide the forke
: lightning, adapt the visible and invisibl
y to his use, and render them all subservi
v ent to his will Yea, all this, and more
IS intellect performs; and yet considered
d this light, he is selfish being. No cha
lr ity, no mercy, can be attributed to HIM
IS all! ALL! is converted to selfish end
n And in this sense the poet must hay
y Then what is man, and what man seeing thus,
g And having human feelings does not blush
s. And hang his head to think himself a man."
IL Truly, in this seuse, he is a giant mo-
III ster, Geld, heartless, selfish, iron-wille
r. and, were it not for his moral faculties,
III fiend in angel form.
~ "Man is not the prince of creatures
ST But in reason first in that, he is worse
he Than horse, or dog, or heart of wilderness"
N, Morally he is the image of God.
1d cannot be physically, for in this sense
KS IS an animal and corrupt-God is pul
hit 1t connot be intellectually, for this is 81
In fish and tyrannical-God is benefcent a
or merciful. a
ad Happiness was the object of his crt
lat ton and his chef desire, and to obta
o? this he has sought out many invention
but with all the scope of the mental, wi
ad all the powers of the physical, he has S
he naly failed 1t is only through the m
Ias al nature that happiness is acquired a
vas he @ fa r
IN "who builds on less than immortal base,
he Fond as he seems condemns his joy TO DEATH
no What is he a compound being compo:
al of body soul and spirit, and when ca
Au- part is filling its Office he is the noblest
'ra- Gods creatures, and wherein all his h
ere piness depends. And it was in this ch
orr acter he was made lord of all he survey
re- But again if you behold him in this III
;ali you may go with me out into the ethel
Is, regions and observe those seraphic m
ons sengers whose forms are perfect SYM
It's. fry enrolled in white with silvered I