The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-20
SUNDAY READING.
Rev. Freeman Clarke, in sermon at the
A ~ M,,uour, poetnp


Rev. Freeman Clarke, in sermon at th'
Art Museum, Boston, says:
Romanism said eve are saved by works.
Calvuism said, ave are saved by faith.
The one creates beauty, the other intelli-
gence but we need both. We need truth
and love, too--the inward strength and the
outward grace-beauty and bands, devel-
opment and obligation. Anything may
be turned into art by being done WE'LL
Take the common talk of the street,
How clumsy il is: how inexpressive-the
words are only half artculated, the pro-
nunciation is bad, the expression vulgar.
The whole vocabulary of many people
consists of few hundred words and
phrases. Suppose the people were edu-
Gated 10 our schools to speak we'll suppose
instead of the quantity of absurd grammar
which is taught to the children, they were
instructed in proper enunciation, drilled in
the accurate use of language, taught to use
their organs OF speech Alright, made familiar
with synonymous expressions enabled to
select the right word for their purpose
would not speech at once become an art
Would there not be pleasure in speaking
and delight id listening, ii language were
used with taste and skill and "like airy
and nimble servitors," the words came to
the work of the hour and to express the
thought of the moment?
A life devoid of beauty is very poor
A life into which little grace arrives at
once becomes interesting. God meant that
some souls should be fed with beauty -
Athens, in the days of Pericles, become a
musuem of art, and what Athens did
twenty-five centuries ago, what Florence
did In the medieval days. Boston ought to
be able to do to-day. We do not want
works of art only for private homes we
wish to have them for the, benefit of the
whole community. Who that has walked |
through the galleries of Paris, Florence,
London, and seen thousands of working |
people by his side, studying with delight |
the great creations of genius, has not felt |
how much more truly democratic this was |
than our way of building private galleries
and purchasing objects Of art for the
pleasure of ourselves and friends alone?
II I had picture by Raphael. or por-
trait by Sir Joshua Reynolds, l should
wish it to be seen by every one. should
desire that it might do its educating work
on the whole community. The natural
and proper influence of all such great crea-
tions is to make all men artists in their own
sphere. 1t is to inspire them with the
love OF beauty to teach them to do every
thing well not to slight their work; to
do it for its own sake, and not for the
profit it may bring. do not expect nor
wish OF an art museum that it shall make
q great many sculptors and painters. But
l wish that 1t should put the spirit of art
into all our lives--teaching US to do every
thing lovingly and heartily, doing it as
well as we know how doing it to God as
well as to man. DR.. Clarke showed how
all doors Of faithful work become artists,
each in his special calling, and closed with
an eloquent prediction of the development
OF art In America, when religion and wi
LEGATION shall also be developed into more
harmonious conditions. --Aduertfser