Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1875-05-13
INTERCOLLEGIATE CONTEST.
0r~tion DELIVERED in the
Chapel of the State uni
versity, Columbia, Mo,
March 10th, 1875. by
W. A. Crouch of
William Jewell
College.
SUBJECT MANS TRUE GREATNESS.

every condition Of life can claim this
much coveted treasure. The Esquimaux
in his hut Of ice, the son Of Ham in his
torrid cline; dwellsrs on distant isles, or
those at royal court; the diligent, the
slothful the wise, the unwise the master,
the slave the fool, the philosopher the
pure, the impure ; the peer, the common
or the general, the soldier the king in
royalty and power, the subject in rag,
and bondage,--all stand side by side and
rightfully claim to be acknowledge mem
bers Of that illustrious family whose in
alienable birth-right is imperishable
greatness
Mans greatness appears in the wonder
full preparations made for his reception
upon the stage of existence. Geology as
veil as revelation unfolds the fact that
divine energy was put forth during long
periods prior to his creation. But all
that antedated him was in some way
related to, and necessary for, his introduce
ton. He was the brilliant focus whittier
the rays Of divine purpose haG been con-
verging for so many thousands Of years.
He was the "Rosetta Stone" interpreting
sll the hieroglyphics which had been writ>
en- upon the stupendo US pyramids of
mature. (He was the moral prism separa-
ting the wonderful character of God into
It's seven glorious projections; love, life,
mercy, truth, righteousness, justice, and
psace.) He was q revealed mystery,
mortal aud immortal; priest, temple,
sacrifice /; judge, witness, prisoner at the
bar q divine idea crystalized a planet
moving in an orbit described by an in
flute radius; an Indispensable link in the
mysterious chain of material and spiritual
deUAlSmeut. Thus viewed, all nature
proclsims his greatness, Why, asks the
thoughtful mind, were SO many thousands
Of years employed by the Omnipotent
architect 10 building this stupendous struc>
ture? Why did he lay foundations Of
,adamant and bind them together with
chains Of universal gravity? Why did he
garnish the walls with living light and
hasg on the cheek Of weeping nature the
"Bow Of Promise?" Why did he carpet
this magnificent temple with tap estries Of
green inwrought with flowers of endless
hues? Why did he line the vault will
ether and bestud its corridors with boose.
of precious stones? Why did he hang GU
that brilliant lamp in the concave heaven
land pave the archway of the skies will
fiery worlds? Why marshal legions o
lightning upon the great battle field o
nature and bid them lombard with ball
Af FIRE the citadels of disease aud death
why the wind tortured ocean bound will
ropes Of sand, or the flaming bolts Of Joy,
incarcerated in cells Of glass? Why con
tinents of coal, veins of silver, and cluster
Of rubies? Why do the winds dip thei
broad pinions in distant seas and the
shake them over thirsty fields. dying flow
ers. and failing brooks? Why beauty i
every flower, herb,and stone? Why mus
in the raging ocean. the murmuring brool
and bowling storm? Natures voices say
For thee, o man, we we're created tho
for God! Those beings who saw earth
building, beheld various types and VOL
dered what was the true character of th
antique. They saw each day upon ii
trestle board of divine architect an exteI
sion Of original designs together with ne
Q far more mysterious and complicats,
To what they pointed was dubious
When should they be anfolded and clue
dated was a profound mystery sleeping
the bosom Of him who alone knoweth Ii
end from the beginning. They had heal
eternal silence, had seen from chaos cosm
rise, had seen darkness fee and light q,
pear. bad .een stern law bind all into Oh
loving brotherhood, an from their loi
observatories gazed at the noon when 6r
she led her vested retinue across the plat
of glory. They behold! and 10 com
mssts somet in direful conflict, tbs heaver
weep tears Of FIRE, the sun mufles his ia
in mantles Of darkness and his brightne
darts up to the throne Of God, the mo-
foldeth up her beams and hideth them
her secret pavilion, mountain groans
mountain. hills are uprooted, valleys a
plains rise to lofty mountains, deep chas,
open wide their hOrrid mouths aud do,
their burning threats rush angry seas, ear
challenges heaven and opens her arseni
Of FIRE aud lava against her cloud-martl
eitadels Of Mars while heaven answers t
challenge in thunder voices which sha