The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-01-20
~ FERAissIoN.

BY FERAissIos.
Extracts from lecture on the
wild, Wild Woods by Marshall J.
Hspgood, delivered in the Congrega.
tional Church, Peru, Dec. 3lst, 1875 .
When you step into
the thick forest, stop and think for a
moment. Here is place as it was
when it came fresh from the Makers
hands. Everything outside is the
handiwork Of man. Everything the
eye rests upon--eyerything that the
hand touches bears his marks. HERE
the Maker Of everything about you is
the Eternal One. Here is His work
manship, untouched, unpoluted. Here
is His dwelling as He has fashioned it
with His own hand. In this deep still.
ness, in this pure air, in this cool re-.
treat, His spirit seems TO rest upon
everything around aud above you. II
you ever commune with yourself you
will do it here, II your will is ever in
unison with that Of your Maker it will
be here. | am not to be sneered at
when | say that no man can truly
worship God with the plastered ceiling
over his head. You can feel no such
reverence in your mind, can have no
such sense Of your own insig nifcance
and Of the Creators immensely as
when the clear heavens are over your
head, the pure air in your face and the
wild forest trees standing like gigantic
sentinels about you. Religious feeling
is the noblest, highest feeling that can
stir the human heart. But it is not
always found in its purest state amid
the thronged gatherings of its pro.
fessed supporters. In some secluded
nook, amid the cool and quiet OF the
forest trees-alone, shut with the
Maker of the works about you, and Of
ourselves-upon some starlight night,
when all is calm and mute, gazing up
amid heavens shining lights rowing
in imagination through immeasurable
space Involuntary an humble sense
Of our own dependence upon the Great
Infinite, Of His pure consideration and
thrilling love steals over us; but little
felt by him who, converted by threats
stirred up by exhortation, turns bis
thoughts towards his God with anxiety
and dread
And just here, my friends, ! desire
to pay my tribute Of respect to the
memory Of the man whom we placed
under the sod last Sabbath afternoon
know of no example more fit tc
bring out the central idea which / an
endeavoring to force home to you. lie
was man whom to know was to re
spect, and towards whom those NOR,
closely associated cherished a more
te nder feeling, although true respec
is one of the noblest feelings which i
is possible for the heart of man TO be
stow. We shall not soon forget BIZ
genial countenance, upon which tht
rays Of kindness aud good will seemet
to play 10 a perpetual sunshine.
kind neighbor, true citizen, no one
however vile or contemplate, though
even to whisper SANDER against BIZ
name. There is not another man
friends, living or dead, Of whom 10 M
knowledge you can say the sam
thing. He was so remarkable an ex
eeption in this respect that il is vel
10 talk about IL Why, IL your bes
friend had come TO you and told yor
that be had tried TO cheat him opt O
an honest penny, he might hav'
brought SIX Witnesses to back him an,
bear weight, and Zeno Cones eharac
ter would have overbalAnced them all
And this il not because be was be4oa
men in natural cunning and shrewd
ness. In many respects be was aboy,
them. There il no one Of you who's
Judgment you could better rely upoi
In the daily Affairs Of life His III
and hts character was one which il i
healthy 70 lock upon-good for US {,
sit down, now that be has gone ans
left u, and think about New lool
pretty close. friends, draw the line
tight. pot on your spectaeles II yo'
wish. and tell ne Il il isn't pretty dir