The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-12-26


preceding being the nearest approach
Give godly men all credit and commen
dation that is due, and give God Tia,
praise aud glory over all forevermore
SO much farther. or nearer, as is Para
disc, the porch of Heaven, and al
Heaven itself is IN your thoughts; ss
much farther or nearer than the simpl,
journey TO Philadelphia, would we con
duet you on this tour and learn oul
lessons Of the centennial by the way.
Leaving for little while, homo and
its happy surroundings. leaving famil.
lar fields and little cities, journeyinp
through lands wider expanding, cities
larger and increasing, romantic regions
Of land and lake, glens and waterfalls,
frowning mountains and flowing rivers,
laughing valleys and bending skies, we
readily reach the city and the scene OF
the double object OF our adventure and
our effort. Getting there a glimpse,
through transported fragments, of the
Jerusalem that now is, we joyously go
forth in Imagination to view the full
proportions of the New Jerusalem
above. II were presumption for any
to promise, and absurdity to attempt,
to describe fully and perfectly the Cen.
tennial. OF a thousand visiting. il
nine hundred ninety and nine were TO
tell you all they saw and heard and
knew; when they had done, the other
one would be particularly delighted to
edify you with a description Of that
rarest object OF all, which il were a
pity the former did not see. Each one
might only say, There were great
buildings there, in field enclosed,
with gates on the several sides, and
marvellous things were seen and done
within" Guide books and tourists,
diagrams and descriptions, letters and
reports, and all manner OF advertise
ments aud representations, have made
the Centennial quite familiar to all the
world The name and title Centennial,
is much hackneyed, rs was very natur-
al, and almost needful; for il itself
were good, and its influences are to be
made permanent, such result must be
established by commonness. Itspurpose
and spirit must be diffused like the
common air. and moisture. and light,
and heat, and wisdom, and knowledge,
and righteousness, that all may be, so
far as they can and will, partakers Of
the benefit In that broad fact lies
whatever occasion is found to set the
matter forth in a sermon. when already it
has gone out on the wings Of winds that
blow every whittier. II any were still 10
question or take exception concerning
time, and place, and purpose, we may
answer in extenuation. that the Bible,
which is the word of God f-~-a uAavaa,
speaks not only OF Heaven. but must
of necessity discourse somewhat large
" OF the things Of earth, aud of things
between heaven and earth, making nat
Hrsl things, in many instances, types
OF the spiritual. aud ont Of their rough
material constructing ladder on
which, by faith, we mount into regions
Of glory. So in the midst of published
Law and Gospel, precepts OF guidance
and grace. we have interspersed, the
construction OF buildings; the marshal
ing OF armies; the materials and di-
mensions OF the Ark, and OF the bed
stead OF Og, the giant; n description
of Goliaths outfit; and the disposition
OF dead mems bones. Hence you are
invited TO a description Of the Cenien-
nial in n sermon, just sufficiently to
fix attention, and to make clear the
lesson.
1t is a very simple thing therefore. TO
say again, that two hundred and thirty
six acres of ground we're enclosed with
more than three miles Of fence, having
seventeen gates of public entrance,
with turnstiles at each, admitting just
one at time aud numbering the
whole. And although these several
gates we're not so many pearls, nor the
streets gold into which they gave ad-
mittance, as we read concerning the
New Jerusalem, (Rev. XXI they were
vet sources of revenue sufficient to con-
vert them into literal pearl and gold
reality. This affords opportunity
again heartily TO signify our approba-
tion, and TO express our thanks, that
the grounds were not open to the pub
lie on Sunday; and that, notwithstand-
ing the great temptation, aud the ur-
gent appeal from some quarters, the
Centennial Commissioners, by more
than -fourths vote Of the States
OF this great Christian nation, permit
ted neither revenue nor representation
on the Lords Day. The whole num-
two hundred. The Main Building was
1880 IT,, or III rods, or more than one
third of q mile in length, and 46i it,.
or Is rods, or one-twentieth OF a mile
in width. Wherefore imagine it to be
set down in any city, its dimensions
would be about four city squares in
length. by one square in width; and
covering nearly twenty-five acres OF
ground. Hence il was little city Of
itself, almost little world, consider
ing its use, under roof. And yet in
its exterior presentation, it was truly q
building, proportionate. pretty, and
perfect, charming to the eye, and
adapted to its purpose. III such a
building, on n temporal foundation,
may be so speedily and skillfully con-
structed with hands; we ask in its view
what mansions shall there be on etern-
al foundations in heaven, whose build
er aud maker is Con.
Machinery Hall was about two-thirds
as large as the Main Building. Agri-
cultural Hall, one-half as large; and
Memorial and Horticultural Halls, each
nearly oHe-tenth as large. To gain
practical apprehension Of the size OF
these buildings, was one of the
first needful requirements Of visitor,
or attempted inspection OF their contents
would be puzzling and perplexing.
Within, without, and about these, were
mingled and moving, people from every
State, and from every principal nation
on the globe: many making observa-
tions Of, and some presenting for sale,
articles numberless and nameless, pro.
ducts Of the several industries aud arts
OF all psrts of the world. Whatsoever
the depths might give up, tie heavens
send down. or the teeming earth bring
forth, for the use, enjoyment, and
pleasure of man, there it might be
found, aud there much OF il was made
as we'll as exhibited.
The "Heathen Chinese" with his
queue and wood sandals; the Moham.
medan Turk, with his heavy silk tnr-
dan; the Russian, with his furs; the
Frenchman, with his fRery; the Is
LADDERS. with their spicy novelties; the
Barbarian, with his booty; and the
Euglishman, with his elegance; we're
no more objects OF surprise TO them
selves, TO each other, or to us, on the
common ground, than n nursing babe
In a backwoods cradle. or full Aedged
Yankee, with open eye, forward step.
and firm hand grasping Chickahom-
my Black Hawthorne cane. Articles
for exhibition were marked and syste-
mstized for their showing in seven
general departments. Mining aud
Metallurgy; Manufactures; 3 Educa-
tion and Science; Art; 8 Machinery;
9 Agriculture; Horticulture.
I Bic "a tha hniidinoa wer. "A 80