Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1879-02-25
From the Emory & Henry Clarion.
MYSTERY.

power. 1t reveals the effect Of things,
but keeps the fundamental cause in
concealment. 1t makes dim the Wis
ion of man, and causes the babbling
tongue to grow silent. 1t takes truth
so deep in the earth, or so high in the
sky, that its most distant cries are not
heard by the ear Of the understanding.
We often see truths in various forms,
but cannot tell why they are truths.
Mystery, therefore, is the wall between
the cause and effect. 1t is the igno-
rance of the why part of creation.
Mystery is the most common and
conspicuous thing in the world, We
see it in the beautiful tinge Of the
sky, in the varigated hue of the flow
er, and in the germ Of the mustard
seed. We feel 1t in the passing breeze,
in the warmth of fire, and in the
stroke of the lash. We hear it in the
cannon's breath, and in the riven bo-
som of the wandering cloud its de6n-
ing roar is heard. We hear it in the
ripple of the little brook, and in the
solemn roar Of the ocean. We know
it in ourselves; in the heart, and in
the thought. We know it in love, in
beauty, and in grandeur. There is
not thing that creeps on the earth,
or sports "in scaly silver and correl-
lated gold in pellucid foods" but has
marked upon it the foot prints Of mys-
terry.
Since mystery has such an exten
sive sway, let us notice mere careful
ly its functions. 1t has tendency.
1t isimportant. 1t is powerful. The
tendency of mystery is to lead man
to the conclusion that a higher source
Of power than himself exists some
where in creation. When a man
comes in contact with certain phe-
nomena which he is unable to com
prehend, he is directly led by the
mystery Of that phenomena, to the
conception Of a higher power The
belief in God comes only through the
tendency Of mystery We see the
machinery Of the Universe, its laws
of harmony, and its adaptation to
propose. Then we conclude that some
artistic hand must have shaped this
vast machinery that dazzles the mind
with its magnitude and power. Mys-
tery walls the form Of the old Vulcan
in the ascending smoke Of his forge.
IL reveals only the work of the me-
chanic, the wonderful skill displayed
in its structure, and the fanciful CON
ception of It's painting. Reason
teaches us that man is not capable of
SO grand a conception, much less It's
execution. Then the tendency OF
mystery is to the conception Of Deity,
Mystery is important 1t lends
an air Of peculiar influence to the
feelings Of men. In the first place, II
lessons the vanity Of men, by show
ing them that they are not all power
ful, and that they are inferior crea-
lures. The knowledge Of incapaci;y
has tendency to make man feel
his littleness II awakens in him an
ignorance Of the operation Of life,
and thereby heighiens his apprecia-
ton for life. Our ignorance Of GER
tain objects increases their value in our
estimation. We often delight in
those things we less comprehend. -
When we take up an artificial flower,
we are able to give complete analy.
sis of its formation. II is made OF
cloth, and painted with brush. It
is SCENTED with perfumes, and pinned
to lis stem. We little admire it,
But when we take up a rose from the
verdant field, we find Il full Of lie
and painted by the sunbeam. We
smell It's sweet perfumes as they are
borne on the wings of the wind..--
We are unable to know how Il lives
and blooms, but the mystery in the
rose makes II more potent than the
very hills that rise around us. Then
mystery is important, since Il helps
us to admire the works Of nature, -
II gives the verdure lis loveliness, the
mountain It's sublimity, the landscape
It's picturesque scenes, the deep blue
sky is beauty. IL makes the air Of
music thrill the soul, and confounds
the philosopher that The soul is moved
by the concord Of sweet sounds"
Mystery Is powerful. DR.. Watson,
in his apology for Christianity"
remarked that II Thomas Payne could
explain to him the creation of a blade
of grass, he would without reluctance
conccde to him that Christianity was
false. But the mystery contained in