Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-12-09
THOUGHTS ON MAN.
BIZ RoBHRT II. DoTY.


grander, nobler structure, 30 ~ speak,
structure which WAS capable Of being
developed in intellect by the ripening d
age, by the existence Of such virtues
and tastes as culture, enlightenment and
education. So through tho progress u
age, man, the chief ruler over all earth
and sea, has become, by his superior
mental judgment, the only object that il
capable of planning, discerning and
shaping his to-day and his tomorrow.
Man has an immortal living concept,
while animals have but heeting "
temporary concept. To-day we see the
architect planning the safest method II
building some structure, or the engineer
applying steam that he may be enabled
to work with more comfort and to better
profit. So it Is with man. He may
build up his reputation by applying
enough energy and reason, and he Will
be the profiter thereby. While man j.
blessed with a concept extra, the animal
knows nothing more than TO eat
the grasses and live. So man, endowed
with his superb Judgment and steady
will, gains foothold over all subordi-
mates.
Reason is one Of the existences that
builds up and gives symmetry TO the
physical man, TO a certain extent No
one can live who is utterly devoid d
reason yet we may sometimes zee Great
ures who seem to be possessed Of but
little Of mental development, but they
are not utterly devoid Of this. The
mind controls the physical body by It's
immortal living concepts. The prosecu-
ton of investigation comes on, and this
tends to develop spirit Of enterprise,
and also proves q food 10 the body A.
exercise SO through the combined
forces Of nature inevitably comes the
casting of the future.
We look out upon the broad sea Of
science. The waves dash here and there
and everywhere. Here is sway, and
there is a broad, rolling wave, dashing
away some previous investigation that
has been pronounced a scientific lie, but
there comes back a wave, dashing to
pieces that particular wave which washed
from the memory for a time that self
same scientific tide in human research
that had been the annihilator. So things,
like history, repeat themselves
The fundamental and philosophical
principles of life and living make the in
vestigations of generalities more plain,
and so through the course of ages We
have left the old foot-paths, and, amid
the many scIence-waves of opposition
have gradually abandoned-as Robert
Ingersoll says, "That state, when man
could have been seen emerging from 8
cave, wiSh a spoonful Of brains in the
back Of his head, to hunt a snake for
his dinner" Comparative genealogy
will prove the state Of living at the
opening era of mankind's history.
Through successive geological epochs
that man has lived traces of progress
are visible. There was a time when
man lived in open lewdness, knowing il
not for such, as he mingled with animals,
and by this he Partook to a considera-
ble extent of the habits and manners to
which they were addicted.
But nature never meant man to be
brute wholly. 1t meant that he should
be something grander. Man has some
characteristics that no other being pos
sesses. He has the power of knowing
right from wrong, how to live, and how
10 be influential in the world. Here
again we see the grandeur of man and
his noble mind With his eye for
beauty, he sees the beauties that are in.
tended for him. He knows that a beau.
tiful poem or sentiment is good for the
mental powers, that virtue is n noble
thing, that vivid scenery enraptures the
soul, and revives in him thoughts of the
true grandeur of nature.
The past 1t can never come again,
nor do we wish it, for oil its revelry, its
dead and it's charnel houses il cannot
GOMEZ With all its horrors of war. ih
persecution of heroes, its crowned heads
uncrowned, we wish it not With all
its ruin, its military pomp, its inhu-
manity to man, we are glad that the
past is passed With its long catalogue
of bloody tragedies. its atrocities of
Kings and Queens, its rises and falls,
we are truly glad that the age of reason
is here, and here to stay