The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-05-06
" BROWN HANDS,"

BROWN HANDS,"
Society has been said to be divided
into three classes: the rich, those il
moderate circumstances, and the poor
Happily in our country, under th'
genius of our free institutions, ther,
exists none of those distinctions o
cast which have 80 long hung like ,
cloud oyer China and some of the ma
tioDs of Europe. Here there is nothing
to prevent the pauper Of to-day from
becoming the millionaire of tomorrow
The wheels offortune make rapid rev
olutions and the vast resources of the
country open up fruitful fields for the
ambitious and enterprising spirit.
Moreover, we have no entailment OF
real estate, as in England, whereby the
title to the soil is perpetuated in sin.
gle name, through long line of gen.
erations. Hence the fell spirit OF
monopoly finds a wholesome check
under our laws. The boarded treas.
ures of the father are soon scattered
by his reckless and profigate sons, and
great wealth is scarcely retained in any
given center beyond a single genera
ton. A niser may hoard up wealth
for life time, but at his death the
channel of society usually sweeps away
the barrier and in a short time not a
trace is left of its influence on the
masses.
Again, the influence of free school
system, whereby science opens the
door to her gorgeous temple for all,
tends to equalize the general intelli-
gence and bring the several parts of
our society into more perfect relations
with each other.
Still another potent force is found
in our elective system, which makes
every man of majority factor in the
nation, with power to choose his ruler,
and approve or condemn the laws and
policy of his government as his reason
and judgment shall dictate.
1t cannot be denied, however, that
while all these salutary forces are at
work, there still exists, even here in
our own country, these three classes of
society. They may be found in every
city, and in almost every neighbor-
hood, and the lines of demarkation
between them are quite as distinct, if
not as wide, as in the older countries
of Europe. Wealth sits enthroned in
royal palaces and looks down in cold
disdain upon squalid poverty, while
the medium classes, forming bridge
between the two, are the bone and
sinew of the nations strength, and the
worlds hope. Whether there shall
ever come day when these lines shall
be obliterated, is one of those unsolv-
ed problems which the philosopher
statesman and christian may we'll study
with care, and he who after having
stndied it shall be able to see In the
horoscope of the great future all these
lines melt away, will become prophet
10 earth's toiling, poverty-stricken
millions, greater and dearer than any
whose names now shine in the worlds
literature.
Let US now enquire, What is wealth ?
Wealth is accumulated property or
treasures, and the basis of al wealth,
of every conceivable shade and degree
is labor.
When Adam was commanded to
earn his bread by the sweat of his
brow, God only repeated to him an in
junction he had already made before
the foundation of the world. Action
and reaction is alike a law of all life
and all worlds /; motion is action and
action is labor. The law of motion
obtains in all times, in all space, and in
worlds, whenever any thing, even the
smallest portion of matter, ceases its
motion it becomes inert and dead.
Hence every thing which God has
formed is in motion or action, and
from every thing we learn the great
Injunction to labor. If you look out
into the star lit heavens on some cleal
night you shall discover the vast EN-.
pyream abroad, glittering and spark.
ling with the light of those innumera.
BILE worlds which swarm the unmappe6
empire of in6nitude. How grandly
beautiful this sight! Well might the
ancient philanthropist, as he gazed il
wonder and admiration on the scene
exclsim: sfWhen consider the heav
ems the work of thy hands, the sun
the moon and stars which thou has
made, then 1 think, Oh, man, what il
/ he that thou art unmindful of him ?
But let US go farther and ask wha
makes each star glittering diamond
there2 Simply this: 1t is in action
moving forever in its orbit. Hence i
shines and sings to you and me in it
dreamy waltz through the unboundet
Gather, The hand that made us is di
vine" Let that star cease it's labor
let 1t stop in the cycle of it's eterna
sweep and its pale, sweet light is gone
its identity would be lost forever.
I So in all the physical world aroun,
us. In the vegetable kingdom the Law
of action reveals itself in growth
Plants reach up their heads in the ligh,
trees continue to expand in leaf ant
bough, when such action ceases the
fade ont of sight and disappear in ma
ture's great crucible. s
I The waves Of ocean never cease an,
streams and rivers continue to flow
rWAile all the animal kingdom respec