Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-11-23
A SENIOR GRAFTON.
"OUR COUSTRYy POSITION IN HIS
TORY"

"OUH COCSTRF'e POSITION IN HIS
TORY.''
College.
Pessimism has infected the thinking Of
the age. Its disciples on every hand preach
deseneracy and its prophets gloomily pre-
dict ruin and dissolution. Their attention
is absorbed BY the agitated and repulsive
dross on the surface of human life, and
they see not the liquid streams Of pure
metal beneath. Applying their theories
to the history Of our beloved land her
prospects are far from cheerful and inspir-
ing: But can We, as professed followers
of Him in whom are hid all the treasures
of learning. yield to their gloomy retlec-
tions? Can We, in the light of the past
and with the evidence of the present, join
in their depressing wall? We answer,
no! Implicitly believing in the exalted
character and the universal influence of
the one, VIC interpret the indications Of
the other with the glowing hopefulness in
spired by His teaching. We cannot find
lacking in humanity that law of glorify-
ing development which is revealed in the
material existence around us. We believe
that tho world, as whole, commenced
her existence like child, and look forward
to the time when, like man hoary with
age, she will lay aside her staff and pass
over into state Of eternal glory.
Man is advancing, advancing in intelli-
gence, love and wisdom. We feel that he
has not yet fulfilled the end of his creation.
The great drama of human activity is not
yet complete. We arc approaching OF
performing it's last and sublimest act.
1t is not rational to suppose that in the
process of development the whole race will
attain the same lofty position and be equal.
ly prepared for the grand consummation,
nor that the process is to be continued in
an unbroken and majestic flow. Nation
after nation has attained the proud emf
nence of head of the race, but each, after
performing its mission in developing some
new phase in the progress of civilization,
has fallen perhaps never to rise again, as If
the forces which sway the tide of humanity
had raised them by mighty effort and
then, exhausted, sunk back to prepare for
one still mightier. One after the other the
nations fell, but man never again sunk to
his former level. We conclude, therefore,
that one nation, as the representative,
standing on the threshold Of the spirit
world, will unfold the highest possibilities
Of the race.
The course of progress has been West
ward. Eastwardly it stopped centuries
ago, and the people waited for the resus-
citating influence Of Western activity to
rouse them into life again. Is it then ex-
travagant to believe that America will
witness the elimination of humanity
Physically, 40 countryis SO we'll fitted
for this as ours. It was tho last to be in
habited, and the onward march of man
naturally stops here. She is near enough
to other lands to be benefited by their ac-
quirements, and isolated enough to de-
velop an individuality of her own. She is
so placed that all the great inhabited
plains ofthe earth are turned toward her,
as if out of respect in anticipation of her
exalted mission. Their richest treasures
are naturally poured into her lap and her
rivers stretch out on the east and on the
west like mighty arms to return them de-
veloped and refined. Here nature has
worked on her grandcst scale. Our broad
plains and lofty mountains; laundering
Niagaras and mighty rivers our pleasant
hill sides and lovely valleys, all tend to
breathe into man a lOftiness Of soul and
cultivate within him a love for all that is
grand and beautiful.
Her people arc not advancing from a
state OF barbarism into state OF civiliza-
tiOn. Our ancestors were reared among
the most highly cultured nations ON the
globe. They were the favored recipients
of the accumulated wealth Of ages. They
came here to develop all under conditions
more favorable than ever before existed.
That their descendants possess genius of a
high order cannot be doubted. The de-
mands of 4 new and extensive country,
immeasurably rich in physical resources,
have to great degree diverted their at
tention from the higher walks of literature
and art, the true tests Ct a nation advance
ment in culture and refinement. But the
craftsmanship and Ocatory called forth by
our great struggles for national existence
stand unsurpassed, and the inventive
genius displayed in the development of our
material wealth unequaled in the history
of mankind. And Notwithstanding all un-
favorable circumstances, the inimitable
sculpture Of a Powers has already won the
applause and admiration of world, and
the tender and exquisite poetry of Long
fellow the love and respect Of nations.
May We not expect great things when
leisure shall have allowed the genius of
our people to flow in its proper channels
But it VIC are to occupy such an exalted
position, surely Gods presence must be
more manifest in our history than in that
Of any other land, and ask, has He not
marvelously aided us? look back through
the long vista Of years and behold little
bark laden with anxious exiles, rudely
tossed on the stormy bosom of the Atlan-
tic. l see her precious freight landed on
the barren, ice-bOund coast of New Eng
land, engaged in grateful prayer to the
Almighty Founder and Preservcr Of ma
tions And from that forlorn little band
l see a flOurishing colony spring into be-
ing in spite of almost tinsurmOuntable diff
culties. Is not Gods presence there?
see almost the same story repeated in
every other colony of America. Is it not
there? And again, on perhaps the most
important occasion except one in the history
of man, see gathered frora the new and
thinly settled colonies the nOblest and
wisest body of men that ever assembled
to decide the future of their country, and
after careful deliberation pronounce that
Declaration which commenced the last and
is not His presence there? l see the hero
Ol Tie ages summoned from nlS peacelul
home on the Potomac, and at the head of
littlo band of ill-clad and half-starved
patriots contend against the numerous ard
wcll-furnished troops of the mightiest ma
tion on earth, and finally crowned with
the wreath of victory. Again, l ask, is
not Gods presence there? And who can
doubt that His beneficent providence
called our martyred president to control
the affairs Of the nation when threatened
with dissolution and consequent ruin
Surely God has done greater things for us
than for anv other nation