South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-06-25
the result of his own dcep-scated igno.

IduCt.
The most deadly enemy to our race is
ignorance; the friend Of human advance
ment is knowledge but the truest and
most powerful ally is wisdom. Like a
mighty, cruel. and over grown giant.
more to be dreaded than all tho internal
Vaccinations of: persomfied wickeduess
ignorance. with. unbounded power, and
.unrelenting grasp, has held his sway o.
yer every portion of our beautiful earth,
whitening and blasting by his deadly
touch. all mans highest and hoiiest ideas
of happiness; turning his brightest and
.purest hopes into, tho horrors. Of black
despair; smothering his rising aspira.
tions. and filling his soul with darkness
blacker than Egyptian night. His sharp
aud bloody claws have entered deep into
the very vitals of society, letting out its
dearest life-blood for tho support of his
Lideous train Of CHASTITY followers, caus-
ing untold misery and uuulterable woes,
and leaving millions of our race welter-
ing in their gore. But as the race works
its way onward and upward. nearer tho
Divine source of perfection as schools
begin to enlighten the. minds Of the
masses: and as thought becomes foster.
ed, the struggle deepens. the monster
giant, satiatel with the victims he has
slain, is forced gradually to relax his
grasp. Strength and hope fly to the aid
of humanity the longer the struggle
continues the weaker becomes the influ-
ence OF ignorance; while, by blessed
provision of nature, knowledge aud wis
dom wax stronger aud stronger, till fin.
ally the former shall lose all power over
even the weakest of human kind, and the
bright, beautiful and glorious "angel OF
intelligence with healing in his wings"
and peace. JOY and happiness ineffable
written IN glowing and unfading colors
on his mild and loving brow, shall great
ly take his place. aud by infusing new
lrfe aud vigor throughout mans entire
being. cause him to revel amid the un.
told glorics of intellectually, and battle
his weary, care-worn and oppressed soul,
In the refreshing and vitalizing waters of
uasu]lied wisdom, from whose exhaust.
less fountains flow in living streams.
peace, harmony and JOY eternal. 1t is
then our work, Us teachers, ard custo-
dams OF the management of the Free.
Schools, to Danish ignorance with all its
fearful effects aud what glorious work
we have to perform! Let us therefore
nobly buckle on the armor of knowledge,
and go forth checrfully and manfully to
The great contest, assured that we are
engaged in nob.er battle than ever en-
listed the sympathies, attracted the at.
tention, or called forth the untiriag en-.
ergics OF Hannibal, Caesar, Wellington
or Napoleon; that we arc enlisted un-
der The banners of undying truth that.
while we work 10 a sphere necessarily
small, and often disregarded, we are both
directly and indirectly affecting for good,
the whole human race for infinite ages,
and above all, that brilliant victory is
certain to crown our noble, steady, faith.
ful and unselfish efforts. Unlike ignor-
ance, knowledge has positive properties !;
1T Is the observation Of facts, and the
comprehension of their principles. 1t is
the grand lever by which universal hu.
mainly is destined TO be raised from ig-
norance and vice to wisdom and happi-
ness. 1t is superior to the one, inferior
to the other. Wisdom and knowledge.
though frequently COMPOUNDED, are per-
fectly distinct. The man Of mere knowl-
ed e may see clearly and know perfectly
what he ought 10 90, in order TO render
his talents useful to himself and ayaila
bl to the world Il; and still hc. may be
the veriest slave to his own deprayed {
perverted appotitcs. lie may wish to fol.
low the dictates of his reason and con.
science; bat his will not possessing suf.
f1clent control over him to enable him to
curb his animal propcnsities, no may be
the sport Of his ever-yarying of4ims, and
nothing better than a passion.haunted
wretch. whirIed about i'm the oiddy ma
zes of intoxication, or hurried OH i'm crime
TILL he imbrues his hand in the blood of
his tcllow-man, and at last, like the un
fortunate DR.. Webster, expiates his crime
by paying the penalty of his life. The
man OF mere knowledge is like a maqni.
ficent engine without balance wheel. or
ship on the stormy ocean without a
Compass or rudder-the sport Of the sur
rounding elements. But, after all, know
ledge alone has n very powerful inHu-
ence IN directing and regulating the &C.
tiong Of our lives. ", Tor instance, a
child burns himself slightly in the 6re.
nc leards not only the fact that fire burns
and causes pain, but is also tauoht 70 n.
void repetition Of the act. The wider
therefore, our circle Of practical knowl.
edge, the greater must DC its influence ON
oar Characters, Knowlcdge has added
wonderfully to human happiness and ad.
vancemen.. IL has raised US Compare
lively above the influence Of superstition
and vain dread taught US how TO con.
troll the elements; placed wind & tide"
under our influence applied steam 70
the most useful Of purposes, so as to en-.
able us to travel from city TO city with
immense speed 6 great comfort; shown
us how TO navigate The painless ocean
against the force Of the opposing ele.
nicnts lessened the amount OF human
labor by the discovery and Introduction
OF innumerable kinds Of machinery, and
brought The comforts and lpxuries Of life
TO our doors. IL has snatchcd from its
course the terrific lightning in its fearful
journey through The heavens, and chain.
ed It IKE submissive thing at our feet
disaFmed il OF al its terrOrs. ami shown
us how to control il in its apparent law.