The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-07-15
WEEKLY CORVALLIS GAZETTE.
Corvallis, July l5, 1881.
GRAFTON
DELIVERED BY HoN.sF. NJ. JOHNSON,
AT BELLToUNTAIN, ON JULY
4TH, 1881.

at She dawning OF the centuries, came the grand
proclamation ffeni He who rules nations as well
as individuals, .'By the sweat OF thy brow shall
thy daily bread be.earned." From this fat OF
the Almighty there was no appeal, and from
that hour man was, destined to depend on. the
muscles of his own right arm and the inven-
ti.n of his brain for livelihood and place. in
the world.
Hard and cruel as that decree may have
seemed to Adam and Eve on that bright morn
ing as they side by side strobe forth from the
am l,rusial bowers of Paradise into the outer
and uncultivated region beyond, that hence
forth was to be the scene of their mutual Ia
bors, yet at this distance removed, ,~whiie We
glance down the long line of ages since elapsed.
we can read in characters unmistakable the
un,ald blessings resulting therefrom.
THUS the progenitors of all the millions that
have, and now inhabit the globe, were ban
ished from ease and luxury. And being thus
deprived from plucking the delicious fruits, in
halIng the aromatic odors, and from basking
with angels along the fowery avenues, associa-
ting with gods talking face to face with the
Creator, loving life, and clinging to each other
with fond tenderness for support, having no
deiLite knowledge of the duties and response
bilities that daily thrust themselves upon them
in IT,. ir new and untried life, they doubling,
fearing, not aware of their strength and power,
careIuiiy felt their way along the untrodden
paths of the earth, fresh from the hands of its
maker. Obstacles like mountains rose before
them, dark and frowning; fear impelled them
onward. No bright star Of hope cheered them;
no sympathizing friend soothed them Jun
known to them were art, science and philoso-
ply. The broad world was their home, the
boundless heaven their canopy. Wandering.
ever wandering, was their career. To them in
the fullness of time came offspring, and they
in turn produced the species, and thus the
stream of human life began to flow and people
the earth. Families, tribes and nations were
tho result.
In the early ages the ideas of government
were crude aud cruel. Might, not right, was
the ruling passion, and consigned its oppc-
nents to untold torture. He who could endure
pain with o stoical indifference to its effect was
esteemed n hero worthy to be crowned with
laurel .and immorteles. Moral courage was
held in allegiance, and the baser passions swayed
and controlled boths governing. and governed.
One nltisn lived by capturing and making
slaves of another, The rights of life and
property were not understood, and consequent
lJ were not regarded. No system of morals
existed save superstitions and cold formalities.
Iaolatry was the prevailing religion, the name
of its gods being legion. No code of laws
adapted to the wants and capacities of the peo-
pie we're promulgated.or adhered to. No seats
of learning were fostered. Passion and ava
rice held the reins of power and guided the
Thus on through the ages, science, art al
religion were neglected, and woman, God's best
gift to man, occupied the place of q munial
and slave. Here and there faint glimmerngs
of higher civilization were occasionally seen,
bat powerless to roll back the pail of darkness
that shrouded the world.
But now the Reformation, with its earnest,
pious laborers in the cause Of religion, human
ity and justice, breaks the fetters that had so
long held the people in ignorance and supersti-
tion. and all Europe became ablaze with the
harmonizing effects that was eleyating the
masses from the lowest depths of moral degra-
dation up to the higher life of intelligence and
moral responsibility.
As though consuming FIRE had swept over
the world DESTROYING whatever might be found
in its burning pathway, the Reformation
burned out the dross and impurities that had so
long been fostering in the body polite, and
lighted anew the love, sympathy. zeal ana
hope of mankind.
Under the benign influences of the Reforna-
tion schools fourished, philosophy received at
tention, art and science were cultivated, music
called forth the sublimer feelings. and together
with poetry, found q lodgment in the popular
hoart. Mankind was beetered by these in1u-
ences, while for time the world advanced
with rapid strides towards liberty, freedom and
pure morals. Still the traces of tyranny lurked
in secret places, and ever and anon would ex-
hibit itself in all its hideous deformity to its
aiders ana soettors, ever watching for and ever
ready TO take advantage OF the hrst opportu-
ntty tnat onered 70 forge anew the chains OF
bondage upon its helpless victims.
Thus on through the centuries down to the
date of the settlement of America can We see
that there was constant struggle between the
powers OF darkness ON the one hand and the
forces OF Christianity and liberty on the other,
sometimes one succeeding ana again the other
carrying on ior SNORT time the spois OF the
contest. let eacn reVoiution brought the peo-
Pc nearer the glorious days OF greater liberty,
larger freedom, and q more exalted and intelii-
gent civilization.
Up to the days OF the founding of the Amer
lean Republic freedom and liberty had been
plants of extremely slow growth. Even in
christian En from whence came the lore
fathers Of our Republic. the Church and State
united to control and dictate to its subjects nor
only their duties to the government, but also
their religious tenett, not even allowing diff
ference OF opinion on matters that pertained to
their highest welfare.
From the CALLING chains of such abject slave
ry the God-fearing men who settled America
isnged to be freed, and when opportunity was
offered tney were not only wiiIng, but counted
It great privilege to leave home. friends,
country, and many OF them ease and wealth
to seek an asylum IN the new world, where they
could enjoy liberty OF conscience. and where
they could erect State founded upon the in
telligence, virtue and patriotism of It's subjects
And on that bleak December morning ol
1920, on the rock Of Plymouth, planted they
the standard Of freedom, and with prayers and
thanksgiving dedicated themselves and Amer
lea to the sacred cause of liberty. There with
the snow covering them as mantle OF purity,
with the grand Old forest and the ooundlesf
deep reverberating the echoes In the grandest
chorus ever heard by mortal, they chanted the