The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-09-18
GENIUS.

mind, Of superior intellectual endowmen.I,
mas at all times commanded the esteem and
admiration of mankind. Religion excepted,
i, is the most exalted gift fallen man Is per-
mlted to enjoy; it alone is She criterion of
true greatness, and by is God-ike power
only arc we enabled to soar above the
Aonian Mount aud bring down from tie
skies the Promethesn flame, whose beams
shall emblazOA with resplendent radiAnce
tbs emanstion from genius. Genius may DO
defined as the peculiar disposition of
mind given TO every man by nature,
which causes him to seek one en-
ployment rather than another. Tho COM
monty received opinion that people are born
to excel in some particular art, science or
profession, Is undoubtedly true. Do We not
poi ceive in childhood u mysterious proclivity
influencing the actions and predictions,
which are fully developed in the man! Tho
genius in embryo, who turns aside from
the bssten highway, now TO hold commun.
ion with delicately.tinged flower, now en-,
dosvorlng to extract from little pebble
some of the secrets Of nstuI., now reclining
GA the banks of sweetly murmuriug
streamlet, trying TO catch .the burden Of
Its joyous song
'Rsptures the while Ma iuroad powers in
flame
Aud Joys delight him which he cannot name, ;,
"a following tho dictates of an impelling
power IS .perceptibly as arc the heavenly
orbs in revolving around their centre. LsS
Dor has been ontsiled upon us by the spos-
tsoy. A kind Providence, however, has SO
constituted us that overy faculty is
expanded and invigorated by frG-
quent exercise. Only by repeated
practice can to obtained the power Of
controlling the operations of tho mind. IN
less this discipline be adopted, the thoughts
will refuse 10 flow in tho desired channel.
And unless person has indsistigsble perS
severance no can never DO said 10 possess
genius. Genius Is tho prompter and instigas
tor of labor and usefulness, and usefulness
the chief object of life. Who has not
sighed TO DO useful? And true, it is, that
science, 1.-THE result Of genius) has uuGolded
her treasures 10 our sight, and who among US
shall strive to crown our heads with her i'm
mortal wreath? There Are many, too many,
who refuse tho lavors that Fame extends 10
them. No thought bu! tina. of gain enters
their heads. and they stop not to consider
that II is debt they .owe their creator to
cultivate the genius lie has given them, hot
only for their own fame and tho pleasure Of
their lellowmen, but for His glory and gratis
ncation. All thoughts, but those thai tend 10
the accommodating of wealth, seem swallowed
up. To be useful and genius, person
must sometimes think of the welfare of
Others. He must not be so completely abb
sorbed in self, or tho cultivation of any lals
ont that everything but that that pertains to
tho perfection Of that talent ia of amor i'm
portsnce. Why are we endowed with gou-
ius and reAsonY Was II not that We might
moro fully investigate the laws of nature,
and apply them in promoting
tho happiness and tho prosperity of man,
and at the same iime increase our reverence
for tho infinite wisdom and goodness OF Him
who placed US horeg Usefulness Is certainly
tho object of life, and strange 1t Is, tina, a
great many of us do not appreciate more full
ly tho truth OF this, and strive hMder
t. DO more useful and do
our duty in this world, so that whom We np.
pear in tho next We shall have the happinss,
to hear tho Gres! Judge say, "Well DONE
thou good and faithful servant" And those
who live useful busy life, are those who
havc cultivated and made of service the
genius they havo been endowed with.
Slowly, yet surely, doos irrevocable time
wing liz way into tho obliviOus past, second
by second, minute by minute, hour BY hour.
docs Il steal away, bearing but the fain,os,
trace Of It's presence. Yet each second and
hour |, counted as one less IN which uo have
10 live; and carries US one step forward,
however small, toward the great day on
which wo must surrender our life 10 Him
who gave H.
---------------------