Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-21
An Interesting Discourse.

N-@~OO0~S0 delivered by Rev. pr. Dennen at the Third | is published at the desire of one of our prominent citizens:
 Psalms, s:4 what is man thst thou at mindfal o: him?
 | Three questions invoIved-What was man? What is he? What may he become? | l. What was he? That he was far nobler than we see him is proved by variety of | considerations.
 A. There is something in man whichfpoints to higher origin-fragments of intellect, moral faculties, will power, all point back to more regal birth.
 | A. The scriptures mans genealogical chart, trace him back to a high origin. He | is the son of God. Like father like son. He l Is as much like God as the created can be | like the creator. He is but 8 little lower than the angels and is crowned with glory | and honor. He is the climax of all organ | isms.
 c. Consciousness confir ms scripture. There are intimstions and longings enough to make | him feel that he has known better days and is capable of better things. We are all the while dissatisfied with ourselves and are reaching out after something lost. The dim | memory of the world whence we came. 'Trailing clouds of glory'' finger with us
 The fragments of his grandeur still left are further proof of his original strength and beauty. We get our best conceptions of the | spiendor of ancient cities, Balbec, Ninevah | Ehebes, Athens and Rome, from the ruins l still remaining. Walk about Rome, sit un- der the shadows Of her buried, holy demoliSh- ed ruins, or look upon exhumed witnesses of her ancient wealth and splendor. Here are broken, mutileted columns. there are temples and palaces crumbIing into decay. Mark her roads stretching in every direction, like radii of circle, from the Eternal City. Walk out on her Appian ways lined on either hand with the tombs of her dead heroes, orators and statesmen; mark and measure her vast aque- ducts, through which rivers flowed to the metropolis. Do all this and you will have an impression of the vastness and opulence of this old capital of the Caesars you could have in no other way. So the grand and solemn old ruins of Thebes, the great pyramids of Ghezeh and Memphis, impress you with the ancient glory of Egypt under the Pharaohs. HoT dim conception of Ninevah, from the prophets description an ex ceed1ng great city of three days jour ney. Nov that it has been opened up at ! points miles apart, and it's palaces and non uments, it's art treasures exposed, it's wealth and grandeur are visible. Who that treads l itss broad -1huuIed streets and fOUks upUn the evidences of it's grandeur but gets an | impression of it's extent and splendor no de scription could afford. So of Athens and Babylon and Ephesus and Tadmoor. Theil 1 magnifcence is evidenced beyond cavil bJ the extent and opulence of their ruins. l So mans original strength and glory art 1 seen in the magnifcence of his ruin. Lei | any thoughtful person wander amid the ruinE of the human soul, the broken columns anC splintered capitols of intellect, the crumbliDe temple of the affections, fragments of strong and master passions, the strange strength anc weakness of the will, and he will be impress | ed with the idea of what man was and maj at E1o He walks amid the stars. He names thu planets and tells their orbits He measures distances figures cannot express. He turn back the rocky leaves of earth and reads he history and secrets down to the dawn of ere ation. He rides on the wings of the steam We hail each the other underneath the ocean , We shall soon converse across continents.
 His efforts to civiiize and govern his fel lows speak his grandeur. The schools l churches, benevolent institutions sigma r and redeeming proofs of mans original great , nes1 What energy and endurancel Wha tenacity of revenge! How fercely he hates What audacity of will! that dares and defe God himself Man is mighty even in hi wiekedness, towering in his wrath, awful il 1 his brutality, deathless in his hatred, uncon querable in his love. If so great in sin, s' magnificent in ruins, what must he have beel when the arches of manhood were all stand ing, when the temple of the soul stood in it primitive strength, when it's powers were un touched by sins He was surely but htti lower than the angels.
 9 What is mans actual character? Tw' theories; one makes man not only sinful, bu a sinner for being sinful, utterly depraved The other makes human depravity misfor tune, not to be punished. but needing msdi cal treatment. The middle course is the tru one. Man is capable of many high, noble an, worthy deeds, but in a state of nature, i travelling away from home and God.
 3. This is not inevitable. He may be changes to grace and glory This is possible result This is the grandeur of the gospel. We ma arise and return to our original place ant powers with new experiences in our heart and new song on our lips. He lost on Eden, but can gain another more glorious He was driven out of 8 garden. He may re gain city whose builder and maker is God