West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-08-15

fet. george Y. Ledcb.
Announcing as texts Lev. %; 3,
etc, and Prov. 27; %, ETC., Mr.,
Leach proceeded:
"Thc latter text is an exhorta-
ton to diligence in husbandry, as
superior to other forms of wealth,
even that Of royalty. 1t is confirm
ed by history. A people, strong in
It's tillers of the soil, whatever
calamities may come, never loses
It's power to rise to strength.
The attempt to organize a new
Agricultural Association in our
inidst, presents good time to ex-
anime the methods and results of
these so called Agricultural Asso-
citations, which abound throughout
the land. | have little, indeed, to
do with the mere financial ends.
But when they pass, by their
methods, into the sphere of morals !;
when they become transgressors on
good morality, and educators of the
people in the violation of law, then
Il faithful ministry may not shrink
from pronouncing upon them
Should it fail to do so, it would
soon fail to be respected. Not simp-
ly private morality but national
and municipal and associated
morality come within it's sphere
AS the herald Of a God of purity it
is to cry out against such evil.
First, then: The theory under
lying these associations is a lauda-
DE one. Agriculture must always
rank as noble calling. From the
giving of Eden to Adam to dress
and keep, to the present, the most
exalted characters have adorned It's
walks, The possibilities of this
eSoa-given vocation should be bet
ter known. Behold in India, woman
yoked with the OK, to rude stake
FOR a pillow! Go to the field Of old,
md see the rude sickle with which
they painfully saved their yield !!
Go to the threshing floor where
women and cattle sweat to Gull the
grain! Then come home; witness
the gang or steam-plow;- turning
IT'S widths of sodded wealth; or the
modern Binder" with beautiful
measure, laying it's sheaves as SER
ried ranks resting upon their
narch or the modern ''Vibrator"
with its music, picking and clean
ing and bagging ready for the mill,
while in yonder mansion, Woman,
queen of mans affections, hears its
blessed anthem celebrating her
own emancipation, and her empire
of love. My friends, it is right
that machinery should be exhibi-
ted and compared; that our ami
mails should be improved that our
products should be enlarged. So
as to our arts; our applied science.
Ill this adds to the comfort of man
and gives him leisure to bestow on
his highest good.
These exhibitions are as vivid
object lessons to attain this end.
As the ceremonies of Judaism lifted
men to the spiritual, so through
the senses in this matter, men are
exalted.
The method of these exhibitions
Is admirably adapted to attain this
y few DAYS spent in such examina-
ton will teach some men more
than the study Of years.
Thus by observation and practi-
cal study art has ever been advanc-
ed. The sculptor, the painter, the
engineer thus obtain their treas
ares of knowledge and skill.
| bear then, cheerful testimony
to the value of the right working
of the great idea! The expositions
at Chicago, of railway material and
methods; at Atlanta, of the cotton
king; at Cincinnati, of general
industry and art; at Paris, of cleo
trical methods, where our own Edi-
son and his compeers seemed to
have called in the spirits of Frank
lin and Galvani to help them har-
ness the fairies of the poles to auro-
raj cars for the benefaction of the
human race-who can over esti-
mate their good? So, the glory
and benefcence of our great Cen
tennial at Philadelphia, the expo
sitions at Paris, Vienna and the
ft~ucto' po1ooa