Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-07-02
THE VISION OF MIRA.

There is a class OF writer's who seem to delight
in belittiing the individual man. They carry |
the idea that no one person is of any particular |
importance. They tell US of the uncertainty OF
life, aud that in well ordered universe no indi-
vidual should be essential to theicourse of hui |
man events. Addison in the beautiful allegori- |
cal picture of life, which he gives us in his
"vsion of Mirza." represents the world as a
bridge crowded With multitude Of passengers
who are crossing 1t. Concealed in the floor of
the bridge are innumerable trap doors, upon
which the passengers no sooner step than they
fall through into the river below But 1t makes
no difference how many passengers drop
through, there are always others ready to fill
the vacant places, and "Still the long procession
advances apparentl yundiminlshed and uncon-
cerned; the world does not seem to miss any
body. Great men, good men, busy men vanish;
| men in whose hands seemed to !Ie the threads
which control human affairs disappear; but
instantly the threads are in other hands and
withouta jar orany delay those affairs proceed"
| We might infer from this that no particular
man is of importance, and that the world takes
no account Of individuals. One was here yester-
day and is gone to-day. He was religious leader
and 1t seemed impossible for anybody to tai Q
his place. But what has changed since he has
ready filled his place. Or he was great politi-
cal leader, one by whose opinions whole ma
tion was swayed, yet his party still exists and
some one is already speaking in his place. And
daily do we seem to see the truth verified that
"Man is bnt n dried leaf, whirlcd upon the sur
face Of a stream which sweeps OIL needless of
chips and drift OF every degrcc,h And the
individual man is of no importance.
But there is another side to the question.
Simply because church or society or political
party continues after the leader has departed II
does not follow that the leader was unimpOrtant.
Docs not history teach that individuals are OF
great Importance? England surely owes a
debt of gratitude to Cromwell. He alone could
have done what he did for England. HE was
an iron character; man OF terrible and fiery
earncstness, fitted by Divine Providence for the
awful yet necessary part he had to play In the
history of England"
"There was undoubtedly n vague forecast OF
the western world before 1t was revealed, and
there were voyagers long before Columbus who
had sailed over the western horizon. But YET
except for Columbus the New World would not
at that time have been discovered and all that
depended upon the discovery at that time would
have been otherwise. 1t is in this way that the
| individual seems to be essential to the precise
world that we know"
Had Elizabeth Fry dropped through the
Bridge In early life, the inhuman prison systems
of the old world would probably have contin-
ued much longer, filling the world with pain
and adding to the sum OF human misery, but
all the suferinglrcsulting from the delay, had
she died early .has been saved. to humanity By
her
Had Florence Nightengale possessed more love
| ~ alN Nah md fny hp hig.
tory OF the Crimean war might have been differ
ent. Her name, by her unwearied fidelity to
the sick and suffering soldiers has become a
tradition: her life was brave and spotleSs. And
shall we say individual life is of little worth ?
Why then do we mourn for our friends? "Griel
cannot put back the dial so 1t is the secret OF
worldly wisdom TO replace by fresh friendships
those that fade from our path. as we supply by
new blossoms the flowers that fade in our vases.
II any person thinks 1t Is useless 10 cherish
great ideals he has only TO look at the difference
between Gladstone's England and Parnell's
Ireland, and the importance OF individuals be-
comes apparent. mot nations, nor armies
have advanced the race but here and there In
tho course OF ages, an individual has stood up
and cast his shadow over the world"
Almost every step In the progress OF our own
race, has been gained In the face OF opposition
and pTejedce. Our most cherished privileges
have been conquered for us by a geP determined
ones, or perhaps In some instances by single
individual. 1t was not the Continental Con
gress that gained onr Independence, but one
member OF that congress, and had IL not been
for him It is difficult TO say whether we would
now be an independent nation.
We are inclind too much 10 yield 10 the cur
rent and lqat gently along needless OF our own
individual responsibility. person who does
| not possess this quality or virtue, II such II
might be called. 6f individuality, is forever AZ
the mercy of his friends. A cOwardly fear of
displeaslng will keep such one In bondage and
| prevent him from doing anything or being any
Thing. And how piteOus is the spectacle pf d
| human soul which must be guided In Its opin
ions by another equally faulty; what shaInI
| aud self disgust must such one feel when hC
| realizes that he Is not an indiyidunl human be
Ing but "the mere echo Of anotper.'
Shall we then quietly fold oHr hands and SIT
ting idly by, say no one Is indispensable to th,
[ course Of things and that II does not matter
: some one else will equally serve the occasion; I
/. will bo the same a hundred years hence. by M
means there IL a work which We and no othe
n can do The glory Of our life " 70 do somethinl
Z and 10 BE- something. Tho world ought 10 b.
. better for the fact that wo have lived In IT,
o 'lf any youth feels that II Ii useless to sery
A his kind, because his life Is span ana tent OF
= | night ho may well reflect not only that, a
Is Iercles said the earth is the tomb ofilnslrlou
d mep, but also that history is their biography