Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-06-13
PRIMITIVE STATE q OF F;i MAN. m
BY the Bishop of the Church of Di.
vine Fragments.

1 - PANNoSSA row AiO SupcEudluThl
beings at hand to warn him of those wants
which arise only from his senses, or to in
struct him in those duties which spring only
from his wants. Like unto other animals with
out experiences OF the past, without foresight
of the future,he wandered In the depths of
the forests guided only and governed by the
affections Of his natures by the pain Of hun.
ger he was led toeeek food, by the inclem-
ence of the air he was urged to cover his
body, and he made him clothes; by the at
traction of powerful pleasure he approach
ed fellow being and perpetuated his race.
Thus, the impression which he relieved
from every object awakening his faculties,
developed by degrees his understanding and
began to instruct his profound ignorance;
his wants excited industry, dangers formed
his courage; he learned to distinguish useful
from noxious plants, to combat the elements,
to pursue his prey, to defend his life; and he
thus alleyiated his miseries. in 70.
Thus self love. aversion to pain, the desire
of happiness were the simple and powerful
incentives which drew man from the savage
and barbarous state in which nature had
placed him; and now, when his life is replete
with enjoyment, when he may count every
day BY the comforts il, brings, he applauds
himself and says: at is who has produced
the blessings that have enoompassed me, the
blessings that now surround me; a safe
dwelling, convenient clothing, wholesome
and abundant nourishment, smiling, fertile
hills and lpopulous cities, all is my works.
without me this earth would be given up to
disorder-would have been but filthy pen,
a savage forest, a hideous desert. ,(At this
stage of his discourse the cry of the news
boy is heard in the land, all about the great
flood at Johnstown, ten thousand people
drowned. the city swept away; only one cent,
plesses onlv one cent-all about the food for
a cent? Brethren, theory ofthis boy strikes
me something like the red light swinging
across the, track, strikes the vision of
the engineer, we will call halt, or rather a
recess for half an hourto investigate. -.e '..'-'
% (On reassembling The Bishop spoke as fol-
lows:) After reading the telegram brought
to our notice, 1 am convinced that there are
many Of our faith and belief that have been
swept away by this besom of destruction.
And in order to show respect for our un.
fortunate brethrens we will change the order
of our services from the Primitive State of
Man to that Of his final dissolution. Nature
has established laws, 1t is our part ito1obey
them, and We should listen to the words of
reason and profit by experience. 1t is but a
few years since that an accident of this Mind
on smaller scale, happened in an'eastern
state, but the warning was unheeded-who
will ever be able to restrain the lust of
wealth in the strong and powerful! Who can
enlighten the ignorance of the weak Who
can teach the multitude to know their rights
and force their chiefsIto perform their du-
ties. Thus the race OF. man seems always
doomed to suffer, and it seems that all that
remains for man of virtue to do is to join
his ashes to those of the tomb, that all there
is of virtue is in dying gracefully. The
wicked man is indefatigable in consumating
his crime and the Just lis discouraged from
doing good at the first obstacle he meets.
There was probably never time in the
history of this country, that the value of time
could be so fully appreciated as on that fatal
Friday afternoon, and there were. many like
the dying Elizabeth-eager to exchange mil
lions of money for that inch of time on
which life or death depended. And as we
read of the hasty burial of thousands of un-
recognized dead, we reverently pause in