Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1889-07-27
Eternity.


and the successive age to come. we can
only have faint conception Of the end.
less duration ~ eternity. Countless BILL
lions Of years hence will be. purchance.
the same as now; for years incalculable
IN number have already gone by, yet what
an immensely Of eternity has been, and Is
being fulfilled, and what Is to he. Well
may we stand In mute amazement and be
COMPOUNDED at the very conception Of
eternity. II Is impossible to conceive Of
a period when eternity was not. As well
might we endcavor TO understand the
great Spirit II ~ beyond comprehension.
Eternity Is far more boundlcss than space.
There was period when out Of nothing
space was formed. How staggering 10
the mind Of man Is Its limitlcss distance
So great, that IL were possible TO find the
extreme hiihcr side Of space, and from
thence II body could fall downward
with the greatest known velocity, with.
out being hindered In any way whatever,
II could never possibly arrive at the oppo.
site side. We behold in Its vast fields
countless numbers Of immense planets,
satellites aud stars, Of themselves almost
unreasonable In size, moving with perfect
freedom and great swiftncss In the bound.
less regions OF space, without collision or
mishap, and at immense distances from
each other.
Eternity is boundless beginning before
the memory Of man or this world; and
will still he In existence when perhaps
this earth with It's In habiiants will have
long ceased to exist. This is only our
weak idea Of the great eternity. Poor,
piiful man. how much must he still learn
of tina, segment Of eternity which we are
pleased To name time. simply because we
Of this plane, notice the successive risings
and settings Of the great sun that sheds
It's beneficial rays Of light and heat over
our earth. The succession Of days and
nights. weeks, months, years and ages. rs
1 they roll by is time In human conception.
We know hut little oi time, but of It's Of.
icc,s we must continc ourselves to this
earth, as what has happened 10 other plan
cts, whether they are inhabited, their his.
tories can only be conjecture to man OF
this earth In his journey from the cradle
10 the grave. The irreprcssible spirit Of
man Is perceived over the entire earth.
Man stands pre.emincntly forwerd-is the
mos, perfect being in form, - mind in
all the vast universe. Of oh We have
any comprehension. III Gems TO make
everything n slave of 4 wishes; he re-
moves hills, ,unneY mountains, builds
immense cities, re,f les forests. changes
the courses of rivers, dares the tempcsts ol
the angry oceans. seeks out every place
under the sun, changes the very face Of
nature with his master touch, and even
makes the lighting ol heaven the mcssen.
ger of his thoughts, Nothing seems to
daunt his prowess There is no one who is
not sorrowful at the rayages of Time,
whether caused by human or elemental
violence What NIGH, and power have
been s,illcd by the eyer onward march of
time Where is now the ancient splcndor
of the world: Babylon. Athens, Rome,
lave gone. We pause when we rcilcc, on
the ever restless changes OF time In It's
flight. Nations have come forth, fourislied
and disappeared for ever. Governments
tina, are now nearly powerlcss have been
stron gland mighty Others have long ago
ceased 10 exist. Where now is the once
MI powerful and conqucring COVE rnment
Of proud old Rome, that ruled the world,
and WHO was only limited by the
condnf nth. The conqnering
arms Of 4, t. j.. no focman worthy Of
their valor, and subjugated nearly the en-.
ire human race. Where now are the gifted
senators and brave generals of Rome
Her orators, poet, scholars. states
men. painters, artists. all passed away.
There stands scarcely remnant Of the
! proud nlstIcss of the world, and above
her ruins to day rises but II mockcry of
the eternal city Of komc; her glory. learn
ing and splendor have passed into the
hungry, yawning sepulchre Of Time. The
dus, Of the pa,rcian and plebcian of the
once mighty Rome commingle together
\ similar sad fate has relentless Time
melted out 10 the learned Athens, the Gre
chm capitol; her philosophers her once
justly envicd schools of learning, her
Acropolis and magnificent architecture
have disappeared under the never ceasing
cravings of Time. The cnyic,l beauty
of Babylon her wonders, her gardens Of
the air, with all her voluptuous luxuries
have persisted. How many changes have
taken place in The history Of the world,
and are now and will forever take place
~ long ms time shall last Every mOnu.
mcni that man may erect Ia cOmmemO.
rate his powers and greatness, however
strong and permanent every landmark,
though il he of adlnmant. must go the way
ofnll earthly things. at the relentless com.
mands Of rcmOrscless time. aud no trace
Of them shall remain II Is u sad fate, but
nevertheless "a sure one that awaits all.
we utHuu WIN IcNcIeHcc HHt HNc ihc
greatness Of the Creator In the sublime
+ and beautiful architecture 81 the Heavens;
the immensely Of his handiwork Is In
every direction. oh! how vast and nigh.
/ ~ Is the universe: How full Of admira.
/ ton is the thought ~ God How almigh.
~ and eternal Aud reason rs We may
on the vas, magnitude al space. on the
endless duration Of eternity, on the desc.
laiions Of time, and an the beautifully
pruporlioned heavenly systems. we can.
mt understand them All. and the stu.
pcndous thought that the Great Eternal
created all thing, in time. space and e,cr-
nifty is Tar beyond onr ken. We can hut
admire In silent ainazemcni. for our rea.