The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-04-02

being. He got for answer, not as he as ked but
the reply was: ~ will make all my goodness
pass before thee. And will proclaim my name
before thee, but thou canst not see my face /;
there shall no man see me and liye''
Nevertheless, men from that day to this have
dem snded that they should see Gods face. In
vain for them the benefcent seasons pursue
their constant round. and proclaim the Creators
name; in vain for them does God show His
glory in the illumined souls of men; in vain for
them that
"Step by step
Since time began
Is seen the steady gain of man."
In vain for them the developement of the re-
ligious nature in the race. So that. despite
tn warnings, delays, sin and its hindrance, man
is ever seeking the ALTAR stairs that slope
through darkness up to God i" In vain all these
revealings of Gods guidance an glory, GER
tain class OF persons stand off agape. insisting
upon the tangible visible appearance of Him
who dwelleth in the farthsst and nearest Heav-
ems, and because the Eternal will not show His
face. because they see Him not with eyes of
flesh, discern Him not by physical senses, have
neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen
His shape, fall into distrust, unfaith. Now
when person comes to these sloughs and fixes
there, no help can come to such until its folly
appears to him or her and new will is exer-
cised and q more revereut mood is sun moned.
Such are fitly described as follows:
"0h. where is the scar" the fishes cried,
As they swan the crystal clearness through
We've heard from of old of the oceans tide.
And we long to look on the waters blue.
The wise ones speak of the infinite sea;
oh, who can tell us if such there be2''
The lark flew up in the morning bright.
And sung and balanced on sunny wings;
And this was its song: ~ see the light,
look DER a world of beautiful things
But flying and singing everywhere.
In vain have searched to find the air.
Lowell. in his latest poem entitled How /
Consulted the Oracle ofthe Gold Fishes" gives
us, with a master poets skill of expression, ar
seer's subtlety of thought. the true interpreta-
tion of the mystery of being. Looking at two
gold fishes in a globe. he thus exquisitely med
itates:
1.-Two fishes in a globe of glass,
That pass, and wayer and repass.
And tighten that way and then this.
Silent meditation is.
With a half humorous smile see
In this, their aimless industry,
There errands nowhere and returns.
Grave as pair of funeral urns
This ever seek and never End.
A mocking image of my mind.''
"Manna is dropt you thrice day
From some kind heaven not far away.
And still you snatch its softening unbs.
Nor more than we. think whence it comes.
No toll seems yours but 10 explore
Your cloistered realm from shore to shore;
Sometimes you trace its limits round,
Sometimes its limpid depths you sound.
Or hover motionless midway,
Like gold-red C ouds at set of day;
Ere long you whirl with sudden whim
OF to your globes most distant lim,
Where, greatened by the watery lens.
Methnks no dragon of the fens
Flashed huger scales against the sky -
" If lesson none, an image, then.
Impeaching self-conceit in men
Who put their confidence alone
In what they call the Seen and Known.
How seen? How known AS through your glass
Perplexingly, then subtly wrought
To some quite other thing by thought.
Here shall my resolution be:
The shadow of the mystery
Is haply wholesomer for eyes
That cheat us to be overwise,
And I am happy in my right
To love Gods darkness as his light -
Still it remains true, more true than we COM
monty suppose with those whose higher per-
ceptions are but little cultivated or exercised,
that they have little confidence in what does
not appear within the range of sensible things
It throws uncertainty for them over the most
manifest realities. when they are manifest only
to the contemplation of the mind or the need of
the human heart, And even they who are not
unused to reflection. and not unacquainted with
moral judgments. are often found craving the
further evidence of sight in confirmation of
that which their very nature reveals and the
testimony of heaven and earth has established.
Men who thus flooded with evidences of God
and of His rule and power. continually impress
ed. often feeling a pulse o. nsriration and of
purpose, lifted. at least stirred at times with
a feeling of Cody trust. yet rs often halting
doubling and questioning can never move. ad-
vance, or be moved or advanced until they are
swayed by tide of feeling and purpose that
lifts them from ruts and shoals. and bears them
to the deeps of constant reliance of steady and
bouAdless faith.
As the days of the past summer went by, while
tarried on the coast of Maine. watched every
day. and repeatedly, old ocean turned upon it
self, and, remembering the shores and harbors,
rolled its vast bulk of waters along the stretch
ing miles of coast. penetrating to every inlet
tage of its mighty lift. The mud fastened craft
felt its encrcling tide and raised upon its bosom
was borne to shoreless and unislanded waters.
The richly freighted vessel weighed its harbor
anchor, or severed wharf moorings, and with
friendly tide and favoring breeze, sped the
watery track to lands beyond the seas. But
the skeleton frame or half made hulk begun In
some impulse of enterprise, and yet never
launched into the waves. for it the tides came
and went. but it moved never. Forever on the
edge of enterprise, forever limiting of move
ment, bat moveless.
Like these seem many church attendants
Sloughed in the confusion of many and idle
questions, the tide which might lift goes over
the anchor which might be weighed. gropes at
the bottom and among the rocks for more OBJ
stinate grapple. The launch into Gods wide |
ocean of faith is never made, though at times
there is hint of tremor and impulse. These are |
the saddest wrecks. the unlaunched wrecks that
decay. Unknown to sQch the exhilaration of |
,he upholdiDg and expansive sea! The glad |
pound of the ocean born and earth liberated
they wait. demanding to see Gods face; they
vajt insisting that they shall see the other side
# the ocean ere they will launch upon this side;
hey wait, asking to know all before they will
ct upon what they know.