The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-02-27
record that was traced in characters lhl /

record that was traced in characters thu I
can never fade.
Which is the greater artist-the dis
tinguished sculptor, or the immortal
Webster and his co-laborers?
The sculptor who takes the rough mar
bic. cold and irregular from the quarry
and breaths upon it the conceptions Of
his own genius Gill it wakes to symmetry
and beauty. receives and deserves the
respect and admiration OF mankind.
Ages shall vensrate his name, time shall
chronicle the products of his genius and
poesy shall crown him withlher garlands
of flowers.
The painter who makes the canvas
glow with color and expression till we
almost think it moves with life, is
worthy of our honor and commentator.
Has the faithful, skillful teacher who
patiently labors amid difficulties and
discouragements, having his eye fixed
on the perfection and beauty of his
work, who firmly, yea, II need be, pain
fully extracts or cuts off all useless and
unsigbtly excresences, drawing out in
their full proportion the beautiful and
good in human mind and human char
acter, a vocation more humble or less
deserving?
How insignificant is the labor of the
sculptor or the painter compared with
that of the true teacher The teacher
works upon mind, NOT upon canvas,
marble or brass, but upon living, breath
ing, thinking hInd. He presents us moi
with the image Of the lifeless body, but
he forms the character of the sage and
statesman, He moulds the intellect
He guides, not the chisel or the brush
but the thoughts, the affections, the cor
science and the will. He traces charac.
tiers upon the undying spirit, and the
touches of his pencil, whether they be
of truth or error, wisdom or folly, car
never be erased. He makes pictures
that shall glow in eternity with ruby
light to brighten the crown Of bis re
joicing, or to emblazon the sentence 'ha
shall seal his ruin. Connected with tn
teachers Office are responsibilities hlgf
as heaven, deep as hell, and boundless Al
eternity. Who can contemplate then
unaccompanied by prayer to God fol
the assistance of His wisdom and grace
How important then, how high and holy
is the teachers work ! Mind is entrust
ed to his care-mind, whose influence
under God, Ia eternal and omnipotent.
Teachers, what work so grand, so great as thine
What else so powerful in good or i'll :
Responsibility is thine, OF weight
So crushing, endless God must be thy guide
Or thou will fail in duty and in skill.
No coarse material receives thy touch,
No common mail Bile that II rudely cut,
AS worthless may be spurned and thrown aside,
But tits ETHEREAL, immortal mind
On which thy brain its lines must trace, spark
OF Gods divinity. How fearful then,
This work of thine How careful thou shoulds
be
No flaw deface it, and no want of skill
| Which industry or wisdom can supply,
| Revolving lines of error, cause to be,
Or want of symmetry in thy design.
How sacred, high and holy is thy trust
What treless thought, what care and skill, i
claims
| For right discharge Of duties difficult!
When thou thy best hast done, thou then wilt feel
That better work there might have been thai
| thine.
There comes not from the lips of man, reward,
And worldly honors, fame, are not for thee;
But God above will scutinze thy work,
And from Him, thou, the artist wilt receive
The changeless sentence Of thy final doom.
Lucy 5. RUGGLEs