The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-11

life In the misunderstanding Of It. Many
. poor fsllow under the notion that books
are knowledge, and that knowledge 10
power. has spent the best part Of bic life In
dridsery to md at last only that much
study 10 WEAKNESS Of the nesh.
knowledge 10 not slways power. man
rnay b "laboriously useless, and inge-
niously Improbable" and most lesrnedly
good for nothing. But - darkness 10 dis
abling and makes US helpless, and light
shows 10 how and what 10 do 10 help our
solves, 90 ignorance makes us helpless, and
knowledge opens our eyes to things as they
are, their uses. qualities and adaptations
showing Ne the causes OF things and how to
work them. Tho highest and most
important knowledge and light that
man needs a. man moving
smsng men, 10 the knowledge Of himself
and Of men. The power that acts 10 hin-
self. The powers that he has TO conflict
and deal with and control or be controlled
BY, are men. And man IL only prepared to
live and At to live, AID up to the high priv
legss of manhood, As he il acquainted with
himself, with humanity and with men.
The Scriptures give the true view OF
man; . little lower than the angels, crowned
with glory and honor; most honorable, NEST
dignined, but tossed from his high estate.
Shakespeare, the high human mirror, pre-
sents him, noble in reason, infinite in facul.
tIss, In action Ike an angel, in spprehen-
sion like god, the beauty Of the world, the
paragon OF animals. So divine light and
the human reflection cooperate. Shakes
pesre's works are illustrative OF Scripture,
NAY bs taken ~ natural 10 revealed re-
lisisn. The dramatist held the mirror up
TO nature and showed 1t answering TO the
divine wsrd. The man that reads the
Scriptures, In 9 high business way, to learn
The meaning Of humanity and the true &C.
count OF man. and studies himself and so
ciety by that light, sees life and man and
men 10 tho dramatic poor player strut.
ting and fretting his hour upon the stage,
the very sctIsn and coloring and warmth Of
life itself.
! Divine and natural truths are the right
ard high food OF men, And it Is not won
derful that they who feed on such food OF
intellect and heart, fortify themselves by
their strength, enlighten themselves by
their light, and inspire themselves by their
inspiration, should be the highest and no.
best and wisest Of their kind.
Ofthe divine writings 1t was said: "The
verbs that 1 speak unto you they are
spirit, they are lifs." To animate and dig
| nifty 10 the very nature Of truth. 1t is the
"pahulum principium," the food OF MOBILES.
1: 10 to the honor Of this age that 1t ia imps-
tient Of useless learning; but asks for COM
pendiuns, dgests, indexes, cOncen-
hsted light, hsnd-books Of manhood
Or senss, ready for use. The man Of
eur day asks for electricity that
gives both light and power, knowledge iden-
titled with actlon-s word and blow-light
and life. And he 10 best prepared 10 appre-
slste the injunction to the typical order Of
men, "Only be thou strong and very cour-
ageous. This book Of the law shall not de-
part out OF the mouth. But thou shalt med
itste therein day and night 80 thou shalt
make thy way prosperous, so thou shalt
| find great success"