The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-19
INDIVIDUALITY.

To man fresh from the province. thu pop
ulation of the big centres is very suggestive OF
cobble stones the round average sized rocks.
that are brought down from the mountains
by the foods. that are rolled and jostled
AGAINST one another till they are become
smooth and hard. and almost exactly alike.
Their business is TO roll on with the current.
have all the corners Of their individuality
knocked or worn of. move with the tide and
keep up with the fashion. The perfection
of their society is TO roll on. to have police
men TO take up nonconformsts. ambulances
10 carry of the wounded, and undertakes to
bury the dead. 100
But. alas. to what hardness and insensi-
bility NAV humanity be reduced. With what
wretched non existence are we made familiar
One feels as if personality al were SUPER
seeded and displaced by fashion and
conventionaity. and individual or pri-
vate life utterly lost in the general wbirl.
and manhood and womanhOod ground up IN
the mill of worldliness. Few that are not
more or less slaves TO tailors mantua- makers,
and French cooks; that do not wear their
livery, conform to their drill and pay them
heavy exactions. Even hearts and minds
obey the whistle of idle and sentimental
Underwriters. The atomizing and dessicating
processes of high life. and of the rough roll
and tumble. the grab and scramble Of the
market. prepares the grist for the mill.
and all are worked up together. And
then. the great institutions grow out OF
these preparations. and make show
Of lifeless life. Magnificent hospitals are
presented with managers Of wood and cast
iron. Grand institutions of learning ere en-
lowed. with entellectural automatons TO run
the classes. taskmasters, drying machines
that kill all the buds of life by approved
methods and rules. and the last editions sup
ply all demands with a merchantable article.
And the churches are worked on large scale;
men are saved by the wholesale, and pastors,
after the latest style, run the ecclesiastical
machine
All this sounds like on awful growl. 1t is
not always but largely true. The "Ranun-
culus Glacierls" fourishes by the side of the
glacier And men and women of the most
beautiful types grow and flourish under the
most unfavorable circumstances. And often
very difficulties and hindrances are helps to
the highest perfection. Pluck and devotion
assert themselves. Darkness shows US a
world of light.
Nevertheless, great big crowds and strife
and competition are direful foes to true
growth and development. and it is no small
responsibility to defend and keep alive and
bring to its true expansion and fruit-bearing
the gift of Colour own individuality as we
came into the world. And yet to bring that to
maturity is our highest glory. Hardly any OF us
think so. There's hardly one Of us willing to
take the chances of our natural selves. We
are warped and distorted and instructed and
moulded out of shape before we know of such
thing as II myself" and are fitted and adj
justed TO fictitious existence or vain show.
And that is the reason so many of US are mis-
cradle. and are unwilling to thank Heaven for
our creation and preservation"
Our individuality, that is cramped and i'm
prisoned and abused and dishonored, be-
comes desperate and growls and groans and
talks Of killing itself, and all sorts of unrea-
sonable nonsense. 1t looks to the earth and
beholds trouble and sorrow dimness of the
eyes and anguish. and curses its King and its
God and looks upward. 1t is q machine out of
plumb. Because it is i'll adjusted and out Of
gear it creaks and creaks and must be forever
creased with consolation. and at last grinds
itself to death.
jealous guarding and reverent cherishing
of our individuality before heaven is our first
and last duty TO them in whom we live and
move and have our being. Our truest. high
est perfection is in the worship of the Divine
Original