The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-03-14
Selections Made for the Benefit of tn,
Howard Literary Club.

Howard Literary Club.
'Twixt what thou art and what thou
wouldst be,
Let no 'ir' arise on which to lay the
blame.
Man makes mountain Of that puny
word
But ike blade OF grass before the scythe
1t falls and withers when a human Will.
Stirred by creative force. sweeps toward
its aim.
Thou wilt be what thou couldst be. cir
cumstance
Is but the toy OF genius When soul
Burns with a God-like purpose
All obstacles between il and its goal
Must vanish az the dew before the sun
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
a CALM VIEW"
James Russell Lowell. while repre-
senting the United States at the British
court. attended a public meeting where
some of the speakers deprecated the in
fiuence of Christianity upon men, and de-
clared themselves able TO get along with
out it. The poet diplomat improved the
opportunity TO express his opinion Of what
goddess society would be if it could be
found. It is something for mothers 10
read to their sons as the calm view of a
man who had made success of life It
gives reason, resting upon facts. for
the faith that is a rock upon which
every brave. pure life is built. and the
wind and flood of temptation cannot pre-
vail against a life SO grounded said Mr.
Russell.
=" L am a liberal thinker. but what
ever defects and imperfections may at
tach to few points of the doctrinal sys-
tenn OF Calvin-the bulk of which was
simply what all Christians beIieved-it
Will be found that Calvinism. or any
other ism which claims an open bible
and prOclaims crucified Christ is in
finitely preferable To any form of polity
and polished skepticiSm. which gathers
as its votaries the degenerate sons of
heroic ancestors, who, having been
trained in society and educated i'm
schools the foundations of which were
laid by men of faith and piety, now turn
and kick down the ladder by which they
have climbed up, and persuade men to
live without God, and leave them to die
without hope
THE worst kind of a religion is 10
religion at all: and these men. living i'm
ease and luxury. indulging themselves
in the amusement OF going without re-
ligion. may be thankful that they live in
lands where the gospel they neglect has
tanned the beastliness and ferOcity Of
the men who. but for Christianity might
long ago have eaten their carcasses like
the South sea islanders. or cut off their
heads and tanned their hides. like the
monsters of the French revolution.
" When the microscopic search of
skepticism which has hunted the heavens
and sounded the seas to disprove the ex-
istence of Creator. has turned it's at
tention TO human society, and has found
decency. comfort and security, support
ing and educating his children unspoiled
aud unpoluted; a place where age is
reverenced, infancy protected. manhood
respected, womsnhood honored and hu-
man life held in due rcgard-whcn skep-
tics can find such a place on this globe,
where the gospel Of christ has not gone
and cleared the way. and laid the foun-
dations. and made decency and security
possible lit WiIl then be in order for the
skepticsl literati 10 move thither and
there ventilate their views. But so long
as these very men arc dependent upon
the religion which they discard for every
privilege they enjoy. they may we'll hesi-
tate a little before they geek to rob the
Christian Of his hope anu humanity Of
its faith In Cod who alone has given
men that hope Of eternal life which