The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-06
A KEYNOTE.

KEYNOTE.
A pretty story is told Of the great artist
who painted the Christus Judex-Christ
in Judgment. Early In life he felt, within
himself. the impulse Of genius. and con
cejyed the idea Of presenting on canvas
the gentle and lowly Saviour TRANSPORTED
into the terrible judge OF all the earth'
But whence was he 10 catch the reallza-
ton, to strike the spark that was to
light up his mind. 10 take the keynote
Of the grand performance? lie went 10
see great masterpieces; he got signt Oh
great men; he visited distinguished as
semblies: but nothing answered the yearn-
Ing Of his soul; and he went on sad ana
hopeless. At last. by a strange colnci-
dence. a Jesuit heard of him. and. from
his death bed, sent him word to so into
the wilds Of America, and see the race
of Rock on the Mountain. The message
gave him new courage. After months
Of persistent toll and hardship he caught
sight Of the longed-for object. At once
his soul was fired. He had taken the
key-note OF a grand effort. And the work
was done.
The tale is a beautiful allegory. and at
once suggests the great business or ire
Every man was made for immortality
Heather and Christian proclaim the di-
yineness OF humanity. 81 said ye are
gods" was an utterance worthy Of inspi-
ration. The little bigness Of the com
monplace great, Is the grimmest OF bur
lesques. What a picture is that Of the
great poet:
Within the hollow crown
That rounds the mortal temples or the
King,
Keeps Death his court; and there the an
tic sits
scofling his state and grinnins at MS
pomp:
Allowing him breath. a little scene,
To monarehize, be feared, and XIII with
looks.
Infusing him with self and vain conceit.
As II the flesh that walled about our Ire
Were brass impregnable; and humored
thus.
Comes at last. and with a little pin,
Bores through his castle walls
And, fdTcWcl, hluBt
That was not the immortality we were
made for; to play big, go out Ike can
die. and be lied about.
Every man feels. In his inmost being the
germ Of immortality that refuses to be
ouenched He knows that he was MADE
for something great. Call II the inspira-
ton OF genius or conscious immortality
II you please. And in his early days
he looks around and hunts FOR KEY
note OF NE The greatest OF philosophers
tells OF this common yearnins; the earn
est expectation OF the creature waiteh
for the manifestation OF the sons OF God
That nainter looking for his inspiration,
his idea, his keynote stands for every
man. The devil knows all this; and ne
has his vile limitations placarded all over
the earth; advertised by newspapers; I'M
mortallzed in biographies; paraded In
history And the homes soul looks every
where for his idea and keynote, 10 ma
| only disappointment and disgust some
times he thinks he finds II, and oehold
the substitution: The greatest, w1sest'
meanest OF mainland And one after an
other ne rejects the ideals. He throws
them from him as Hamlet Yortc's skull.
Alas! how often this disgust ends in des-
| peration! Disappointed manhood, otteher
than unrequited love. drives men into the
| senseless dashes of ambition, aNarlce'
gambling, and drunkenness. Happy 'he
man who can. with our painter, bear on
trudge, endure, and hope. long. wait ana
watch for the keynote Of an honoraoie
manhood. and a noble life; till the day
dawn and the day-star arise in the heart
Saul OF Tarsus was every inch man.
| He followed the glimmering light OF
manhood lat any cost, miserable and
| causing misery in his vain pursuit. But
at last the keynote sounded and rever-
berated IN the chamber Of his inmost
soul. and he entered upon the accom-
pllshmeat Of the grandest life that was
ever led on earth. What flash OF light
was that shat overwhelmed him on his
wayl And what a splendid. heroic
poem is the brief story OF his life The
keynote OF his life is: BE we followers
Of me. as | am OF Christ"