The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-01

hours reflection will impress any one
with the undoubted fact that men are
not living as nature would have them.
Our years have not taught us the
best kind of knowledge, and expert
ence has not ripened into wisdom.
l have no intention of enumerating
the things we have acquired, but we
have done some things we'll and
learned ten thousand useful facts.
Natural science has begun to open
a new book of revelation and show us
what God has said in nature. We
build good locomotive engines. We
have good printing presses turning
out treasures and trash. We issue
daily and weekly papers which peo-
pie read too much. We have learned
to send messages across the sea,
which is a good thing, for the truth
sometimes goes over the wire. Oc-
casionally few thousand dollars are
spent to send us the opinion OF
truly great man. We have learned
how to grow horses that can trot, and
pace mile in little more than two
minutes, and we have the bicycle and
few men who can keep up with the
horses, which some people think are
about the most important develop
ments of modern times. We have
learned many things, but have we
learned yet to grow men? Do we
grow men physically? Men who can
go out into the world with fair show
of happy success? Are we growing
men intellectually? Men who can
think calmly and accurately upon the
duties of life and citizenship? Are
we growing men morally and spiritu-
ally whose thoughts are the soul of
honor, clearness and integrity, whose
aspirations put forth extended hands
to receive the best that God has to
give? A little reflection again and
the question is answered. We have
not learned the art of educating and
making men. A child born into the
world is the crude and undeveloped
material out of which we build man.
hood, and no doubt the best and
Wisest men on earth could startle us
by confessing the relative failure and
success of their careers.
We have many illustrations of the
failure to use this crude material.
Sickness overtakes some and puts
check upon their hopes. Indifferent
and negligent parents permit many
to live on with no attempt at intellect
ual and moral training. We permit
evils to flourish which tempt and de-
spoil the most hopeful. Our prisons
are full, our jails often crowded, our
poor roll astonishing and hundreds
live perpetual drawback to all prac-
tical progress. Every time we walk
upon our streets we have the reminder
that we have as yet not learned how
to build men. Doing many things
SO we'll we have so far not succeeded
in doing the one important thing that
God wills we make our own absorb
ing theme of thought. The question
is put: "Of what use is telegraph
around the world if it does not in
crease the morals of the world7 Of
what useis railroad across the con-
tinent which can carry wheat and cat
tie, and gold from San Francisco to
New York in seven or eight days, if
truth has still to go on foot, or around
by Cape Horn, and takes six months
to make a journey?" knowledge
comes but wisdom fingers" said
Tennyson. This is very apparent
But wisdom must follow knowledge
for that is the order of the march of
years. We may let truth go limping
along through the years, but some
soul is sure to espouse its cause and
help it along.
That the first in excellence is last
in time sustains our hope in immortal
ity. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard
the things prepared in the mystery of
infinite wisdom. That man can see
their outlines by the eye of faith is
proof that he is born of God. In the
midst of long strife he yet beholds
the prospects of perpetual peace.
Loaded down by his selfimposed
burdens he believes the day shall
dawn when he will be told to lay
them aside forever. In his experience
he has never known anything but
imperfection. Around him are the
discordant elements of life and yet he
looks toward heaven where sin shall
be no more, where no sorrow is and
no cheek is stained by tears. Heaven
lies so near him that he punctuates
I;fa hu rAhlo ond aaIf oao~sQo.oo.