The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-16


to put drop of water in the palm of
his hand, that a student clasping the
other hand at the same time and
looking into the water, might read
the thoughts of the sage as they were
passing through his mind. So, if we
look into the history of words, we
will be enabled to discover many in
teresting facts and characteristics of
the people with whom they origin
ated.
The salutations of different ma
tions, or races, illustrate the truth
fulness of this statement. The "sa
laam" of the Arabs and Hebrews is
expressive of their good nature, as
they greet one another on meeting or
passing. The Egyptian welcome,
"How do you perspire9" asserts that
they dwell in hot climate and are
subject to fevers and changeable
conditions. It would seem that the
state of the climate concerns them
most, forcing them to be constantly
on their guard against sunstrokes.
The Turks greeting is, "MaY your
shadow never be less," signifying
sunny land and intense heat at mid
day. A long shadow implies oblique
rays from the sun, and so they wish
friends to be blest with the morning
and evening sunshine that they may
enjoy cooling influences. The Ro-
mans were given to daring deeds and
mighty achievements, and as the out
come of such a nature they were
wont to welcome one another with
"salve," meaning, be strong and
brave. The Germans say on coming
together, "How goes it," which sig
nifes dreamy mood and a philoso-
phizing state; and as they separate
they bid adieu with Give WE'LL" i'm
plying may you have sufficiency of
lager beer and Bologna sausage.
The Frenchmen meet you with "How
do you carry yourselfp pointing to
style and manner. They want the
hat, bonnet, coat and dress to fit to a
charm that they may be unconscious
of these appendages, and SO be nat
ural and graceful. Our own GLOW do
you do?" is characteristic of the An
glo-Saxon race. By the repetition
of "do" vim lis expressed which is
peculiar to Americans and English
men. Their language and institu-
tions are conquering the world. John
Bull is unfortunately given to boast
ing and swelling, saying, 81 and
you," and Uncle Sam is inclined to
be impudent and unyielding. The
former, no doubt, will be driven by
the latter from their seal and fishing
grounds. There can be no question
but both nations are too much given
to getting wealth at any hazard, and
so they are racing to secure all the
gold and diamond fields. In all
probability, if Nansen has discovered
the North Pole, they will try their
hand at exploring for gold under the
depths of Artic SHOWS. To their
minds at present the sun shines to
afford the day for accumulating
riches and the stars burn by night to
guide merchant ships safely into
port.
Modern education decidedly en-
phasizes the utilitarian idea. Do the
flowers bloom in beauty, sending out
their sweet perfumes and dropping
pearls of dew, simply to replenish
the pocket of Dives? Do the birds
carol in the morning and sing ves-
pers at evening, to enhance temporal
richest Do the breezes that fan your
brow and cool your feverish pulse,
whisper of some far-off Ell Dorado?
o, no, all the good things of this
world are of intrinsic value, because
they lead us to their Author and ac-
quaint us with his love and goodness.
1t is precisely thus with language.
We cannot know its worth without
tracing it to its source. Emerson has
aptly said that language is fossil
poetry" AS he unlocked it's mys-
teries, how the muses. did sing to him.
We often hear and read of dilapi-
dated fortune, which is certainly po-
etical for as you stand by an old
castle, whose stones are falling one
after another and ruin is stamped
upon every part, is it not dilapidated2
Has not the financial crash of '94
buried many fortune deep in rub
bish?
When a friend remarks, al am 60
ing to be frank with you," you under
stand him to mean that he will be
honest, just and noble. Well, how
did such meaning get into the word
"Frank"7 In the early history of
Germany clan emigrated from her