Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-09-30

On another occasion an ostrich thrust
his head into Il narrow hole. He had
moment before been in the full glare of
the sun. but in The dark ness he saw moth
ing, so he communed with himself: II
see no sun, see nothing; therefore, there
is no sun, no nothing. Up to this time
have been dreaming" But the heritage
kept on growing, and the ardent sun
looked after the neglected eggs aud gave
the final warming influence to hatch out
anot her generation OF ounces.
There are people in the world no pro-
Tess to be good, they bend the knee in the
sanctuary, they give freely OF their
money, they shout loud "Ameus'; until
some fatetul day they come tumbling
down in local esteem; FOR this Sunday
school superintendent or that deacon has
robbed a bank or wrongcd "A woman, or
any one OF II long list OF things that ruin
life and bring disgrace on fair careers.
Then i the favorable time Tor the human
ostrich to come along in the form Of
young man, full OF questtoaing- in hi-
mind, and iuli OF conceit when his mind,
u
up. He argues thus TO himself; w hat
did So-aud-Sn profess? Ghristliness.
VIVA, did he doe Stole even poor Wild
ow's mite. On what did he base his re
ligion? The bible. Who j. supposed To
give authority TO the bihio? Cod There
fore. viii not believe in God nor he BIZ
BILE nor religion"
,
things are true and what are untrue, but |
want you to see the charming duncery OF
your logic. Let me show YOU your own
ostrich way, in mirror. All the
ancients We're prepared to swear that
the earth was fiat and the sun its
attendant satellite. They were even
prepared to Kill those who would testify
differently. But while they We're profess
ing to run the universe to suit their mar
row minds, what Was the truth? The
earth was globuiar. and its orbit around
the sun had been practically unchanged
for ages. Now it is evident that all
these millions, Ignorant OF the truth,
believed in untruth, and yet all their
myriad minds did neither affect nor him
der the planets in their appointed
journeys.
Again suppose we all with one accord
should deny the existence OF the sun, we
should merely proclaim our own blind
ness and the sun would not be affected
particle. Il would be still there, hang
ing holly above US, and our denials OF its
existence would be indescrioab bic not hing.
Now suppo-ing God to exist; the sacred
books OF any number OF different
ligions with any number OF different in
accuracics lived forth by any number OF
irightful frauds iekirs OF flindu-tan or
evil men aud thieves in Christian
churches do not aff.c; His existence or
put Him aside. il lie * It, a million
denial- OF His existence amour, to moth
ing more than did ages OF ignorance III
relation to the power that kept our globe
cireliHg.
II a basic fact OF the universe be true, 1t
has been true always and always VIII be
true, even il never discovered. Think of
the modern claiming OF electricity and
you will see what mean. The wondrous
power We now control to pun our trains,
light our rooms. cook our meals, has been
here long a. the world has existed. 1t
is a truth OF nature and still would be,
even though we never had wrenched its
secret forward into light.
My brother ostrich, let US think fur
ther one step of the one whose failures
have made you hide your head. | reckon
you would regard him as inexpressibly
stupid who tried to picture to himself the
Grant or Washington monument, with
nothing before him but sharp-edged
chip. Its rough appearance, its danger
Gus points, its unfinished and unpublished
sides are not the right things by which
to estimate the original OF which it is
memento. Think now, II you please, OF
those wretched failures among men and
women OF good profession, and learn
what | would argue concerning them.
Mere fragments are they, and bear no re-
semblance to the grand block OF which
they were once part. They have caused
you heretofore to bury your head from
the sunlight OF day. Open your eyes now
and a wholesome world, growing more
and more full Of great things, learned to
be true ia YOURS to look upOn and dlsDOrt