Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-06
High Art.
observations of a Philosophical Friend
of Ours)

of Ours)
"Crescit in cculto."-Horace.
| unseen yet crescive in his quality
Shakespeare.
There IS an accepted maxlm-ars est
celare artem-it is art TO conceal art.
The meaning Of It IS that the work shall
! be accomplished and the result reached
as IL by natural process. God said.
Let there be light, and there was light.
The Will Of the Divine Artist was wis
dom and power. and perfection.
The wise man tells US: Prepare thy
work without in the field, and so build
thy house. And so he did get ready the
gold and silver and marble and alabaster
and precious stones, and cedar, and
everything beautiful in the earth, and
measure and shape and form them and
adopt them for his great work: OFF in
the mountains and in the field And
the Temple Of Solomon, without any
sound of the hammer or of the tool OF
the workman, grew into being, the ad-
miration of all the world and of all
time-wonderful for science, for art, for
skill. for wealth, for workmanship, for
elegance, and beauty, and grace, de-
claring the glory of Him that inspired
It, and yet hardly suggestive Of human
hand or effort: In its bright radiance and
collateral light, so far above common
humanity Human Skill was swallowed
up in accomplishing the will OF Heaven
Constant, devoted, reverent, single
hearted study, and observation finds and
lays up the ideas. principles, and ele-
ments OF great works-wthout, in the
field: And gentle and loving diligence
adapts them, and perfects them, while
an ever-ruling Providence shapes their
ends. 1t is not In man, that walketh
or worketh, to order or direct his works
or his steps. Man proposes, God disposes {:
And this. in all the concerns of
life, the least and the greatest affairs.
our diligent practice is little more than
the exercise of the young musician ad-
justing the movements of her fingers 10
the little projections that make up the
great piece and performance. When we
and ours are subdued to the will of the
great Designer, and every thought of
the heart is brought into obedience to
the law OF love, then the highest art
is accomplished. Law reigns; perfection
is reached.
How beautifully IS all this philosophy
illustrated I'm developing, instructing, dis
ciplning furnishing, and perfecting man
and woman. The common man is
botched and bungled up Of any sort of
material that can be gotten together
good, bad, and indifferent-put up after
the prevailing fashion and style, or no
style; hacked and hewed, nosily and
4i.o oil oeTs IN or
n living and pass in a crowd, being the
ruling idea. and what composite re-
suit IS the average general mana lit
tie of everything, and generally nothing
IN particular.
The true man and woman grows and
perfects in a different way; more in ac-
cord with his kin, the lilies, and oaks.
and crystals. and other beings or Ills
pasture, and sheep of his hand These
wait on God; their strength and life and
comeliness are out Of the Divine heart;
of His make. as branches OF His planting
that lie may be glorihed. Their elements
come out of the air. Their discipline ami
cherishing do not bespeak rules ana reSu-
cations and harsh discipline and human
manipulation. AS beautiful buildings
there Is no suggestion or sound o. the
hammer or the saw, or the file about
n.
honest. and Just, pure. lovely, and Of good
report. And their elements are not
bought from the shops, caught from the
crowds. nor picked up by the wayside.
TO such the business Of life is to refuse
the evil and choose the good; to find goo1-
" pearls of character and truth, jewels
of thought, and perfect them in the Sc
crecy of their souls. And their high char
acter is not built with the shouts OF the
crowd or the noise OF popular enthusiasm.
nor out In the glare Of the sun.
The figure OF the wise man Is beauti-
fully applicable to the building and fur
nishing of the mind and soul. Through
wisdom is a house buided. and by under
standing 1t IS established, and by
knowledge shall the chambers thereof
be filled with precious and pleasant
riches.
The grand contamination Is expressed
in the words OF the Apostle: Till we all
come in the unity of the Spirit and of
the knowledge of the Son of God. unto the
measure of the stature OF the fulness OF
Christ.