Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-03

|
! directions, and gathered i'm manuals
| and day-books for common use.
| Our poorly-taught people. with them raise
| great structures: and our children play
with wonderful toys that science has
made for them. And we have books that
| make every man his own doctor and law
yer-though every sensible. temperate
and devout man is, or ought TO be, his
own doctor, lawyer and priest, anyhow
and then. boxes of tools may be had
cheap. tina. make man his own artisan,
generally; while kodaks and music-boXes
and photographs make him lord OF the
fine arts. and place the highest enjoy
ments for him i'm storage. or on draft
Indeed, indeed, the man Of our day is
in the midst of wonderful privileges.
While We are marvelling al these things,
and still opening Natures closets, dis
covering her secrets and applying and
utilizing all the hitherto hidden forces
and powers and qualities and virtues of
things, we are beginning to feel and fear
that may be, this concentration of light
and heat and energy will prove too much
for US. Man may prove to be unequal
to the great business he has made for
himself. The intensity of all this fire
and light that possesses him may be too
much for him, and burn him up. The
that shall dwell with the devouring fire;
who is he that shall dwell with everlast-
ing burning" Men. unequal to great
thoughts. benumb themselves with drugs
and nuffle their nerves with sensuality
and earthiness. We are familiar with
physical and mental troubles that belong
to our age. We have brain exhaustion.
heart failure. nervous dyspepsia, nervous
debility and other plain consequences Of
intense life and actiOn-of overcare and
overwork. We have students and earnest
workers whose whole-souled devotion is
consuming them; whose excessive concen-
tration is devouring them.
Nor are we aware of the general strain
that is upon Us all; the fever-heat that is
in the air. The conditions that we meet
in every kind of business call for the
fullest exercise of all our powers and fac
ulties Compulsion Is about and over US.
We must do our best, or be run over
pushed aside as in the way. The age re-
quires the best things everywhere, and
we must use the best material; the best
methods. and strain TO the uttermost
And while these are the conditions OF
our personal service, the rush Of general
events. the discoveries of physical science.
and the enlargement of human knowledge
in all directions. tries us all to a
degree that We are not aware of; the
higher the nature the greater the !
strain. But the most stupid and !
habitually stupefed the most in
dolent and hopelessly or deliberately |
idle, cannot entirely escape IL. 1t |
is a bewilderlng conception that we, in |
our morning papers. can read all the i'm |
portant events that occurred the day be- |
fore in all parts of the earth. The human |
mind quails under the thought. To what |
privilege shall we next be raised? |
is advancing TO its last posi-
bility.
1t is not little marvellous that. in this
period of human history; in this high
stage of mans existence, when the mind,
by the discoveries of the active principles
If things. and the laws Of nature and
he ways Of Gods providence, has brought
Itself under light and heat of
and energy that threatens its
that in such condition of
Kings, the Word of God should be found
as it is, over the earth, among
I'll nations and languages and peoples
md tongues, furnishing element and
clothing TO stand fire-truth. itself.
is leaves are for the healing of the ma
ions. Its waters are waters of life. Its
wisdom is that which was with the
,reator at the beginning. It's righteous
less is everlasting. Its word is spirit and
ruth. And its grand manifestation is
deal, divine manhood in the person of
ur Lord, Jesus Christ in whom are hid |
he treasures of all knowledge; whom to
now is life everlasting; the active prin-
iple OF divine life in US; our peace, our
est. A low. peaceful murmuring voice
ounds in our periods of partial quiet:
10 careful for nothing; consider the lilies,