The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-20

nature. and with true taste, while
he praises and rejoices over and re-
ceives into his soul the good, and be-
comes noble and good, he will Justly
blame and hate the bad, now in the
days Of his youth, even before he is
able to know the reason why; and
when reason comes he will recognize
ana salute the friends with whom his
education has made him long famil-
lar"
You Will recall that charming
moonlight scene from Shakspere's
NJ. o. V. where the sentimental
Lorenzo says to his lady love:
How sweet the moonlight sleeps
upon this bank!
Here will We sit and let the sound Of
music
Creep into our ears: Soft stiffness and
the night
Become the touches of sweet har-
mony.
Sit, Jessica, Look how the floor of
Heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright
gold.
There's not the smallest orb which
thou beholdst
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still quiring to the young eyed cheru-
bin;
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But whilst this muddy vesture of de-
cay,
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot
hear it,"
Can it be that we are so blinded
by ambition, greed, and rank ma.
terialism, the muddy vesture of de-
cay-that we cannot hear the har-
monies that are forever sounding in
our immortal souls? The effect of
music is so universally recognized
that even a reference to it seems trite;
but do We realize after all in our heart
Of hearts how powerful and how saIu-
tary are its influences? If amidst its
martial tones worn-out soldiers rush
with mad eagerness to the belching
cannon's mouth; if to it's intoxicatiI ~
strains tired feet move on with un-
abating zeal in the mystic mazes of
the dance; if the tottering feet of old
age will irresistibly beat with per-
feet rhythm its tuneful cadences; if
the wearied, dropping spirit strains
its ear to hear and hearing receives
surcease from sorrow-there must
needs be after all within the soul
such music as is made by the rhyth--.
mic motion Of the spheres. Guilt
walton and care may result in OBJ
tanning from the soul musical echoes
whose timbre indicates that the vi
brations of that soul respond only to
perfect harmony. If a child may be
taught TO see things as they are, why
is it not possible for him to hear
things as they are? If the mind may
see with eXactitude why may it not
hear with precision? If the soul may
perceive the truth, why may it not
ring true to those notes that are true?
The beauty of flowers, Of form and
Of music-and their silent influences
such has been my theme and il
seems to me that it is within our
province TO foster with tender care all
things that may make our schools
more beautiful in color, form, and mu-
sic and I trust that we shall not lose
sight of the deep and abiding truth
that these beauties exert so potent an
influence that it will make us work
with renewed zeal and inspiration;
for we are dealing not with the ma
terial alone. but with the spiritual;
not only with the transitory. but with
the eternal.
If fault be found with the ap-
parent pantheism of these sentiments.
| wish to deny all pantheistic belief:
for l love TO think of Gods working
with, in, and through all second
causes TO make the soul more
beautiful sanctuary-filled with
thoughts Of Him in whom we NAV see
the quintessence Of harmony-the
perfection of beauty-the One al
together lovely.