Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-08
Praising the Lord
ny }. a. EUDANK.
Let everything that hnth brentb
praise the Lord. PrIIse xe the
L0rd.-PsnIIns ci. q.

according to the arrangement Of the
,h"ic canon, the text quoted above rs
ne last verse in the last of David's
,c '' us or r,aisc 10 Jehovah. whom
We vcr,urc 10 express the opinion
snat th"-" Is Il deep vein Of philosophy
,"ninlns throughout these songs OF
- study Of the text tends to confirm
That view.
me a'ini"nitIon. let everything that
,nat the purpose of praise Is to fur
thcr the purpose Of the Divine mind
~ .,e c'tation along lines Of least
NY What ,tat purpose was has never
hh"rn fully ia,homcd by finite mind,
'nt IN time VIC shall know Why?
because man. in the order OF the
,I.alloh Ihd AS Il result of tho evolu-
,ohar? processes of nature has been
,proed to use his mind lii order 10 sur
n,Tc in the competitive struggle for
cAisten nee. which for millions of years
nas h.cn fierce among all forms OF
lie Is ii the top Of the animal cre,.
u,n; ana. therefore. the ruler OF tho
rirth. because, AZ has been we'll said
Mis anrestors could not ny. could no,
run fast. could not fight well and had
10 think or die.
They ,holsii and. as consequence,
they surpassed the other animals In
NC race Ter supremacy.
he race as i whole is still max
.T nrosress IN ,hought-achievin
n
p,cat,on OF u. IN the course of time
man VIII wrcst from nature all OF its
.%crets II may be that vas one OF
~" chicf purposes of the creation
!, has. been said that God created
nan IN Ills own image. That natur.
a.ly forces the question. What kinl
81 man did He create?
nc Creek philosopher said, ar the
[aIne' hic :: God. tina, God would have
loyr t"rs and hump
There are some very earnest and in.
iciliEcnt thinkers who believe that
nan makes his own God in his own
mage: brutal and revengeful when
man gets more civilized"
* hardly AN enlightened concsp-
non Of Cod TO imagine Him sitting on
throne IN the heavens. deriving His
princlphl pleasure from hearing songs
81 adnla,ion and accepting lip-wor-
ship from the beings Of His creation
Rather a juster conception woula
seen, TO be that He desires that al
@1eation shall magnify His name aud
siory In earth by each class of crea-
lures performing it's separate func-
IONS under ordained law governing its
oNistcace--that the supreme purpose OF
lhc creation mag hasten In its fulfill
n"ut.
That purpose cannot be defeated, bu,
animal existcncc--and vegetable as well
that fails to function in accordance
with ordained law will have to give
place 10 more adaptable forms of life
most important part in this struggle
Tor existence. and II is a reasonable az.
SUMPTION that He purposed tina, the
FORM OF mind shall attain unto ali
truth.
Praise. therefore. in accordance with
tho above conception of it's meaning
- 70 man ~ pretty we'll compr ehend
!" Pope's observations: Act we'll YOU.
n2rt. there all the honor lies" There
also. most of tho acceptable prais.
Mo, Mooreo, ,.r il the operation Of Va.
'@i' poet philosophtr holds good:
~ nature nature is but art. unknown to
IN chance. direction. which thou canst
Il! discord harmony not understood
~ partial evil. universal good;
ma spite Of pride. in erring reasons
ono truth is clear, Whatever IL. is
Let everything that hath breath
.nirnals, in the performance OF Its
spends TO the admonition than man.
me higher animal The feathered
,ha Te rSsn y9ses It's lbs praise in
love for the Providence which notes
the "sparrow's fall"
outy. and David in the forms which
he suggests such praise should take
secognizes. as all true teachers recog-
religious worship. and in the songs of
rrsise which constitute 20 important
part thereof, the essential inteili-
easily working. out his destiny as the
10 an end. not the end itself, for, as
the poet has we'll said:
LIES but means unto an end that
end,
beginning. mean. and end to all
things-God.
Racially speaking. we have made
phenomenal progress since Davds
time and since the generation OF our
frrefathers in this country. where
liberty enlightens the world: but
when IL comes TO the individuals of the
race. are we quite fully prepared TO
affirm that are ahead of our
cestors in those traits OF character
which finally determine the destiny OF
.ationS?
Praise ye the Lord" In his part
ing injunction, David brings the ques-
on straight home TO the individual.
The race OF man has a great missioh
ut 1t rests upon the individual unit
Il see his duty clearly and TO per-
sDrm il courageously. II the whole race
is permanently TO advance.
AS one has pertinently said: Now
that man is here and does rule, what
can he do to be worthy OF this planet,
this marvellous inheritance, this ruler
ship that comes 10 him after the long
II illions of years OF struggle and ex-
pertinent: