Year: 1861




bles aud release the rock from their attri-
tion. Now If man will turn from the con.
temptation Of one Of these pot.hoIes, and the
means by which it is made, and seek for that
result and that process in the world of mind
which most resemble them, am sure that
be will find them in a man of one idea. 1n
truth, these scenes that have been paint
ing were all recalled to me by looking upon
one Of these men, studying his character,
and watching the effect of the single idea
by which he was actusted. "There," said
l, involuntarily, "s n moral pot.hole with
pebble in and the hole grows larger and
the pebble smaller every year"


l suppose it is useless to undertake to re-
form men of one idea. The real trouble is
that the pebble is in them and whole
freshets of truth are poured upon them, on.
ly with the effect TO make it more lively in
its grinding, and more certain in its process
of wearing out itself and them. This re-
mark is true, however, only as it relates to
men who are capable of more than one idea.
The little man who, when ordered by his
physician TO take quart of medicine, in.
formed him with a deprecatory whim9er
that he did not hold but a pint, illustrates
the capacity of many Of those who are sub
jects of single idea. They do not hold
but one, and it would be useless to pre-
scribe q larger number. In country like
ours, in which everything is new and every
body is free, there are multitudes of self.
constituted doctors, each of whom has a
nostrum for curing all physical and moral
disorders and diseases, "a patent process
by which humanity may achieve its proud.
est progress and its everlasting happiness.
The country is full of hobby y.riders, booted
and spurFed, who imagine they are leading
a grand race to golden goal, forgetfu of
the truth that their steeds ure tethered to a
single idea, around which they are revolving
only to tread down the grass and wind
themselves up, where they may stand at
last amid the worlds ridicuIe, and starve
to death.


Man cannot live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds out of the mouth
of God, whether spoken through nature or
revelation. There is no one idea in all
Gods universe so great and so nutricious
that it can furnish food for an immortal
soul. Variety of nutrimeut is absolutely
essential, even to physical health There
are so many elements that enter into the
structure OF the human body, and such Vari-
city of stimuli requisite for the play OF its vi,
tai forces, that il is necessary to lay under
tribute wide range Of nature and fruits
aud roots and grains, beasts OF the field,
fowls Of the air and fish of the sea, juices
and spices and aavors, oil bring their con-
tribution TO the perfection of the human
animal and the harmony Of its functions.
The sailor, kept too long upon his hard bis
cult and salt junk, degenerates into scurvy.
The occupant of the Irish hovel who
lives upon his favorite root, and sees neither
bread nor meat, grows up with weak eyes,
an ugly face and stunted body. 1t is pre-.
ciseIy thus with man who occupies and
feeds his mind with a single idea. He
grows mean and small and diseased with
the diet The soul bears relation to such
wealth OF truth, such multitude Of inter.
ests cluster about it. it has such a variety
OF elements-as illustrated by its llimitable
range OF action and pagsion--it touches and
receives impressions from all other sou Is
at such an indefinite variety of points, that
it is simply absurd to suppose that one idea
can feed it, even for day.


A mind that surrenders itself to single
idea becomes essentially insane. / know a
man who has dwelt so long upon the subject
of vegetable diet that it has finally taken
possession of him. 1t is now of such i'm
portance in his eyes that every other subject
is thrown out Of its legitimate relations to
him. 1t is the constant theme of his
thought-the study of his life. He uues
tions the properties and quantities of every
mouthful that passes his lips, and watches
its effects upon him. lie reads upon this
subject everything he can lay his hand on.
He talks upon it with every man he meets
He has ransacked the whole Bible for SUP.
port to his theories and the man really be.
lieves that the eternal salvation of the hu.
man race hinges upon change OF diet. Il
has become standard by which to decide
the validity of all other truth. If he did
not believe that the Bible was on his side
of the question, he would discard the Bibk
Experiments or opinions that make against
his faith are either contemporary rejected
or ngeniously explained away. Now this
mans mind is not only reduced to the size
of his idea, and assimilated to it's character
but it has lost its soundness. His reason
is disordered. His Judgment is perverted
-depraved. He sees things in unjust aud
relations The subject that
absorbs him has grown out of proper pro.
portions, aud all other subjects have sbrunk
away from it. know another man-s man
of fus powerS-who is just as much absorb.
ed by the subject of ventilation and though
both of these men are regarded by the com,
munity as Of sound mind, | thing they are
demOnstrably insane. ~ - 4


If we rise into larger fields, we shall find
more notable demonstration of the starving
effect Of the entertainment of o single idea
Scattered throughout the country we shall
Gnd men who have devoted themselves to
the cause of temporsnce-or abstinence
from intoxicating liquors. Here is grand
humane, a most worthy and important
cause yet temperance as an idea is not
enough to furnish food for the human soul
Some of these men have only room in them
for one idea, and so far as they are concern.
ed it might nS well be temperance as any.
thing, though it is bad for the cause but
the majority Of them were, at starting, men
4 r