Year: 1874

have been multiplied beyond prece-
dent. Farmers and mechanics now
enjoy luxuries and regard rs necessi-
ties, things that were once impossible
to princes and kings. There has also
been developed a wonderful self de-
pendence and fiexibility of character.
Every mental faculty has been stimu-
lated to extraordinary activity; great
progress has been made in all the sci
ences-the most wonderful discover
les rapidly succeeded each other, and
the skill and ingenuity in contriving
and directing the forces of nature have
been almost miraculous. The whole
mass of the people have been pene-
trated and elevated by general men,
tai culture and activity. Literature
abounds in overwhelming quantity
and quality.


You seldom see any one who has
not been from home. Mind Is brought
into direct contact with mind and the
whole mass is leavened. But science,
art, wealth and mechanical forces, all
knowledge human and divine, are but
means to attain true wisdom and de-
velopment of their manhood. But as
wealth, power and knowledge in
creased pride and luxury increased,
and we are fast becoming demoralized
and destroyed by those very forces
which, wisely directed, would be the
means of our nobility and greatness.
Money has given lis the power to
clothe ourselves in rich apparel and
''fare sumptuously every day." We
begin to look upon these outward
wards, but as the essentials of true
II vi ri In
ury and show, labor begins to be de-
be independent and live without USE
full occupation, as honorable; every
thing becomes venal.


Men seek office more for money than
honor or means to be useful, and the
universal question with regard to
every office is "Will it pay?" In this
universal rush for material comforts
and splendor the nation is forgetting
its true nobility and grand mission to
humanity. The position we occupy
at present is far more precarious than
the casual observer will admit. The
Lord suffered us once to pass into the
crucible we had prepared and heated
with our lusts, that we might be
purged from our dross and "tried as
silver is tried" Terrible as the trial
was, and horrible as the forms it as
sumed, it is not so terrible as the caul-
dron through which we must yet pass,
unless money ceases to be the univer-
sal standard and measure for all
things. The history of our nation for
the first three-quarters of century is
something to be justly proud Of Up
to that time we had fulfilled our mis-
sion, under the guidance of wise and
merciful Providence. We met and
overcame the most subtle and deadly
foes to human freedom, demonstrated
the capacity of man for self govern
ment, and showed that civil liberty
based on law is favorable to the lar
gest development and protection of
every human interest. To solve this
problem was the grandest mission
ever given to any nation. And this
great lesson can never be lost to the
world, no matter how much our pres
ent and future follies may cause us to
endure. Let us hope that though we
shall have trials to meet, dangers to
brave and conflicts to wage with
higher forms of evil, that these will
only serve to check q will and danger
Gus luxuriance of growth, and develop
the fruit of q more superior and sub
stantial excellence. We have reason
"to bless the Lord" because He has
given us grand mission in the worth
of human progress. Let us do our part
in forming nation "whose God is
the Lord.O