Year: 1877

TRINITY CENTER, June 1877.


EDITOR JOURNAL being in com
municative mood tonight. l take up the
pen, not to jot the local happenings, but
to give vent if possible to the thoughts
that have just passed through rny mind.
The Race for Wealth-who could not, if
they chose, give some ideas on so prolific
a subject. Who could not tell Of the ie-
verish thirst that consumes men--of the
fqniS .fdtuats humanity pursues almost
from the cradle to the grave ? On every
hand this course of our modern civiliza-
ton leaves its deep imprint. The shrunk-
en- chests, STOPPING shoulders, and infrm
knees truly attest the power, of Mammon
to draw men from Gods light and air to
the dark and noisome slavery Of the desk
and workshop. How with chains strong
er than steel it keeps mankind groveing
in the dust--shuts away from his vision
the higher and better throughout all ma
ture. Like the ghost cursed Macbeth,
the poor mortal who repels the tenpt1gs
Of the gold goddess, can say with fare
well shudder: Why, so, being gone
/ am man again !" Go all over our
broad land-how much of this grasping,
groveing spirit will you find how lit
tie of the real milk of human kindness
Go to the city it is a vast mint of dol
lars and cents coined from the lives and
souls Of a decaying people. Pass into
the country where the life Of man should
be more in unison with nature, and there
the same bligh: is upon his peace. The
rich man lives in his mansion surrounded
by the envy, malice and covetousness OF
his neighbors, while the poor man is
doomed to an earthly damnation because
it is his misfortune to be unfortunate.-
Glance into our halls of Congress and
legislative assemblages. Do you sec
there any Websters or Clays or any OF
| the noble fronts that adorned the places
of honor when our country was young
and pure ? No-sGch men are not want
ed there now the land, water and rail.
road monopolists who guide the destinies
of the nation have no use for them. But
you might throw up paper wad, and il
would be pretty sure to alight on some
good business man who bought his Office
and paid for it with money, and was just
at this moment getting it back in usuri-
Gus instaliments by keeping his mouth
shut on the best interests Of the people he
is to represent. Education is degcner-
alton" recently said Professor Charles
Smith, geological expert, when along
this way Men laughed at him, and call
ed him crazy, but when the base uses tc
which the acquisition Of knowledge SO
often returns are taken in view, there
seems to be at least hall-tuth in the
statement. In spite Of the evidences oi
lost arts and forgotten civilization, do we
not know that knowledge and science
have, in the 10Th century attained per-
tection of which former ages could never
boast ? Yet our observation cannot re-
ieve itself Of the fact that men are now
mere money making machines, with no
higher destiny than the boarding OF dol
lars and cents. What is the remedy
Money in itself can harm no one. Like
fire, however, it is good servant, but a
bad master. In its abuse and not in its
use are to be found all the evils of the
present day. Men go to extremes in this
matter perhaps more than all Others
Money in Itself is good thing to have,
but surplusage of it is too often like dirt
matter in the wrong place. 1t gives
rise to vice and folly of every description,
when it should be generously applied to
alleviating the pains and pangs Of want
and woe. But why pursue this subject
! further-it's range is without limit, open
ing up new paths at every step. After
all that is said, it is only by indivdua
action that n change can be effected. Le
each recognize the considerations that are
of more Importance than wealth and re
member the curses that come with to(
great haste to be rich. Aim to be the
promoter of unseish purposes and thu
world will be the happier for it.


L'ORIENT.