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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1874)
)u Hesperian -if ill - ftm . w 4 yol, . University of JTebraHka. NO. 7. jrrNK, inl nonIvollolt.Xoilclt. 1871. : W nrT- r-Tv T m Siicccsnch mid 1'ullurcK. sSt.ECTKD.1 In this world or Joy nnil sadness, In thl life of love nnii lintc, Jinny a runt ,nnu uvc8 "ot,m1. Fettered by tho bonds of fate. On the bloody ftold or battle, Mid tho carnage, din, and striro, Mixny u noble, unknown hero For his country gives his llfo. In the lonely, iilot churoh-yard, Moss-bound head-stones gaunt tho sod Nenth which niiiny a pilgrim slecpoth, Known to Tow except his God. In the world's brond Held of action, Many u mnn mistake his place, Makes of lire u mournful failure, Fulls to bunetlt his race, In tho dark, primeval forest, Many a woodman fells tho pine, "Whom God tltted for tho pulpit, To expound his truth divine. In our rich and costly churches, Many a parson talks of sin, Who has tulents Tor a woodman, Anil a woodman ehould have been. In the Holds and on tho hlll-sldos, Many a peasant tills the ground, Who, In halls of legislation, First and foremost would bo found. From tho depths of pain and sorrow, Many a soul scuds up a prayer To the God who gave It being, And bestows his watchful care. Jod has given mnn the power Over evil to prevail, Some, In poverty will triumph. Some, In highest stations fall. At tho golden gate of heaven, When the llual trump shall sound, Many a proud heart will bo stricken, Many a lowly head bo crowued, his christian friends but and tho answers wo get to the nation; must go far to- IiitcllectuallUy vh Religion. tt'linnever mi lnuiortunt event takes place, which may properly bo shown to bo pertinent to any of tho great Issues of human existence, when tho time arrives when men are to bo measured, In a relig ions point ol' view, not by their righteous thoughts but by their righteous words and deed, when tho mortal yields to the Im mortal, then writings and comments and wen criticisms cannot bo ill-timed. The records of past lives then become as hooks written for our instruction. I need scarcely say that these iemarks aro prompted by tho life and death of tho late Senator Sumner and I trust that what I have already said will in some measure excuse me in touching Hiibject already much discussed by abler men. Whatever may bo said of tho religion of Mr. Sumner may bo said of that of a great many others; it is not so much Charles Sumner the individual man, as it is, Charles Sumnor tho representative man of whom I spenk. This is a point which I would havo kept destinctly in view, for here, the question is, not solely who was tho man or how great were his intellectual attainments, but rather this: What was tho theory and practice of his llfo concerning religious faith or what his religious convictions indicated by tho tonorof that life? When inquiries of this character arc put to a llfo such as Sum ner's they become important not only to ward determining our estimate even of greatness. My attention was especially called to this matter by a communication to the State Journal, shortly after the announce ment of Mr. Sumner's death, in which a quotation from a sermon by the Rev. Rob ert Coliyer gives a pretty good idea of this "intellectual religion" which Mr. Sumner embraced. Speaking of Mr. Sum ner's religion ho says: "Charles Sumner made no profession; he did not need to make one." How is this Mr. Coliyer? There must be something very peculiar about Mr. Sumner's case and tho class ho repre seats, if this bo true, for the whole teach ing of the Master was that men should con fess htm and that publicly. Mr. Coliyer and his friends in their erratic self asser tion and zeal to promote the cause of lib eralism in religion, wholly neglect the teachings of Christ in other instances than this and transform tho very weak- ness of men into virtues. Again Mr. Coliyer says: " in nil the ages since the Blessed One ascended intoheav. on, His likeness has not been more truly soon than in that sad man's face." In deed ! What a monstrous assertion of un- paralellcd sanctitlcation! Whether true or untrue, it is quite complimentary tD the dead ; but from the best evidence we havo Mr. Sumner certainly never meant to be a saint. Such falsity, though it be interwov en in the lofty praises of an honored man will not bear investigation for a moment. Whatever there might have been of sad ness, care, or devotion to tho principles he struggled to maintain, manifest in the face of Mr. Sumner, it is the sheerest nonscn?o thereby to support an argument like that above quoted. It is a most un pardonablo assumption and tho boldest species of profanity to liken the cares and anxieties delineated upon tho face of a thorough and ambitious man of the world and aspiring politician, to that of our Sa viour shining with tho loftiest expressions of self-sacrifice and purity and into whose mind thoughts of self-aggrandizement never came. But Mr. Coliyer goes farther; these are his words; " now and then, as it seems to " me, lest wo should forget that these "things in their holiest forms aro only a "means to an end,(referrlng to all acknowl edged outward manifestations of Chris "tian life and character) God permits us to "see a man who reechoes the end without "the moans: a saint free from tho accept "ed conditions of salntshlp, as they lie " in our religious teachings, and Charles "Sumner was one of theso men. Ho was "outside of our religious lines, It made "no difference, ho mado no profession of "his faith in God, he simply gave himself " to god, body, soul, and spirit, a living "sacrifice." Now really what are wc to gathci from this? Tho mountains havo labored and what is produced? What sort of a religious monstrosity havo wo got? What a delightfully easy method of stultifying God and nullifying his whole plan of human redemption: and simply because Mr. Sumner's case is alto gether too important to let pass without some plan to fit it. Out upon such citron, tery and stuff! If tho above is a true picture of a "saint free from the accepted conditions of saintship" it certainly is a false and delusive theory upon which to base a hope of the future, for it declares that it is only " now and then" that God permits that sort of thing and thus the great mass r,f mankind aro left helpless and hopeless. In our opinion this will scarcely do for a system of religious faith; in fact it is absolutely wrong and pernicious. Now the doctrine which this class of persons hold so dear seems to be substan tially this: that if persons only have strict morals, exalted notions, think a great deal about nobody knows what and live up on a high intellectual plane, this is all that is necessary to immortalize them as great and good. If the thoughts and inten tions are right everything is right and a man is still a Christian though he repudi ates Christ and all his commands touch ing Christian duty. What is tho use, justice, propriety or sense in thus substituting for true Chris tian faith and character a highly refined intellectuality? It shows too plainly an attompt only to find an excuse for neglect of duty, which while cssentiully weak is still pleasing and admirably aduptcd to tho temper af many minds. That this docirino can be maintained upon tho ground that persons of this class havo strong intellectual convictions, or think a great deal and that solemnly about their relations to a Supreme Being, and therefore havo a claim upon his mercy, is all nonsense and too weak a point to spend time in arguing. I have thus brief, ly touched a few points which I consider worthy of more time and space than we have to give them and which arc embody, ing themselves into a system which I am sorry to say is gaining some support, though designated b' a little different name than that I have indicated. In conclusion I havo a few words to say to young men who are forming habits of thought and character do not follow such examples as Mr. Sumner in this re gard. Almost every one has a model. Mr. Sumner will be an admirable ouc in many respects, but not hi this. Since as Chris tian men you must act as well as think, must accept Christ's teachings rather than assert yourselves, do no bo misled by these false theories, but ever turn for in struction, hope and comfort to that fount where they can only be obtained in all their purity to the blessed words and example of the Saviour. " By their fruits yo shall know them." J. S. D. The Literary Work of the Normal School, Wo give below a sketch of tho "extra" work of tho Normal. In all the depart ments of tho school (primary excepted.) Friday afternoons are devoted to UHETOKICAI. EXEUCISES. These consist of 1st, Declamations, Recitations or Select Readings; 2d, Es says and Written Criticisms; 3rd, Analy ses. The departments are each divided into two divisions so that each pupil has to prepare alternately one of tho above exercises once every two weeks. When offered they are rigidly criticised in vari ous ways as follows: Declamations and other exorcises ' of the 1st class are criticised by the whole class as to delivery, pronunciation, ges ture &c. Essays aro first criticised like declamations, by the class and then as signed to some one who in one or two weeks oilers a written criticism upon tho choice, analysis, and treatment of tho subject, language, rhetorical figures &c. Analyses are placed upon the board and two or three critics appointed for each, after whose criticism the whole class criti cises. To analyze a subject, arrange tho topics in logical order, and follow the analysis into details requires more intel lectual exertion than to write after ana lyzing. It is the first step in learning to speak or write effectively. The occasion al discussion of a question adds variety to these exercises. The expediency of society's recognizing dancing as a legiti mate amusement and practicing it, has been discussed by two of the class with much zeal. A ItEADINO noojr lias been establised under tho auspices of the Philomathean Society. With what papers and. magazines the teachers and pupils havo contributed, together with those the society itself lias added, this in stitution has already proved a source of much profit. Wc havo also inaugurated a system by means of which we havo DAIIiY JtEPOUTEUH. No student can be expected to pursue his studies and keep himself thoroughly acquainted with all the news of the day. Special topics aro therefore assigned to different pupils and each morning some one makes to the school a brief statement of his researches. The whole school Is thereby kept conversant with the doings of Congress and of Parliament, religious movements, educational intelligence, now publications, lato scientific discoveries, inventions and a host of other subJcctH. The system has worked like a charm and Its value cannot be overestimated. Wo havo TWO MTEKAltY SOCIETIES, the Philomathean and tho Everett. Both meet on Friday evening of each week. A steady growth Is perceptible In ouch. Among the most attractive features of our literary work aro the ItEADINO ci.uns. On Monday evening.. Gen. Morgan meets tho First Year Normal students, and they aro now reading together Owen Meredith's Lucille. On Wednesday even ing Pi of. Wilson meets tho A Prepara tory students, and is readiug with them selections from Washington Irviug's writ. ings. On the same evening a more ad ' vanced class meets tho preceptress, Miss m in !l!i1 "II r; m A" 41.. U si'' H i i 4in.i r HW t m . A'i m Up;.1