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SlIjKXT Ouatohs.
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the downtrodden masses of India.
The blood of our forefathers who
(ought to obtain our liliurlics, and of our
fathers and brothers whieh was shod to
perpetuate them, speaks to all tho
world In the universal language of
patriotism and will give the spirit of L,il.
crty more inspiration and cause it to
bring forth greater deeds of patriotic val
or than all the glowing words of every or
ator of the Revolution and rebellion,
while the combined pulpit eloquence ol
the eighteen ('hrislain centuries has but n
tithe of power to elevate humanity, that
has the one scene of the Savior's silent
suffering in Hits garden or his triumphant
death upon the cross.
Silence itself is wonderfully eloquent.
"Who has not felt the solemnity of the si
lent night when ceased is that chaotic
hubbub wherein our souls run to confused
suicidal dislocation and to waste V Who
has not heard the voices of the past, the
promises of the future which it brings?
Who has not learned that "Out of silence
eoineth thy strength V"
When Nature seems to check her life
current with unwonted calm as she does
before the hurricane, when she stands
with bated breath as if waiting the brood
ing of some great wrong, Hie silence is
fearful. Such a silence tills the soul
with dread prophetic visions of Nature's
end; uvuvy sound is like the Head of sph
it forms fell in the distance but never
heard.
No words can strike such awe and ter
ror to our hearts as does the silence when
life is called from her citadel by the pow
er which no finite being can define.
The din of battle is not so impressive
as the awesome silence which preooeds its
opening. Waterloo's mighty roar is lost
in the saying of .lohn " There was silence
in Heaven."
The world has many silent orators.
Kvery artist at his easel, every sculptor in
his atelier, every parent around the
hearthstone, every scientist in his labora
tory, every student in any department of
labor is nn orator promulgating his
thoughts and with his moral levers silent,
ly, powerfully elevating mankind.
The great truths winch enable man to
roach from earth to Heaven with a single
grasp, have not burst upon the world's
vision like a calcium light but are the re
sults of long silent study; and if acbiev
incut is the architect of Happiness then i3
Shakespeare right in saying "Silence is
the perfeclest herald of joy," for noth
ing has been accomplished, for nothing
will bear upon it ilic seal of immortality
but that which has been fashioned and
formed by the power of silent thought.
All Nature is eloquent in silence. Ev
cry work of her hands teems with knowl.
edge we can not understand. We ask who
hangs the sky with its tapistry of clouds?
How are the autumn leaves painted Why
n rose is a city peopled by thousands of
orderly inhabitants? We wonder that the
grains of sand upon which the city of
Richmond stands are beautiful sea shells
pui feci in all their pails and painted with
the delicate lints of the rainbow's hue or
that Unit the coal thai glows in our grates
has the same elements as the diamond
whieh glitters on the brow of royalty.
We question the scientist and with all his
years of study he can only answer " God's
seal ofsilenee is upon it."
Nature's humblest works bring to us
thoughts which language cannot tell.
"The pebble at our feel tolls of an une.v.
plorcd sphere, each little bird bespeaks a
cherubim, ami every common bush is afire
with God." What eloquent discourse of
purity, beauty, spirituulitv and immortali
ty do the llowcrs breathe. The poets
catch this idea and write,
Yo urn thu bcripttiiui- of iliu nnrth
Swum Unworn fair mill frail;
A MJi'inon spunks In ovury hud
That wous thu MiiuuiiurY ;alu"
And again
"Thuro le a Iuhhuii in uwiry How or,
A -tory in uiich Ntronin and liowor:
On ci'iy hurli on which on iiviiiI.
An writ tun wonU which rlyhtlj rnul
Will luuil you from Kiirlh't fragrant Bod
'
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