487
AMKUICAN AlUSTOCltACY.
VOL. VII,
If
.
IJut wlmt is behind all this? Under tho
grass and flowers, the fertile soil, llie
deeply buried rocks, and the unseen sub
ternncan waters is a seething sea of mol
ten matter. Behind the sun, moon, and
stars is a boundless sea of space. Yet be
hind the sea of space, and behind the sea
of matter, is a master mind, and an lull
nitely wise and all powerful stage mana.
ger,
who created and understands them
AMERICAN AlUSTOOliACY
all. lie manages the machinery of law
and cmi.se, and produces the mighty phe
nomena of nature.
Ho who pauses awhile amid life's rush
and worry, and comtemplatcs the univer
sality of the unseen does well. Beauty
and mystery are stamped upon every fea
ture of nature.
" Full mnny a gum of purest ray sereni,"
Tho durk, uufuthomed envos of ocean boar;
Full many a flow or Is born to bliiHh unseen,
And waste Its sweetness on the desert air."
Wo may, if we will, see " tongues in
trees, books in the running rills, sermons
in stones, and good in every tiling." There
is a "behind the scene" to every life.
We lift the curtain of the past, and en
tor the chambers of memory. We find
there that which causes the cheeks to pale
the lips to grow purple, and tho eyes to
burn with llcrce lire, as the memory of a
wrong or an injustice comes to us. Our
cheeks redden with shame, as the memo,
ry of our sins of omission and commission
come reproachfully before us. The lips
quiver and the tears start at the remem
borence of a mighty sorrow. In every life
there arc tall, grim " towers of silence,"
on which we have laid our buried hopes.
Hate, pride, jealousy are tenements of
thu soul. Wo lift the vail of the Holy of
Holies, and see bod sitting there, waiting
if we will but trust him, to guide and ill.
rect our life. Tims we find that God is
the manager and director of the two
worlds, tho natural and the spiritual, and
we come back to the faith of our child,
hood, and our catechism and exclaim, So!
" God is every where." Agkicola.
It is a significant fact, worthy of delibe
rate consideration, that the influences
which lead the wonderful progress ot our
most rapidly developing states, spring
from young men. Young America des
cribingacapable, intelligent, enterprising,
sober society of men, between the ages of
twenty-llvo and thirty-live thidsilt oppor
tunity to exercise itself.
Visit our leading stores, and shops,
and printing ofllces. The men who con
trol and direct them are chieily young
men. Listen to the preacher whoso influ
ence is most pervading. There may be
gray hairs across his brow, but they come
from excess of thought, not from time's
hand. Go into our counting houses.
The frosts of age are not thick around
their bars. Survey our halls of legisla
ture. A scone of grave decorum may be
presented to you, but it originates in an
intelligent sentimentof responsibility, not
in the sedate bearing which the burden of
years imposes.
Analyze the springs of action which
secured the fulfillment of tho wise enter
prises which have developed tho internal
resources of our hills and valleys, and
brought to our doors tho markets of the
sea board. You will find that the heavi
est mpital came from venerable pockets;
but you will discover also that the hope
ful energy of young minds convinced
capitalists that the investment would be
profitable.
In the rellection that the ripening man
hood of America combines the discretion,
energy and intelligence required to take
wise advantage of the opportunities which
invito moral progress and material devel
opment, there is cause for great joy. But
the observation which afl'oids this reflec
tion toadies us that wo may not put abid
ing trust for the future in 'Young America.'
There is a shady side to its present influ
ence. "Young America" has too many
representatives hi bar-rooms, in city pris
ons, in jails and penitentiaries. Our pris
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