the procession of life-第3节

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idea　of　pain　and　woe；　yet　have　studied　all　varieties　of　misery

that　human　nature　can　endure。　The　prison；　the　insane　asylum；　the

squalid　chamber　of　the　almshouse；　the　manufactory　where　the　demon

of　machinery　annihilates　the　human　soul；　and　the　cotton　field

where　God's　image　becomes　a　beast　of　burden；　to　these　and　every

other　scene　where　man　wrongs　or　neglects　his　brother；　the

apostles　of　humanity　have　penetrated。　This　missionary；　black　with

India's　burning　sunshine；　shall　give　his　arm　to　a　pale…faced

brother　who　has　made　himself　familiar　with　the　infected　alleys

and　loathsome　haunts　of　vice　in　one　of　our　own　cities。　The

generous　founder　of　a　college　shall　be　the　partner　of　a　maiden

lady　of　narrow　substance；　one　of　whose　good　deeds　it　has　been　to

gather　a　little　school　of　orphan　children。　If　the　mighty　merchant

whose　benefactions　are　reckoned　by　thousands　of　dollars　deem

himself　worthy；　let　him　join　the　procession　with　her　whose　love

has　proved　itself　by　watchings　at　the　sick…bed；　and　all　those

lowly　offices　which　bring　her　into　actual　contact　with　disease

and　wretchedness。　And　with　those　whose　impulses　have　guided　them

to　benevolent　actions；　we　will　rank　others　to　whom　Providence　has

assigned　a　different　tendency　and　different　powers。　Men　who　have

spent　their　lives　in　generous　and　holy　contemplation　for　the

human　race；　those　who；　by　a　certain　heavenliness　of　spirit；　have

purified　the　atmosphere　around　them；　and　thus　supplied　a　medium

in　which　good　and　high　things　may　be　projected　and

performedgive　to　these　a　lofty　place　among　the　benefactors　of

mankind；　although　no　deed；　such　as　the　world　calls　deeds；　may　be

recorded　of　them。　There　are　some　individuals　of　whom　we　cannot

conceive　it　proper　that　they　should　apply　their　hands　to　any

earthly　instrument；　or　work　out　any　definite　act；　and　others；

perhaps　not　less　high；　to　whom　it　is　an　essential　attribute　to

labor　in　body　as　well　as　spirit　for　the　welfare　of　their

brethren。　Thus；　if　we　find　a　spiritual　sage　whose　unseen；

inestimable　influence　has　exalted　the　moral　standard　of　mankind；

we　will　choose　for　his　companion　some　poor　laborer　who　has

wrought　for　love　in　the　potato　field　of　a　neighbor　poorer　than

himself。



We　have　summoned　this　various　multitudeand；　to　the　credit　of

our　nature；　it　is　a　large　oneon　the　principle　of　Love。　It　is

singular；　nevertheless；　to　remark　the　shyness　that　exists　among

many　members　of　the　present　class；　all　of　whom　we　might　expect　to

recognize　one　another　by　the　freemasonry　of　mutual　goodness；　and

to　embrace　like　brethren；　giving　God　thanks　for　such　various

specimens　of　human　excellence。　But　it　is　far　otherwise。　Each　sect

surrounds　its　own　righteousness　with　a　hedge　of　thorns。　It　is

difficult　for　the　good　Christian　to　acknowledge　the　good　Pagan；

almost　impossible　for　the　good　Orthodox　to　grasp　the　hand　of　the

good　Unitarian；　leaving　to　their　Creator　to　settle　the　matters　in

dispute；　and　giving　their　mutual　efforts　strongly　and　trustingly

to　whatever　right　thing　is　too　evident　to　be　mistaken。　Then

again；　though　the　heart　be　large；　yet　the　mind　is　often　of　such

moderate　dimensions　as　to　be　exclusively　filled　up　with　one　idea。

When　a　good　man　has　long　devoted　himself　to　a　particular　kind　of

beneficenceto　one　species　of　reformhe　is　apt　to　become

narrowed　into　the　limits　of　the　path　wherein　he　treads；　and　to

fancy　that　there　is　no　other　good　to　be　done　on　earth　but　that

self…same　good　to　which　he　has　put　his　hand；　and　in　the　very　mode

that　best　suits　his　own　conceptions。　All　else　is　worthless。　His

scheme　must　be　wrought　out　by　the　united　strength　of　the　whole

world's　stock　of　love；　or　the　world　is　no　longer　worthy　of　a

position　in　the　universe。　Moreover；　powerful　Truth；　being　the

rich　grape　juice　expressed　from　the　vineyard　of　the　ages；　has　an

intoxicating　quality；　when　imbibed　by　any　save　a　powerful

intellect；　and　often；　as　it　were；　impels　the　quaffer　to　quarrel

in　his　cups。　For　such　reasons；　strange　to　say；　it　is　harder　to

contrive　a　friendly　arrangement　of　these　brethren　of　love　and

righteousness；　in　the　procession　of　life。　than　to　unite　even　the

wicked；　who；　indeed；　are　chained　together　by　their　crimes。　The

fact　is　too　preposterous　for　tears；　too　lugubrious　for　laughter。



But；　let　good　men　push　and　elbow　one　another　as　they　may　during

their　earthly　march；　all　will　be　peace　among　them　when　the

honorable　array　or　their　procession　shall　tread　on　heavenly

ground。　There　they　will　doubtless　find　that　they　have　been

working　each　for　the　other's　cause；　and　that　every　well…delivered

stroke；　which；　with　an　honest　purpose　any　mortal　struck；　even　for

a　narrow　object；　was　indeed　stricken　for　the　universal　cause　of

good。　Their　own　view　may　be　bounded　by　country；　creed；

profession；　the　diversities　of　individual　characterbut　above

them　all　is　the　breadth　of　Providence。　How　many　who　have　deemed

themselves　antagonists　will　smile　hereafter；　when　they　look　back

upon　the　world's　wide　harvest　field；　and　perceive　that；　in

unconscious　brotherhood；　they　were　helping　to　bind　the　selfsame

sheaf！



But；　come！　The　sun　is　hastening　westward；　while　the　march　of

human　life；　that　never　paused　before；　is　delayed　by　our　attempt

to　rearrange　its　order。　It　is　desirable　to　find　some

comprehensive　principle；　that　shall　render　our　task　easier　by

bringing　thousands　into　the　ranks　where　hitherto　we　have　brought

one。　Therefore　let　the　trumpet；　if　possible；　split　its　brazen

throat　with　a　louder　note　than　ever；　and　the　herald　summon　all

mortals；　who；　from　whatever　cause；　have　lost；　or　never　found；

their　proper　places　in　the　wold。



Obedient　to　this　call；　a　great　multitude　come　together；　most　of

them　with　a　listless　gait；　betokening　weariness　of　soul；　yet　with

a　gleam　of　satisfaction　in　their　faces；　at　a　prospect　of　at

length　reaching　those　positions　which；　hitherto；　they　have　vainly

sought。　But　here　will　be　another　disappointment；　for　we　can

attempt　no　more　than　merely　to　associate　in　one　fraternity　all

who　are　afflicted　with　the　same　vague　trouble。　Some　great　mistake

in　life　is　the　chief　condition　of　admittance　into　this　class。

Here　are　members　of　the　learned　professions；　whom　Providence

endowed　with　special　gifts　for　the　plough；　the　forge；　and　the

wheelbarrow；　or　for　the　routine　of　unintellectual　business。　We

will　assign　to　them；　as　partners　in　the　march；　those　lowly

laborers　and　handicraftsmen；　who　have　pined；　as　with　a　dying

thirst；　after　the　unattainable　fountains　of　knowledge。　The　latter

have　lost　less　than　their　companions；　yet　more；　because　they　deem

it　infinite。　Perchance　the　two　species　of　unfortunates　may

comfort　one　another。　Here　are　Quakers　with　the　instinct　of　battle

in　them；　and　men　of　war　who　should　have　worn　the　broad　brim。

Authors　shall　be　ranked　here　whom　some　freak　of　Nature；　making

game　of　her　poor　children；　had　imbued　with　the　confidence　of

genius　and　strong　desire　of　fame；　but　has　favored　with　no

corresponding　power；　and　others；　whose　lofty　gifts　were

unaccompanied　with　the　faculty　of　expression；　or　any　of　that

earthly　machinery　by　which　ethereal　endowments　must　be　manifested

to　mankind。　All　these；　therefore；　are　melancholy　laughing…stocks。

Next；　here　are　honest　and　well　intentioned　persons；　who　by　a　want

of　tactby　inaccurate　perceptionsby　a　distorting

imaginationhave　been　kept　continually　at　cross　purposes　with

the　world　and　bewildered　upon　the　path　of　life。　Let　us　see　if

they　can　confine　themselves　within　the　line　of　our　procession。　In

this　class；　likewise；　we　must　assign　places　to　those　who　have

encountered　that　worst　of　ill　success；　a　higher　fortune　than

their　abilities　could　vindicate；　writers；　actors；　painters；　the

pets　of　a　day；　but　whose　laurels　wither　unrenewed　amid　their

hoary　hair；　politicians；　whom　some　malicious　contingency　of

affairs　has　thrust　into　conspicuous　station；　where；　while　the

world　stands　gazing　at　them；　the　dreary　consciousness　of

imbecility　makes　them　curse　their　birth　hour。　To　such　men；　we

give　for　a　companion　him　whose　rare　talents；　which　perhaps

require　a　Revolution　for　their　exercise；　are　buried　in　the　tomb

of　sluggish　circumstances。



Not　far　from　these；　we　must　find　room　for　one　whose　success　has

been　of　the　wrong　kind；　the　man　who　should　have　lingered　in　the

cloisters　of　a　university；　digging　new　treasures　out　of　the

Herculaneum　of　antique　lore；　diffusing　depth　and　accuracy　of

literature　throughout　his　country；　and　thus　making　for　himself　a

great　and　quiet　fame。　But　the　outward　tendencies　around　him　have

proved　too　powerful　for　his　inward　nature；　and　have　drawn　him

into　the　arena　of　political　tumult；　there　to　contend　at

disadvantage；　whether　front　to　front；　or　side　by　side；　with　the

brawny　giants　of　actual　life。　He　becomes；　it　may　be；　a　name　for

brawling　parties　to　bandy　to　and　fro；　a　legislator　of　the　Union；

a　governor　of　his　native　state；　an　ambassador　to　the　courts　of

kings　or　queens；　and　the　world　may　deem　him　a　man