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degrees he developed systems of ethics and jurisprudence ; he estab- 

 lished a grand social system, and instituted rehgious worship. One dis- 

 coverj' led to another — one conception led to another. The more he 

 thought and observed, the wiser he became to plan and organize society. 

 The more improvements he efi'ected, the more there opened to him the 

 possibility of further improvements. In the light of his reason, in the 

 light of his experience, and oft supplied too with a supernatural light 

 by the Divine and Gracious Father of the Universe, he went on from 

 age to age moulding all the materials of the earth with his plastic hand, 

 perfecting science and art — perfecting social organization, until the world 

 became as we see it to-day — a world of nations — of governments — of 

 arts and of commerce — of sciences and religions — in fine, a world of 

 civilization, showing the triumph of the human reason, and the human 

 hand. 



If the question were asked, which form of industry has predominated 

 — that of thought or of work — no one would be prepared to say that 

 the industry of thought has been the least either in importance or de- 

 gree. Nay, are we not compelled to confess that the great industry of 

 man has been the industry of thought, since all the improvements of 

 the world are but the visible exponents of thought ? Wherever there 

 has been thought, there has been improvement in the outward state of 

 the world ; where there has been no thought, there has been no improve- 

 ment ; where thought has ceased, improvement has ceased ; with the 

 revival of thought, there takes place the revival of science, art, com- 

 merce, law, letters, of everything that elevates and adorns human socie- 

 ty. Ignorance is barbai-ism ; and barbarism is stupidity, sterihty and 

 desolation. Knowledge is light, power, utility, beauty and the glory of 

 nations. 



At the beginning,'the same man was the thinker, the agiiculturist, the 

 mechanic. In the growth of society, in the advance of civilization, a 

 separation into classes become necessary. A division of labor is the 

 palpable sign of progress and perfection. Thus the useful and fine arts, 

 thus commerce, government and religion, all came to have their repre- 

 sentative and working men. And then too as science and philosophy 

 advanced, they came of necessity to have their representative and work- 

 ing men also. Knowledge, indeed more or less pervaded all classes, 

 and the more it can be made to pervade all classes the better — let work 



