The Ohief End of Man.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2781, 12 January 1878, Page 4

The Ohief End of Man.

[CONTDIBUTBD.]

The following questions must arise in every man and woman's mind at one timo or another:—-What am I ? From whence did I come ? and to whither am I bound ? All these questions are surrounded with much mystery; but, nevertheless, as one great author days, the proper study for man is man. That ho is a strange, wonderful being of vast powers is plain and evident upon "the face of things as they exist. The world was made for. man, and is his natural birthright. The vegetable kingdom, the animal kingdom, and the mineral kingdom were all made for him, and no other creature is qualified to take possession of world but him. But another important question arises out of this, that is „,■—lf the world was made for man, what

is man made for P It would appear acfiCOEding to many people's actions, lhat the creatlendof man is his bodily interests, •»for the. great burden of our cry is, what 3shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and % herewith all shall we bo clothed? And else is worth a thought beneath* But it must be plain to every thinking fman that the interests of the mind or soul, above the interests of the £bo|[y ■• the heavens are Above the earth, ::ev*|n"if there is no life beyond this. But those that have strong religious convictions 'of a future life in-

crease tho importance tenfold; and /■religion is of little use without strong (Convictions. To look at the mind or soul

Bfrom this standpoint, everything that tends to impoverish the soul is a misfortune, nnd everything that contributes towards enriching the soul is a blessing according to this hypothesis. When prosperity makes a barren soul, when it 'produces .pride, haughtiness, impatience, selfishness, and licentiousness, then it is a 'calamity. On the other hand, when adi.versity makes a rich soul, when it produces goodness, patience,, sympathy, purity, hope, and love, then adversity is the greatest good that could befall us; for these are pearls of great price, and wiJlibe of great Service to us when earth's glided toys cannot assist us in the least. The soul has its great wants which ought 'to be attended to, for they are of far more importance than the want of the body, 'aud the body must have its food or it will starve and perish. The proper food for the affections is love and goodness ; the fcod for the intellect is knowledge; the fplod for the moral nature is integrity and iijirightness; the food for the is music ; and the food for the spiritual or religious part of our nature is the bread of life supplied by Ged HimSelf; and I pity the man that has not felt such a want. ypity■•Him more than I pity a blind man. A man inrthe old country lived forty years within half a mile of a beautiful water-

fall, and never went to see it, he assigned as his reason that it would .not fill his stomach norvclolhe his back. But /Whatlsoft of a Bbul had that man? We are generally too much alive to the wants of the body, and too little for the wants of the soul, particularly- to the wants of the sublime part of us, such as the beautiful, by f which"wo are surrounded.' One great aiifhor says it at if the sight of the stars on a clear night were only seen one night ""in every hundred'years, -and that from only one' particular'place, they would pre- • pare for that night for years beforehand, and jSock /rpm every part of the world to it)'and Would "write volumns upon what

they saw; but because we can see that i beautiful sight any clear night we think little .of it. , But to the question—What is irlan made for? I think the answer is plain—-That man was made for the whole man to be developed, particularly the soul, and more especially the religious faculty ; this is the link that connects man with God and eternity; this is the great climax or culminating point, and without this end accomplished life is one great failure. Building houses, cultivating land, making engines, trade and 1 ftdmmerce—- these are only means and not the end; they are only designed to contribute to the great and grand end of man's," eiiitehce, to teach us' patience, trnsti confidence, integrity, purity, love and goodness; all besides is of little significance, if this be not accomplished. •■ «*..: r• ;- ■,■:.•:/• - . ■ • ' ■; J. Hohn. t Upper Albert street.