"A pure or holy state of anything is that in which all its parts
are helpful or consistent. The highest and first law of the
universe, and the other name of life, is therefore, 'help'. The
other name of death is 'separation'. Government and cooperation
are in all things, and eternally, the laws of life. Anarchy and
competition, eternally, and in all things, the laws of death.
"Perhaps the best, though the most familiar, example we could take
of the nature and power of consistence, will be that of the
possible changes in the dust we tread on.
"Exclusive of animal decay, we can hardly arrive at a more
absolute type of impurity, than the mud or slime of a damp, over
trodden path, in the outskirts of a manufacturing town. I do not
say mud of the road, because that is mixed with animal refuse, but
take merely an ounce or two of the blackest slime of a beaten
footpath, on a rainy day, near a manufacturing town. That slime we
shall find in most cases composed of clay (or brickdust, which is
burnt clay), mixed with soot, a little sand and water. All these
elements are at helpless war with each other, and destroy
reciprocally each other's nature and power competing and fighting
for place at every tread of your foot, sand squeezing out clay,
and clay squeezing out water, and soot meddling everywhere, and
defiling the whole. Let us suppose that this ounce of mud is left
in perfect rest, and that its elements gather together, like to
like, so that their atoms may get into the closest relations
possible.
"Let the clay begin. Ridding itself of all foreign substance, it
gradually becomes a white earth, already very beautiful, and fit,
with help of congealing fire, to be made into finest porcelain,
and painted on, and be kept in kings' palaces. But such artificial
consistence is not its best. Leave it still quiet, to follow its
own instinct of unity, and it becomes, not only white but clear;
not only clear, but hard; nor only clear and hard, but so set that
it can deal with light in a wonderful way, and gather out of it
the loveliest blue rays only, refusing the rest. We call it then a
sapphire.
"Such being the consummation of the clay, we give similar
permission of quiet to the sand. It also becomes, first, a white
earth; then proceeds to grow clear and hard, and at last arranges
itself in mysterious, infinitely fine parallel lines, which have
the power of reflecting, not merely the blue rays, but the blue,
green, purple, and red rays, in the greatest beauty in which they
can be seen through any hard material whatsoever. We call it then
an opal.
"In next order the soot sets to work. It cannot make itself white
at first; but, instead of being discouraged, tries harder and
harder; and comes out clear at last; and the hardest thing in the
world: and for the blackness that it had, obtains in exchange the
power of reflecting all the rays of the sun at once, in the
vividest blaze that any solid thing can shoot. We call it then a
diamond.
"Last of all, the water purifies, or unites itself; contented
enough if it only reach the form of a dewdrop: but if we insist on
its proceeding to a more perfect consistence, it crystallizes into
the shape of a star. And, for the ounce of slime which we had by
political economy of competition, we have, by political economy of
co-operation, a sapphire, an opal, and a diamond, set in the midst
of a star of snow."
L. I have asked you to hear that, children, because, from all that
we have seen in the work and play of these past days, I would have
you gain at least one grave and enduring thought. The seeming
trouble,--the unquestionable degradation,--of the elements of the
physical earth, must passively wait the appointed time of their
repose, or their restoration. It can only be brought about for
them by the agency of external law. But if, indeed, there be a
nobler life in us than in these strangely moving atoms;--if,
indeed, there is an eternal difference between the fire which
inhabits them, and that which animates us,--it must be shown, by
each of us in his appointed place, not merely in the patience, but
in the activity of our hope; not merely by our desire, but our
labor, for the time when the Dust of the generations of men shall
be confirmed for foundations of the gates of the city of God. The
human clay, now trampled and despised, will not be,--cannot be,--
knit into strength and light by accident or ordinances of
unassisted fate. By human cruelty and iniquity it has been
afflicted;--by human mercy and justice it must be raised: and, in
all fear or questioning of what is or is not, the real message of
creation, or of revelation, you may assuredly find perfect peace,
if you are resolved to do that which your Lord has plainly
required,--and content that He should indeed require no more of
you,--than to do Justice, to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with
Him.