Article #10 - What is Man?

           Jonah Jackson

            I arose one morning in Summer just as the dawn was beginning to paint the dark oriental sky a whitey silvery color. Hoisting my window I sat down to feel the cool and wholesome breeze blowing in upon me. The robin began to chirp in the orchard bough and the dove to coo from her scanty nest. Directly the east began to glow, with the day’s approach beame [??] and a retinue of warblers began to sing as in praise of the blue etherial [sic] morn. The light became stronger and the objects of the landscape before me were becoming indistinctly visible. The tall old oak trees through the dim twilight appeared like mighty giants wrapped in their sepulchral surtouts who prowl in the fable land through the silent hours of night. The distant stream whose

low murmer [sic] was slightly audible seemed like a ghost of the credulous dressed in a pale white

winding sheet. Scarcely a cloud scudded the blue above which held the fastly fading stars which one by one slowly put out its delicate glow, in the more formidable light of the monarch of the skies. I thus sat contemplating in general the things around me, no one particular thing having yet claimed my attention. In this situation many pleasing reflections of the ideal came and went. But at length an old book which lay near me that contained a record of the principal events that had

occurred in the [??] and which I had just finished reading the night before attracted my attention.

I began to meditate upon it as I recalled some of its most important events to my mind. From it I learned many things concerning the Pagan, the Jew and the Christian. In its pages I saw as it were in a mirror nation after nation pass away and new ones succeed to fill the vacancy. I saw the old mosaical religion followed by the Christian dispensation, and troops of succeeding pilgrims flocked to the standard and professed themselves the followers of meek and lowly Jesus. Many eras of the world were marked with mighty and powerful nations where arts and sciences had been fostered and wrought into perfection where civilization had attained its height and civil and religious liberty was beginning to be recognized as the inherent privilege of man. Then dissension would arise and these great kingdoms would be humbled into dust and centuries of desolation and horror followed. At these things I wondered. I could not comprehend why the harmony that had been progressing for ages should be broken why that state of happiness which seemed to be approaching should be lost for so many ages and be superceded by intervals of darkness and brutality. In my difficulty I was led to doubt whether the nature of man was capable of sustaining a higher condition of love and peace but this would be I plainly saw an imputation upon divine widsom. And I queried with myself What is man and created for what purpose and why at all. But the summons for breakfast cut short my musings. I resolved however to devote the day to meditation, and after having finished my repast by which time I found it to [be] almost noon I strolled out into the fields to taste the freshness and beauties of nature. But I found the day oppressive so I almost involuntarily bent my steps in the [??] of the old church yard where a clump of shady elms was beconing [sic] my approach. As I walked among the tomb stones I observed the graves of old age youth and smiling beauty all locked in a slumber that no earthly sound could awaken. Above them waved the oak and the elm from whose boughs numberless humming insects and warbling songsters sent up a requiem as if in praise of the departed dead. After interesting myself for awhile in reading the epitaphs of the quiet sleepers and having walked the graveyard several times over I became weary and sat down at the head of a tomb in the shade of a large tree. The grave was that of an old man that had seen 80 summers rool [sic] over his head and as many winters chill his veins. I sat down and throwing myself backward on nature’s verdant carpet I again asked what is man and created for what purpose. I began again to meditate upon the history of the world and as I looked over the ages of bloodshed and murder that had passed I was still unable to satisfy the inquiry What is man and for what is he created. I had thus spent some time in fruitless conjecture, when by the quiet of the place and the music of

the birds I was soothed into a long and protracted slumber, I had slept but a short time until the grave opened and the old man arose wrapped in shroud and winding sheet. His countenance was not deathly it was bright and cheerful. At first I was somewhat moved at the tombly [sic] apparition but as he turned his face towards me which beamed with tenderness and love I felt afraid no longer. Seeing me become somewhat composed he spoke to me thus Son of [??] I am a messenger of the most high sent to direct thy steps in the pathway of wisdom. Speak on I said, I am ready to hear whatever you may have to say. He then had me turn my eyes to the eastward where a mighty mountain stretched its giant length along the distant horizon. What dost thou see he inquired I see top of the mountain a most beautiful place of immense extent. An eternal spring reigns there. Throughout the year vegetable exists green and fresh Fountains of pure water are seen gurgling up in all parts of the land and flowing away to water this delightful eden. I noticed further myriads of happy beings living there all appearing joyous and gay no sorrows or misery no wickedness was permitted to enter that could disturb the constant felicity. Old age, as soon as it entered these shores threw off its encumbrances of clay and became active and sprightly entering with as much zeal into the joys of the place as the youngest inhabitant there. In the midst of all these I behold a being brighter and more heavenly than the sun emitting a mild

tender light to millions of divine forms who spread all over the land farther than the eye can discern. I behold no cessation of joy and happiness no weary souls seeking rest from cares and troubles that weigh down the spirits of those inhabit this earthly sphere. That place thou beholdest is heaven said the messenger! That bright countenance thou beholds, brighter and milder than the sun is God!