e utmost: as it is the duty of this blade of grass and this
oak-tree to grow and expand as far as their powers will admit. But
the blade of grass and the oak have this great disadvantage to work
against--they can only labour in the lines laid down for them, and
unconsciously; while man can think, foresee, and plan. The greatest
obstacle to progress is the lack now beginning to be felt all over
the world, but more especially in the countries most highly
civilized, of a true ideal to work up to. It is necessary that some
far-seeing master-mind, some giant intellect, should arise, and
sketch out in bold, unmistakable outlines the grand and noble future
which the human race should labour for. There have been weak
attempts--there are contemptible makeshifts now on their trial,
especially in the new world--but the whole of these, without
exception, are simply diluted reproductions of systems long since
worn out. These can only last a little while; if anything, they are
worse than the prejudices and traditions which form the body of
wider-spread creeds. The world cries out for an intellect which
shall draw its inspiration from the unvarying and infallible laws
regulating the universe; which shall found its faith upon the
teaching of grass, of leaf, of bird, of beast, of hoary rock, great
ocean, star and sun; which shall afford full room for the
development of muscle, sense, and above all of the wondrous brain;
and which without fettering the individual shall secure the ultimate
apotheosis of the race. No such system can spring at once, complete,
perfect in detail, from any one mind. But assuredly when once a firm
basis has been laid down, when an outline has been drawn, the
converging efforts of a thousand thousand thinkers will be brought
to bear upon it, and it will be elaborated into something
approaching a reliable guide. The faiths of the past, of the ancient
world, now extinct or feebly lingering on, were each inspired by one
mind only. The faith of the future, in strong contrast, will spring
from the researches of a thousand thousand thinkers, whose minds,
once brought into a focus, will speedily burn up all that is
useless and worn out with a fierce heat, and evoke a new and
brilliant light. This converging thought is one of the greatest
blessings of our day, made possible by the vastly extended means of
communication, and almost seems specially destined for this very
purpose. Thought increases with the ages. At this m