THE BLIND.—ONE THOUSAND POUNDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8288, 21 June 1890, Page 6

THE BLIND.—ONE THOUSAND POUNDS.

Mr. Abbott writes as follows :—I have much pleasure) in submitting 20th list of subscriptions herein, £24 19s 9d, which added to previous amount totals £1002 2s. VICTORY. It is the song of the warrior, not always melodious, the martial strains sometimes powerless to drown the tears, the sighs, the shrieks of the wounded and the groans of the dying.' It is the palm of the conqueror not always waved in triumph ; for in conquest might sometimes usurps and overrides right. It is the crown of the believer in burnished gold, flashing with gems and amaranthine in nature. It is the coronet of effort, the reward of patient industry, the recognition of energy and toil by honour and distinction, the goal of legitimate lofty ambition when inspired and fired by high and holy motives, the harvest of rejoicing and gladness succeeding the seedtime of tillage and suspense. It is the angel ladder after the night of weariness and disappointment, which rises from earth to heaven, and constitutes a promenade on which in order minister to saints locomotion. It is the blast of trumpets ami the battle shout before which the walls of our Jericho* go down. It is the Miriam song, timbrel, and dance of joyous exultation, sign of the breaking down of despotism, and the introduction of peoples into the freedom of liberty and the higher joys of the race, endorsing on its first birthday, o'er all its ensigns and banners, the sublime truth, " Jehovah is o-lorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders." It is a seven-fold chorus of hallelujahs and harping .symphonies. It is all this and more in the masses. Let us now glance at. it* life in the classes. It was found bv the three Hebrew children after a tussle with lions in their howling den and a baptism of lire, out of which they came unscathed. It was realised in a remarkable manner on many occasions in the episode of the life of St.'Paul; pre-eminently so when, in company with Silas, his back cruelly lacerated with stripes, he found himself incarcerated in the gaol at Philippi. At. the witching hour of night the dungeon was transformed into an Academy" of Music, and as its glorious refrains in gracious incense rose to Heaven "mid the tremor and vibration of the earthquake accompaniment his chains fell off as he finished a sentence which incorporated a penalty attached to the crime of doing good. ' John was banished to Patmos; his dirge of sorrow was chanted in loneliness ; the booming winds and moaning waves only joining in the choruses : but in that seclusion the victory came in one announcement, for his august anil glorious companion laid His right hand upon him saying, " Fear not, I am the first and the last. = I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold, 1 am alive for evermore. Amen, and have the keys of hell and death." It came also to another John, a tinker, who in Bedford Gaol, inter aha, was favoured with dreams and visions, which have superbly enriched the realm of English literature/and in their purity and splendour approached almost, to Apocalyptic scenes: but in a still more remarkable way it. came to the Redeemer. The pent up enthusiasm of the Jews could no longer be restrained ; the palms were stripped of their branches ; the garments were dolled by the throng: the highway was strewn with both, while in zenith of jubilation and plenitude of joy the air was rent with hosannas But, oh, how strange in this superabounding joy the King~was sad ; for He beheld the impending "doom; and as lie gazed on that city full of the tendercstand holiest associations to Him, to them, to all of us, then, there after, and for all time, as well as for all eternity, He wept, thus drenching His virgin laurels with a shower of blushing tens. We may as well go on to Calvary ; the most tragic event is being enacted. " The San beheld it-no, the shocking scene Drove back his chariot.'' Just glance a moment while i put the question — " Piil e'er such love and sorrow meet. Or thorns compose so rich a crown "." Ecc>: homo ' King of Salem ! King of Paints '. King of (Jlory ! King of King-;: For on His head are many crown?. This was the victory of victories, for it was a triumph over death. The grappling irons of the grave, having therein he'd untold millions, were powerless to shackle and retain the Prince of Life. For He could not be holden of death. Oh ! how strange that in the constitution of the great spiritual temple, the mausoleum of our sorrow and tears adjoins the cloister of our highest joy. And who, in experience amongst us, has not seen these two opposite* of our nature shaking hands on the same day, often in the same hour It is, however, pleasing to recognise if we go to the grave to weep there at night, the region of joy ushers in with the morning. " Who <n\v in tears shrill reap in joy. The Lord shall comfort all ihat mourn. Who now «» on their wav ami weep, With they doubtless shall return, Ami linns their sheave-- with vast increase, Ami have their fruit to holiness." Victory comes in the army, in the navy, in the Senate, in poetry, painting, sculpture, law, and physics—in fact, through all the realms of science, as well as in learning and religion, the victors and champions are found. The superior inborn power of mind called genius often carries its possessor to the acropolis of fame; sometimes greatness comes in one act : it was thus with Hood, who sang the "Song of the Shirt." In other cases' it is a series of acts which secures the crown. Narrowing down our remarks to the peculiarities of our case, success and victory are ours because we espoused a good object, imbued and actuated by right motive? ; and the great factor in the achievement has been the übiquitous press. But for the mighty influence wielded by this literary giant, our puny efforts would have been absurd and abortive. This now engine quickens the noblest sympathies ; its eloquence breathes a creative life, infusing spirit. Jts utterance is a stimulant and tonic, and healthy medicine to the mind. Was it not the press Milton saw when he exclaimed: "Methinks I see her as an eagle showing her mighty youth and kindling her undaz/.led eyes at the full midday beam, purging and unsealing her long abased sight at the fountain itself of heavenly radiance." Sheridan said, " Give them a corrupt House of Lords, give them a venal House of Commons, give them a tyrannical Prince, give them a truckling Court, and let me have but an unfettered Press, I will defy them to encroach a hair's breadth upon the liberties of England." Milton writes, "Truth and understanding are not such wares as to be monopolised and traded in by tickets and statutes and standards." The safety of national morality and religion will not be best, preserved if " nothing be written, but, what passes through the Customhouse of certain publicans that, have the tonnaging and poundaging of all freespoken truth." And thus we think newspapers are not, dead things ; there is a progeny of life in them, to be as active as that soul was whoso progeny they are. In one article a good newspaper sometimes contains the precious life-blood of a master spirit embalmed and treasured up to a life beyond life. And this vitalizing energy, like an electric shock, is conveyed by the touch of the Press to a million heads arid hearts and hands. Thereafter the judgment convinced, tho heart stirred and quickened in all its emotional chambers, the soul is fired to deeds of chivalry, self-denial, daring patriotism, and charity ; the mind enlightened, the conscience quickened, the alma and good deeds take their exodus, gravitate as if by evaporation to the ethereal regions, and thence come down as " rain upon the newmown grass, as dew upon the tender herb." Our press—Herald, Star, and Observer —have gratuitously, by lending their columns, done all this and more, and are still willing to lay under contribution their colossal power in order to subserve onr noble efforts on behalf of the calamitous, blind, for which our hearty thanks should now be tendered. Kmnloves Mellaby Bros., £2 8s Go* ; City Council, per P. A. Philips, £2 Ss Of I ; .Tito. Ross, £2 2s: collected by Smith and Caughey, £2 Is ; 11. Culpan, .■CI Is; A. Sympathiser, £1 la; .1. A. Miller (Thames), fil'ls; W. Prater, £1 is; Mrs. Coekin, per Rev. J. Pukes, £1; Win. Rhodes, £1; Win. Buchanan, £1; Rev. 3. Duties, 10s (■;<!; it. W. Moodv, lOsfJd; Alf. Ridel, 10s 6(1 ; F. Hide, 10s Cd; It. Little, 10s ; A. Anderson, 10s ; 11. McGregor, 10s ; W.D.8., 10«; A. Friend, 10s; J. Hume, 10s; T. C. Brown, 10s; M. Scott, 10s; J as. Scott, lOst; Gavin Wallace, 10*; F. Irwin, :>s; T. Leyland, ss; A friend, fW; ,T. Renshaw, S.s; Mrs. Leek, 6s; Miss Webster, 5s ; S. .Tames (Manjjere), fe Orl ; total, £21 13s 9d. " Physicians of all schools use and recommend U'r. Senile's American Hon BifkTW. Teat; them." i i