New-York daily tribune., 1843-10-20
DR.. Hopkins's Address before the ai"'"N
of W Nilliams's College, Aug. I6.
sub;ect-THr Law OF PRocREss


Snbjsct-THE Law OF PRoGREss.
This Address is written in the usual pure anu
lucid STYLE of the author. We regard MN as one
Of the ablest and purest writer's OF the country
IN deciding on the future action OF a law OF pro-
orcss Mr.. II. thinks We should combine two
things-the history Of the past, and prophecy
Noy. wc consider this one Of the most interesting
of alI questions whatsoever but VIC cannot agree
with the learned author in this statement: Tor.
although prophecy asserts the future better state
of man., it no where intimates that 1t is to be
brought about by any progressive law, but rather
by the introduction OF some new principle or sys-
TEN whose reforming work will be sudden and
rapid We would not, as President ii. fears,
separate the provdences of God from the move
ments Of Nature and VIC consider them both
combined in the history Of the past, and hence
would take the past as the only premise from
which to draw just conclusions, not only as to the
existence of law of progress at ALL but also to Its
probable action in the future Neither do VIC con-
slider it fair to contrast the world nor with the
world before Christ. Previous to his coming, we
look upon mankind as merely marking time, not
marching: and when that sudden light arose
upon them, they rushed towards the good it
promised. Men did not advance by slow degrees
10 the light and truth of the Gospel on the con-
trary, they were worse just before its PRONUNCIATION
than they were somefew centuries previous. But
even since the time OF Christ has there been uni
form and clear action of this law of progress or
have we reached or passed our highest state OF
virtue and consequent perfcctlbllty, and hence
must now wait another interference IN our behalf!
We do not deny a law Of progress but we qucs-
ton it, especially in the definition commonl given
TO it. l. c. we doubt whether there be SO much
more virtue and happiness now (taklng the world
at large than sixteen centuries ago. The Whole
political and social system seems based on wrong
PRINCIPLES, and works sad ruin with the human
happiness entrusted to its care. We have long
looked on this world as ship on Ice shore, and
the decadence of every nation, and the failure OF
every political experiment, as so many signal
guns of distress. She will work off, we believe,
but rot at her present rate Of sailing. We
are apt to underratc the past and ovcrrate the
present, and civilization has long seemed Co en-
ploy another figure like the light of the setting
sun on a collection Of mountain summts 1t
shifts from one to another. without covering a
larger number Palestine, and Greece, and Rome
have fallen into the shade, while England and
America have caught the light.
There is one thing which President II. says
is involved in the law OF progress which Is doubt
less true. 1t is the recognition Of the true end
of man as social being and an approach toward
that" That the true end of man is moro clearly
recognised is evident--hs approaching it is not
so clear. Were political put in the place Of So
cial. it would be truer. That man is progress
ing in the knowledge Of his political rights, and
of his power to get them too, is, we think, evil
dent. How he will use those rights and power
aDhen he gets them, is not so plain. Taking in
the entire world, he who can see steady move
ment toward universal competency and happi-
ness, must be clear.sghted indeed. The address,
however is not SO onc.sided as these remarks
would seem to indicate, but on the contrary can
not fail to please cveryl over of clear thought, and
pure style.