The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-01-29
MIR. Brooks Lecture.

the Lyceum was, "Ihe moral aspect OF our
times" The lecturer introduced his subject
by some remarks on the superior Importance
of knowledge of the peculiar features OF the
age in which we live--of practical knowledge
bearing on our own time, to the mere book
knowledge, however important the latter may
be. He held that the world stands more in
need of practical men than it does of mere
scientific scholars, though she may need the
latter much. Indeed, the study of the sciences
derive their importance from the influence
they may have on our own time-the study of
history for the lessons we may learn from the
past to guide us in the present-the counsels
it throws from the past into the present
These remarks served to show the Importance
of the subject of the lecture. The lecturer
said that at first glance one would be led to
say that our age had no leading feature, as it
is an age of contradictions, of oddities; never
has society seen SO many conflicting elements
at work; radcalism the most wild, and con-
servatsm the most doted the broadest phi
witnessed. Yet notwithstanding this want of
unity, he thought there still could be seen a
leading feature in the age, and that was the
''predominauce of the good over evil" While
attempting to sustain the position that this is
the leading feature of the age, the lecturer
was willing to admit that there were many and
great evils existing. Some of them he emu
merated, such as the want of principle mani
tested in politics-the corruptions of the press
the large extent to which life is given to
mere mechanical existence-the nearly intel.
lectual character of our education, in which
more pains are taken to make the student in
tellectually great than worldly good-slavcry,
war, intemperance, and the competition of
business chat tends to degrade labor and crush
the laborer. But notwithstanding this vast
array of evils, he thought there was more
reason for hope than fear; he still believed
that the good predominates over the evil
He founded his opinion ON the following facts ::
The general diffusion of knowledge, the
circulation of the Bible the impulse which
the practical business of life has received
Railroads, Telegraphs, Steamships, all have an
influence for good on the world. He consid-
cred the moral effect which these improve
ments will have to be more powerful than the
physical effects. But the greatest reason for
hope, and the strongest proof of the truth of
his position, the lecturer thought, lie in the
fact that Religion is becoming more practical
is leaving the cloister and going forth to battle
with the wrongs that affiict the race. Even
the efforts of some reformers TO overturn the
institutions of religion, though to be pointedly
rebuked, he thought would have good effect,
in waking up christians to their true mission,
and forcing them Ito engage in the various
needful reforms of the day. He considered
another source of encouragement, and another
Argument in favor of his position, was found
in the fact that, while the evils to which he
had alluded were not the growth of the pres
ent age, but had existed, under some shape or
other, in all ages, the spirit OF reform was a
spirit in great degree peculiar to our own
time. Never was there an age, in his opinion,
when there was such tendency to reform as
there is at present. He admits that there is
in these reforms much of cant, much OF n.y.
pocrisy, and much of destructiveness mani
tested, but this is to be expected; they are the
dr;ft-wood on the surface of the mighty cur
rent of reform that is sweeping resistiessly
onward.