The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-21
AFFAIRS N The CITY And VICINITY.
Lecture On the Progress OF Human
Destiny.

NoNN~SOo~rNo~~r~o|>o>
Lecture On the Progress OF Human
Destiny.
The seventh lecture on this subject WAS dell
vered Monday evening by the Rev. Dr. Dewey. lie
Commenced by abiding to certain painful evils
which existed in the world, and asked what effect
they had in aiding human progress. Could it be
supposed that the Maker Of tho world foresaw al
there and that sn and pain were agreeable to him,
and in accordance with his beneyolsnce9 Might
not they believe that God would have prevented
there things, had there not been obstacles
in the nature Of them2 They were the same
obstacles that Plato spoke Of under the form
Of necessity, as something inevitable, and In
teywoyen with the constitution Of things, pre-.
venting the exclusion Of evil from the world He
appeared to think that the origin Of evil was the
true and only solution of the dark problem. He
spoke Of a malignant being as having introduced
evil into the crestion, and alluded to dark aud
obeliaate matter as the source Of evil. That idea
seemed to have pervaded all antiquity. We fou ad
him speaking reference TO the control
and accomplish ment of divine purposes and that
the universe received it's construction and present
order not by virtue OF an irresistible coercion bat
that they were things unavoidable. The lecturer
then reviewed the subject Of physical pain. TIE
Law was that pain was general; it also warned us
OF danger, and therefore sood at the outside of the
sstadei 1t harmed us, but it aged US fro n worse
energies. Every wise man knew that the infection
OF suffering was comfort. Cicero said that there
wac nothing 80 great to him rs his death. If pain
we're not inevitable, it was necessary TO human
happiness and virtue 1t was possible for general
laws not to work Inconvenience. Tne law tina. was
good for all must expose some. II lay at tie foun-
dation Of nature. What constituted natural dis
tinction "A difference, for instance, bet veep a
trenchman and an Euglishmsn II was net
situation IL was something in tie blood and
bone. and In the temperament. Ii was well
that nations had separate governments and n
selves, which might enure for tho benefit Of the
whole. French literature could no. properly be
introduced into this country, though works OF
learning and science were given through learned
than we thought Of We never did wrong with
inpUnty. Ose Of the evils regarded was death,
snd since there was no subject buried SO deep in
whole neral order Of things hung upon that. There
were or two difficulties which pressed upon that
|subject-they were isolation, suffering, and dread
'of death; the feeling that all the human energies
|wero buried IN an event, was isolation. We We're
not dismissed one by one, and this fact was an i'm
|Iortant one in human culture and society. Where
would be the fruits Of experience if mankind de-
parted from the world in families! Such system
would take away the inheritance Of property aad
The world would fall illness was necessary pre-
monitor. He thought that the present system of
Heath was most merciful one. There was a life
n death which transcribed even death itself,
and he believed in that life more than in
heath, and it would bear him up. The lac.
urer next alluded to politics and TO idolatry.
Some views had grown up with us-f0r instance,
that the worship Of animals by the enlightened
Egyptians was degradatioD; it surpassed our
belief. They were worshipPed as symbols OF the
gods, and the worship Of idols, became 50 gross
hat 1t was denounced by the Hebrew prophets,
c,ough no doubt At one time the Hebrews rsver.
snced images. This kind or worship fell of during
he latter ages of Greece and Rome, so much SO,
hat their inhabitants did not reg ard the religion OF
heir forefathers Then with reference to sacrifices,
bow necessary they must have been to worship.
espotism reigned In the ancient world, and repub
les died away throughout it; there was no con
eeption of equal rights Of men. He consi-
aeTed that an excess of homage was better
hSn the opposite extreme. 1t was an esta--
plished fact that ali our laws were liable to
he grossest evils The reverend gentleman
hen touched upon the subject Of war, and asked
it had good effect upon human progress there
had been states and conditions Of society in which
var was even preferable, and which it had broken
hp; there had been personal corruption and licen-
iousness. Pacific means were available at the
present day, but, in former ages, they were unin-
ellgible. War had also been medium Of inter.
ourEe and of communication of ideas. In ancient
lines nations laid side by side, and yet were more
Ignorant of each other than those Of the opposite
.omisheres at the present day. There had been
wills relieved by war which could not otherwise
have been effected. The condition of Ireland
khowed what suffering could be endured amongst
besple surrounded by civilized nations. The
Bsnsc TO them and the reverse to US, had been at
ended with effects upon the government Of man
lind. The great word "reform was to be sun
noned up, and it had been summoned up in al
ages The reverend gentleman closed his dis
kOurse with some general remarks.