The Pioneer and woman's advocate. (Providence, R.I.) 1852-185?, 1852-07-31


"This is my Subject-the Spirit of Reform"
The tendencies of Society offer recip-
rocal antagOnis,n, AMI those which lead to
deterioration are certainly as strong
as those which are suited to raise
and refine people, whatever conquest
shall be gained over error and sin, what
ever permanent removal of an evil that
enters into the history Of the times shall
be secured. We, or our children, will
come to the exetiOns Of mankind. Call
the philanthropists, reformers, or what we
may y.-visionaries, radicals, fanatics, (na-
mes may hinder or help, but they cannot
defeat q good cause, for though there be
"a potencyiin name, necessity and will are
still mighter.) The changes that shall
introduce better condition of humanity
must come from the endeavOr and consent
of men whose eyes are open, and whose
hearts are true, they who for Zion's sake
will not hold their peace, and for Jerusa-
lem's sake will not rest shall cause the
righteousness thereof to 60 forth as bright
ness! There reforms which shall be pro-
ductive of the widest and most lasting
good, must spring from Religious faith, we
need not deny the value Of many changes
in the social condition, which are me
result Of physical or economical science.
Who was the great reformer! was it not
he whose influence 'eates all things anew
can they who have seemed of him be enc
mics of beneicent changes. II now we
examine the spirit OfrefOrm, that we may
ascertain what qualities determine its es-
sential character, we shall first discover
that it is courageous and aggressive spirit
such it must be from the nature Of its
office. Its aim is to overthrow that which
exists. and to substitute for tho admitted
or cherished among men that which it
regards as better, its attitude therefore,
may therefore, seem to he one of
hostility, of assault. Its attack IN popular
errors, as we shall presently observe, will
not be indiscrininate, nor simply fierce.
but by the conditions Of it's birthrght il il
bound to be the inexorabIe foe Of what it
deems wrong; to persons Of timid or
au,et temper, this element in the spirit of
reform is disagreable, they are afraid of
it. But they are not the persons to carry
forward the work, they are serviceabIe
and pleasant in their place, but their place
is not among the champions Of freedom or
truth, frank and manly bear ng becomes
the reforiner, such as bespeak his conf
dence in good, though it be perilous
or diffirult enterprise. If he quail before
obstacles, is inundated by threats, or
moved by ridicule, he shows himself unfit
for the office he has assumed. The spirit
of Reform is not an Ishmael, whose hand
is against every man, and every mans
hand against him but it is Peter the
Hermit, preaching in all ages a crusade
for the recovery Of the Holy Land from
the infdels.
Hence it ia an indefatigable, earnest,
energetic spirit. If it moves not how
could it accomplish anything! changes in
the opinions and practises Of mankind
are not wrought by feeble hands.
To many, if not to most observers, the
reforner may seem fearfully in earnest.
His soul, possessed by the great ideas, to
whose service he has bound himself by
indentures of conscience and heart, is in
tensely active, and this inward force can
not but communicate itself to his internal
life. And yet,why should we select him as