The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1853-06-03
THE SOCIAL WORLD.

writer speaking of the Social Evils OF
the world, the dark and repelIing aspect OF
humanity as viewed in the lights of its past
history, and the theological dogma that man
is totally depraved, says:
But with all the evil that has ever married
and stained the face of the social world, 1t Is
a hard thing for the soul to feel mat there
exists no spark of divine liie-no gilmmer OF
holy light, within the sanctuary OF the human
spirit. 1t would seem that the man who
could feel this, should be held as an enemy
to his race, denying as he does the pure and
inefIaceable image of God which is impressed
on the inner being. To him who really loves
humanity-who can lock beneath its wrongs,
its sears and sins-who can read the God
written language of the inmost heart, as it is
unveiled in the hallowed science of interior
medtation-to him there is q beauty and
sanctity even amid the darkness of social cor
rupton, which are reflections from the ever
beaming smile of the Father. 1t is this inner
germ of good in the soul-Ihis indestructible
image of God in the inner temple, that con-
sttutes the hope and redemption of society;
it is this which has drawn it ever onward to-
wards the source of divine light, and which,
by continued expansion and development,
shall cause it to inhalc the very atmosphere
of Heaven.
The social world is to be regarded as rep
Eesentng certain stage in human develop
ment Evil, inequality and crime are the
natural and inevitable results of an imperfect
condition. A time has been in the past when
these shadows of the earth-lile were deeper
and darker than now; and so we find that
progress in knowledge and virtue-which is
an essential and divine principe-gradually
disrobes the race of the many nantes of
darkness which it has worn for centuries, and
discloses the beauty and divinity of the i'm
mortal nature which for so long period
have been concealed Viewed in this light,
society appears far more tolerable-far more
attractive indeed, that the misanthropic mind
is willing to allow. If there are evils exist
ing in the social structure, these are seen to
represent only negative condition, which
must be ultimately removed beneath the in
tluence of the positive and ll-prevailing good;
and if the darkness of ignorance and supersti-
ton covers the gross ard undeveloped minds
of the people, there is likewise revealed n
light springing up from the very depths of
the soul, and blending with the radiance of
heaven itself, by which the darkness shall be
banished from the earth and the brightness
of new day unfOlded.
Ever may there be something good to hope
for, as regards the condition of the social
world. 1t is not well to look only on the
shadows of this great picture. There is Il
Divinity that guides the movements Of the
race, and it can never wander so far from the
path of light and peace or become so lost in
the depths of moral gloom, as to become ut
terly destitute of the undying fire that lights
and warns those hidden recesses of the soul,
where God is worshipped in purity and truth.
And ever, as the stream of time flows on,
bearing with its rapid tide the prayers and
aspirations that have gushed from the bleed
ing heart of humanty-ever shall the ccndi-
ton of man become more exalted, ever shall
his sorrows be lessened and his joys increas-
cd, ever shall his thoughts be purer, his ac-
tons nobler, and his life more blessed.