Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-09-19
Written for the Spirit of the Age.
THE DOCTRINE OF HUMANITY.
BY LIONEL CLIFTON

written o u EplrlI oI III hSc.
THE DOCTRINE OF HUMANITY.
BY LIONEL CLIFTON.
Confucius taught that "the health and
life of the soul, its object and its happiness,
is principally and especially in It's humani-
ty." The great Chinese Philosopher pre-
sented therefore, on every fitting OCCASION,
the theme of affection. Even while he
spoke not of a God or the inner workings
Of the soul, this principle Of affection to-
ward human kind revealed the spring from
whence such a fountain flowed. Once a
disciple asked him, aoherein lag the virtue
of Humanity, and the answer WAS In
the love of men," It was his one grand
idea, and he sought to instil it in the minds
of his followers, so that in all their actions
they would be governed by it; whether nn
their communings with themselves or thsir
communications with others, the moral
force of the injunction was to be displayed,
and in such a manner as to inspire conf
dence, beget respect, and instil admiration.
How far he succeeded in this, we can
determine only by taking into considera-
ton the era in which he lived. We know
that the doctrine was well received nearly
two thousand years ago, and that it is still
in existence over the vast Empire Of Chi
ma, with it's $50, 0O0, 900 Of souls. With
no such weapons as Mohammed, with sword
in one hand and Ell Koran in the other,
who 1900 years succeeding, startled the
Arabians by the eloquence of his ~astlons
and his forcible appeal to the passions Of
men, whose Empire, or rather the Enp1res
he created, now extends from the Ganges
to Morocco in one direction, and froaa the
southern extremity of Arabia to the bor-
ders of Hungary In the other-yet like
him, numbering millions of proselytes, Of
all classes Of intelligence and power.
The doctrine of Confucius constituted
one of the Arches spanningth sea of Ages,
over which was to pass a greater and a
more sublime, yet a simpler creed. Gre
pay kindness by kindness, injuries by in
juries'' was an incubation preparing the
way for "Love them that hate you and
do good to them that spitefully use you"
Those who followed Confucius naturally
walked in the light he enjoyed. Had 1t
been more clear, it might have dazzIed
and COMPOUNDED them. Had it been pu-
rer, it would have appeared too high and
holy for them to comprehend and they
would have preferred walking ignorant of,
instead of by it.
Humanity is that peculiar nature G man
by which he is distinguished from other
beings. He has been endowed with a. soul
immortal in its duration, sympathetle in
its yearnings, progressive in its develop
ment.- In its duration it is to equal Its
Creator. Times and seasons are to pass
away and yet it is to exist in a state Of
eternal veal or never ending woe. In 5ts
sympathies it is far reaching, sending ON
tendrils of affection far and near, linking
thereby in an universal brotherhood al
races of mankind, of whatever caste O
condition. The Saxon Sage and the South
Sea Savage are by it fraternalized. TIL
Innocent (as the Germans gently call on
whose intellect is scarce above the instinc
accorded to the brute c~reation) whose min
fails to grapplc with and overcome the sim
plest law of nature, and the mighty maste
whose expansive mind takes in at once tn
universal plan, by it join hand in the fe
lowship of affection. In its development
there is ever something beyond which
strives to reach. Once reached ErcelsiO
still rings through the chamber of the sou
its and higher and still higher it goes, seekin
lot new fields Of exploration, studying out ne
ten causes from new and strangely deyelope
effects. A steady, unwavering progre'
.een ever attends it. 1t is not possible for h
lent ooa r,trro 70 rotroorodo r. ;s contra,
lself II IT, - - uh;oL ~ NO oro
Sat u A'in "
ted, contrary to every innate perception
Law the soul, at variance with universal prec
he dents and ~analogies. True, foratime the
lars will be seeming eras when the world seen
ming not alone to stand still, but even to retr
the grade. But it was necessary to have SUI
NAN dark ages. In the wise Providence OF >
at a hovah, such things are necessary to t
development of his plans for the amelior
stem ton Of the world. And as We thus ha
r the presidents, so also we have analogies
close nature. We see the effect of drought up
JOY grain it is but passing through a da
r"ost age of it's existence, from which it is SO
The to be delivered. 1t once more unfolds
n ex- leaves, the grain ripens and the harvest
voice ready for the sickle. These things are
made more easily comprehended, the more
act pause to consider them in their various
him' lations and conditions, and the study
: hod pleasant as we'll as profitable. 10 kn
ourselves we must examine ourselves a
stare compare others with ourselves. And tt
met in working out the mystery of existen
lowed step by step, Humanity is progressing
ward perfection.
lane; aTa Mungo Park, reaching the banks of
days Nlger' louno hillselA IA q L =,
from less ccndltlon. Alone, Wlthout looo, w
upon out permission to cross to Sego on the
d the posite bank of the river, he safe him dc
ID re- to die. But the humanity of a poor ne
woman saved his life. She saw his col
ton and pitied him. She gave him fish
pS on eat and a mat on which to sleep, and W
" ,55 he lay, soothed him with songs. Swe'
travel and plaintively must have fallen on
to be ears of the traveller away off in the cen
wilds- of barbaric Africa, such word