The Portland daily press., 1865-02-09
Twelfth Lecture N. L. A. Course.

Twelfth Lecture NJ. L. A. Course.
The walking was bad and the weather I'M
favorable, but large and brilliant audience
assembled in City Hall last evening to hear the
able and eloquent Lecturer DIR. Z. Il. Chaplin
OF New York. He was introduced and receiv-
ed with loud demonstrations of applause.
The subject of DR.. Chapin's lecture was
"The Old and the New" That it was brilliant
and sparkling with gems of thought clothed in
eloquent language, no one will doubt who
heard him. OF all the places on earth, he said,
Rome combines the most objects of human in
terest. This city was the meeting of the an
Gent and modern civilizations and contains
the monuments of both. Over the dust of Cse
sar rolls the drum-beat of aspiring France.
Rome supplies map Of living contrasts and
teaches the relative nature of the Old and the
New. Old shapes assume new usages, but the
elements have not changed.
The passions that disturb our kind are pho.
tographed on every century. On the most an
tique sculpture is carved every expression.
Cheating Is as old as trade and Lying is as old
as-politics. Judas still turks in the camp
and Cataline enters the senate. Romance is
not dead and heroism and martyrdom are in
cldents Of to-day. The Old and the New be-
long to thoughts and events. Nothing has SO
much thrown the present into contrast with
past ages as the discoveries which have been
made in every department of nature. The pc
culiarity which expressly lends to our time an
aspect of newness is the predominance of sci
entidc method and thought everywhere, but
this does not interfere with the harmonious
operation of progress, and yet there is room
for grave apprension.
The immense control man has obtained n
the use of materials and forces cherishes
tendency to an absorbing materialism-an I'M
mitigated outwardness Of thought. Integrity
is entangled with arithmetic, and loyalty rises
and falls with the gold market. Science has
dismissed forever the theory of chance. As
Agassiz has said, "modern science is the trans
lation into human language of the Creators
thought" The great periods Of nature are be-
yond our control. History places before us a
whole of which we form part. Everywhere
corresponding characteristics produce cores
pondlng inventions.
1t must be remembered that the new comes
out of the old. The dog, moving about in
circle when about to lie down initiates the
motion Of an aboriginal dog who made his bed
in leaves. So men unconsciously retain por-
tion of the inheritance of the old. Humanity
cannot stand still any more than the earth on
which it abides No essential good perishes
with the past; nor can evil permanently abide.
Wonderful is the chemistry by which falsehood
at last dissolves; not all at once, not by sheer
force of assault, but by a providential process
that no man can analyse or prevent.
The events of our day are continually as
tonishing us, and our predictions are contlnu-
ally proving failures. 1t is impossible to make
calculations when the laws and forces are un-
known. We need the assurance that the i'm
polling force is not blind necessity, but an
eternal and benevolent purpose. Only this as
surance converts the events of history into
lessons of duty and trust.
We inhabit the new world, and very likely
our new world is natures old world. We
build above the ashes of race whose history
was none the less real because unrscorded.-
Free government is the problem involved in
our national existence. Freedom is the &C.
cording to every man the normal use of bis
whole nature, body, mind and soul. And
legitimate government is that which secures
this free action. American is not European
democracy, which flowers In revolutionary
cockades and fzzles in theoretical pyrotech-
MICS. Our democracy is organized liberty. One
Of the issues Of the present contest is between
liberty and slavery. Slavery has been the
great bar to the smooth working of our great
mechanism. While rejoicing in State rights,
we should acknowledge sovereignty only in
the whole nation. We talk as if man made
nations. God makes them.
Our new problem is put to the old trial Of
civil war; Poiseda as the issues OF the war on
the issues our fathers bequeathed to US. Out
oft changes must come, have already come.
What significant abyss have these four years
opened between the old and thewl The war
has decided the soundness of our love for free
DOOM imbued us with a new spirit; made us
new people; lifted us out of selfshness; in
famed US with new patriotism; contributed
martyrs to the nation; made politics serious
and sanctihed the Fourth Of July. 1t has ex-
allied Young America. None of our heroes
will be nameless; every one Of them is named
somewhere in prayer. Out of this crucible
of war, this chemistry of flame and blood
must emerge much that is new; and he trust
ed the old union, the old nation and the old
flag would emerge from it. His summing up
was truly eloquent, and thrilled the audi
ence. As was expected, the lecture was most
earnestly listened to, and most enthusiastically
received.