The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-02-11
Conslilucion.Wo and Ma.
tf0H0l PFO4reSS.

| Constilution.Worship and Ma
ft0nal Progress.
That .to err is human'-that human
character, opinions and institutions are, Oh
may prove 20 be, weak or wrong-that the
dehberative perhaps is usually more be
coming than the positive surely-that the
ideal best is to be looked for with telescope
faith rather than believed in as actually re-
alizad-that ere we build the new we must
toilsomely clear away the debris of the Old
that we hold our beliefs concerning
earthly things, and not a few OF those con-
corning super earthly things, by thread
so Sigh. that in the twinkle Of an eye our
thinker or discoverer MAY sever it-thesu
are truths, or rather forms OF a truth, tina:
all will acauiesce IN. Abstract truth makes
few enemies.
AS soon, however, rs we pass from the
abstract to the concrete, fruu the general
to the particular. from the statement to the
illustration, weAre met at once with OBJ
jectjons and deilials; and this in whatever
field OF thought OF sphere of life we enter.
Men admit a general liability TO say wrong
things who were never known to admit any
given thing to have been wrongly said
Tho most dictatorial man will preface un-
proven and unprovable assertions with al
In my humble Judgment Men sit equan-
imous and acquiescent under their minis
ter's general assertion OF tie wickedness OF
the human heart; but let him tell A. the
next morning that he is al hard man, selfish
and worldly, or B that he is vindictiye, or
G that he, harbors lustfal thoughts, and
these worthless are offended because OF that
saying. From the very nature of things,
and IN accordance with the law OF human
development, the PHILOSOPHERS, the sciences
and the civilizations OF the world are in q
continuous cycle of deaths and resurrec-
tions-the old dying that the new, taking
not IN its decomposed elements, may attain
lordlier growth, a lairer blooming and a
richer fruitage than before was posi- Die ;
yet when new cosmology, q new doctrine
OF right, new embodiment of an old idea,
n new step in the march Of the mind is be-
ing urged, the world lifts up his voice in
the dismal cry that the foundations are be-
ing under mined by these heretics and rad
lcals. The foolish fears Of the faithful have
in all departments of human thought, done
vastly more harm than all the heresy and
hairbrainedness ever uttered or writer.
We Americans are people we'll nigh
without past, with too little love aud ro-
nance for the past, with too little faith in
principles deduced by clustered study OF
the past, calling no men masters and test
ing everything on it's merits for ourselves.
In this temper and in defiance alike Of The
friendly fears and maleyolent hopes Of all
the world beside, we adopted our Consti-
tuition in accordance with the comprehen-
sive and forever applicable principle tina:
new circumstances and new needs necessi-
tated and justified new statements and new
measures; and ye; whilestill affirming the
particuiars ~ our present estimate and
treatment Of that instrument,
Our national lif., IA chanrafni' 80 ia none
other in the world. Il ia n,ick in its more
internal processes. rapid in its evolution.
adapting itself marvelouslv to the ISSUES
in its whole tone and ten, mar "a chanpe an
those things with which il is ia relation.-
Our national life il real If,-is n,,ick. exn.
berant sentient. niantive.
But save in the realm of pa.e spirit. lei
VA remember that q life does not Constitute
q be;,,o. An animaf lie doaq moi conssitnte
animal: spiritual hjc ia the soul does not
CONSTITUTES religion. and notionol l5e does
not Of itself make nation. VIVA. is the
lack common 10 ALI these things. that the
life NAV be manifest. that Ma sniris may
live and move and have visible beine. thu,
essence nav become mower? lEven this
an or0anisn,. Plant lie in plant orvans-
this makes . vegetable. Animal life ia an
animal organism, this makes an ammgl.-
Christianity in churchly organism-and
deny II who wilI-this only constitutes
what from Moses to the millennium is and
will be religion. National life. embodied
and active in forms. processes. admins.
trations-in 6onst;tut!ons-thie makes 3
nation.
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out sney Dsc. .I;.e aoou .ot wolMs ".snin
anu VunuIes WNuou'.auu ~ que line were
tney ga,nele! sogelneI. uus o. isonanlsm:
out o. !slam1snl, ous o. cnivaiIy. ous o.
INC eastern monastic!sm, oul o. sne olo
announcement ana - Inaclpn sys.en's na We
gone long ago Inc vigol, the virtue, Inc NE
OF their earlier centuries; ana their forms,
,heir oodies' me deao organisms were let
lying in the path Of progress.