Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-07-19
PROGRESS NEVER DID RUN
SMOOTH

! |
We give the above as an improvement on
Shakespeare. He applies the fact solely to
true love. We doubt his right to stop at
this point, or to limit the never smooth run
ming to love alone. The full truth is much
wider in.its range. 1t involves progress in
all its true forms. 1t never did run smooth.
We hope our readers will not fail to give us
due credit for our improvement upon Shak-
speare, especially after it shall appear that
we have satisfactorily made out the case.
To begin then with becoming gravity, we
say that progress is plant OF slow growth.
A good many years have passed away since
men first began to think In the ancient
times already, as we learn from some Of the
dusty books of history, they used to know a
good dea'. Egyptian monuments, and 9th
er things that tell OF the oafly age, certainly
indicate a high state of knowledge. 1t was
in the land of the Nile, it would seem, that
Moses got his education, Layard, in his
book on Nineveh and its Remains, clearly
shows similar facts in regard to the people
of that country. Greece and Rome were
still more distinguished. Now if progress
were a smooth running affair, zoe ought, it
would seem, to be much further ahead Of
these ancient countries than we actually are.
The fact, however, is that in many respects
their learning did not come down to US at all.
So roughly did the car ofprogress jolt along,
that much OF their wisdom became entirely
lost by the way. Generally, it must be ad
mitted, that we are in advance Of them; but
in many things, 1t must also be owned, that
we are far behind them Now if progress
had run smooth, it would doubtless be true,
not only that we are ahead of them, but
reyy far ahead and not only very far ahead
in some things, and behind in others, but
very far ahead in all things Since, there
fore, viewing the whole field, itappears that,
after all, we of the 10Th century have but
little to boast of over the early ages of the
world, we conclude, with some degree Of
humble boldnesS, that progress never did
run smooth
Moreover it is evident that the prominent
persOnages living in those far-off ages ex-
perienced the truth Of the above improved
| sentence. Long before Shakespeare lived,
| Diogenes, in his tub-home, felt the truth of
| the new ark in its properly enlarged applica-
! ton Socrates, also, was driven to the
! knowledge of the fact that the common mind
preoccupied with previous and partial forms
of truth, was loath to open itself to any new
and fuller developments of it. The after
and fuller disclosures of the same general
fact have always had to establish their divine
right to appear and reign, by breaking over
| the embankments OF human prejudlces and
subduing the power Of partial and narrow
| views. History proves that every new dis
| covery, whether in the department of mind
or matter, had literally to fight its way to
the throne Of acknowledged truth. This
was certainly the case in GalileO's time, and
in relation to the discovery which he made.
Many were 50 fully occupied with the false
theory, that they even refused to look
! through his telescope when challenged, lest
| they might be compelled toyield that which
| is false and acknowledge what is true
| Every age hos r-o,-ol tLSt ohe true Lvuvfau-
tors of the world are, Of all others, during
| the period Of their active labor, the most
kecnly despised, and most generally resisted
| 1t is only after their work has succeeded and
| its blessings are experienced, that they are
| acknowledged and honored.
"Scvon Grecan cities strive for Homer dead,
When living Homer begged his daily bread"
Even the Saviour of the world, with all
the untold blessings for man, which He bore
| in His person, was opposed, maltreated, de-
spised, and finally rejected by His own peo-
| ple and ignominiOusly put to death upon
| the cross. He came to improve the world,
but the world was satisfied as it was.
1t is curious fact, but nevertheless fact,
| the world which has given impetus to the
tide of civilization and placed humanity in
a more elevated condition, has been at first
contradicted and opposed The improve
mcnts in which men subsequently boast,
| come to them for the most part against their
will in the first instance. The Reformation
| of the 10th century had 70 struggle long and
| vallantly before it vas allowed to take its
| position as fixed fact in the bosom of his
| tory and impart to the Church and world
| the blessings Of purer Christianity and a
! higher civilization. Does the past history
ofthe world exhibit any grand improvement
| which, had 1t been submitted to a popular
vote, at its first inception would have been
approved and adopted? Would the railroads
and telegraph lines which now penetrate the
country in all directions, have been estab-
! lished on this principle? Would the wooden,
cotton, and iron factories, whose industrial
music is how heard in all quarters, have been
erected? Would the thrashing machine,
| which has superseded the fail and the tread
of the horse, the cradle which has taken the
! place Of the hand scythe, the drill by which
the seed is planted, the rake, by which the
! fragments are gathered that nothing be
wasted-would any of these grand labor-sav-
| ing inventions, or any of a thousand others
proved and adopted had it been submitted
! to popular vote at its first discovery? We
are safe in saying that not one ofthem, if it
had been necessary to pass this ordeal, would
be seen now in this country.
No, progress does not run smooth. 1t al
waysinvolves the declaration Of war. Christ
brought sword Before any improvement
can become fairly inaugurated, something
else must get out of the way When the
light comes, darkness must 80. The lower
make way for the higher. This brings with
it often great commotion and bitter conten-
ton. 1t often arrays neighbor against
neighbor Chief friends are thus frequently
| separated. The Church becomes greatly
agitatcd, whilst the throne in the State is
made to tremble and sometimes to crumble
to the earth. All this is incident to prog
rcss, and enters into the proof that it never
did run smooth. This is the smoke of the
battle, which, however, soon clears away,
and enables the mind afterwards, more dis
tinctly for the contrast, to contemplate the
victory won-the improvement which has,
in spite of human prejudices, been firmly
established. - German Reformed Messenger