Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-03-14
THE TRUE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN.

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THE TRUE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN.
"All we are brethren" Matthew, % chap, Sv.
We have in this brief sentence, the doctrine
of Jesus OF Nazareth respecting our relations to
each other in this world. Not our relations as
manifested in our practice under the dominion
of sin, but as orr gnaly constituted by the
a-wise Creator, and preserved in the work OF
human redemption. We are brethren. We
derive our being from one divine Creator, ami
one human parentage; and the whole race,
therefore, form one family, one great brother
hood-all, of every tongue, nationality, COM
plexion and race, being the creatures OF the one
unoriginated and self-existent God. so are we the
children of the one original pair. Whenever
we yield this truth to the clamor OF human
pre- udice, or ''the philosophy and vain deceit
of men," we give up the divine and infalllble
record to find ourselves with naught but be-
wildering mutations and endless contradictions
For, while learned men have settled nothing on
this subject in that record we read that, God
hath made, of one blood all nations of men to
dwell on all the face Of the earth. Acts
II, g.
The unity of our race in its origin, and the
peculiar affections which flow from kinship, iu-
dictate most clearly the relation, man was III
tended to sustain to man, and the happy socle-
ty which was designed for the untallen world.
And if we add to this unity of our race, and
these common ties of our humanity, the uni
form teachings of the word OF God, then We
have the most abundant testimony that the
benevolent Creator contemplated universal
brotherhood as the state OF society among the
children of men. Less than this would have
been as inconsistent with the Divine nature, as
tie crueties and wrongs men intct on each
other, are contrary to Divine law.
But the entrance of sin into the world, the
fall of man from his holy estate, introduced
elements into human society which destroyed
its harmony, kindled fiery passions. Instituted
thousand bitter antagonlsms, and made 1t
the chief employment OF man to resist the IN
terests, and destroy the happiness of his broth
er: and to crimson the earth with the blood,
and whiten the wales and mountains with the
bones Of his fellowman.
The effect of the introduction of sin is that
men seek their own welfare and happiness, not by
the promptings Of those principles OF equity
which guard the rights Of others, and those
generous affections which reject all prosperity
which comes of toll not justly remunerated, Or
of suffering wrongfully imposed; but, on the
contrary, by the greed ofavarlce, pride, amb-
ton and selfishness, which take no thought,
and which feel no concern, for what others
may lose, so they may gain, nor for what others
may suffer, so they be not checked in the pur
suit of their ideal Of enjoyment.
When God inquired of Cain for his brother
Abel, he insolently replied, Am my broth.
er S keeper? but at the same time he spoke
the feeling of fallen men toward each other in
the conflict of human life. Ask the avaritious
capitalist, the pushing, driving, grinding manu-
tacturer, who is coming the blood and bones
and very life Of meD and women and children
into gold by the millions, ask him | say, where,
fore the poverty, ignorance, irreligion and
he point you to the cruel alchemy by which he
has converted their ordinary comforts-the just
earning of their toll into his extraordinary
wealth? No, but like Cain he will dsavow
his responsibility. With the power to withhold
the Just reward Of labor, he lacks the deposi,
ton to administer common justice; and since
mortals must have bread like the hawk, that
watches with piercing greedy eye for his prey
to come forth in search of food, he avails him
self of their necessity for his own tattening.
Against such men the blood of oppressed hu
mainly cries to heaven like the blood of Able.
Of sin sel6shness was born into the world;
and it pervades and permeates human society
in all its departments, from the highest grades
of intellectual culture, down to the lowest walks
of ignorance and shame, and from the merch
ant prince, through all the rami6cations of
commerce and trade down to the dealer in rags
and old iron; and from the king on his throne,
the military chief at the head of a nations
army, and royal lords and barons-the owners
of vast estates, and dwecrs in palatial ele-
gance, acquired and maintained by taxing the
laborer, down to the humblest subject beneath
despotic scepter, and the neediest beggar at
the rich mans door. Everywhere--in all
things, We behold the operations and develop
ments of human selfshness, in cruel contradlc-
tons of the common brotherhood Of mankind,
and 10 disgusting contrast with the boosted
generosity and benevoence of human nature.
Almost every evil that at1lcts the family OF
man, may be traced to human sehshness. 1t
is the common source of avarice, pride, envy,
murder, falsehood, SANDER. hatred, revenge,
war, and all manner of oppression, and wrong.
laborer. and the laborer against the capitalist;
learning against ignorance, and ignorance
against learning, social culture and refinement,
against social neglect and coarseness, and rice
rersa. And it produces all the bitter strifes of
domestic, social, commercial and political life,
and all the wars between kings and despots,
principalities and nations. In one word, hui
man selfshness, the chief Of all the dire effects
of the fall, is the great disorganizer, of human
society, which has converted the world into
pandemonium of confusion and strife, and sun
dered the ties of brotherhood which should
bind us together in fraternal love, and universal
harmony. 1t is chiefly against this great evil,
you have banded together on the doctrine of
brotherhood" in its social and secular rela-
tons. The aim of your organization is, there