The Portland daily press., 1875-11-16
M. e. M. A. COURSE.
Lecture by Judge knight.

CnarltaDle Mechanic Association was delivered
by Judge Knight, on individuality, to goot
audience. The lecture was very interesting and
was highly appreciated by the audience. G. C.
Lhttleheld, Esq, President of the Association
presided. The following is an abstract:
There is no real, absolute power among mer
but individual power, and it must be asserted
and applied by the individual in every depart
ment OF life. Every child starts new as Adam.
Nothing of his real life passes by inheritance
or gift. You may give him money and lands
bus nothing more. He may own a farm he
cause you did; but he can't read line of vlr
gil because you could. He is new creature,
with distinctive career before him; and not
only new creature-as you were and as Adam
was-bnt different from every other creature,
as to some of his capabilities or circumstances.
lie is also whole creature, unit, whose chief
glory and consequences lie in his power to grow
IN and of himself, because the soul of the
Father is in him.
And what may be another's weakness NAV
be his opportunity and strength, for there is no
formula to his gifts. The African sojourner
cannot find wood to build a palisade around his
camp, but he strews geranium leaves about,
and noisome creatures that might scale the
walls OF Rome are paralyzed and po Serless be-.
fore 1t. So with the force of a pure and geutle
life whose measure the rough world never takes.
DuI tdIicu, duu pUW6Eluf duu GLORIOUS as Is tllS
personal life, we too often treat it both in chill
dren and men as though it were almost an un-
recognized atom in the mass of mankind and
make it Indifferent to its matchless powers, and
bring it into fatal and almost unconscious
bondage to organization, to party and creed !;
while all the best, aye, all the good results in
life, substantially, have come of patient, per-
sonal power. Thus the ornamentation of Eu-
rope came primarily of the work of men who
only knew the splendor of the inner life! The
shepherd boy among the Alps cuts chamois
up IN chip, with the very poise of life-some
thlDg taught in DO scnool, and it was said of
the franciscan Monk that he could cut his very
soul into his cruci6x.
Take the broadest fields, aud the genus and
conviction of the self.poised man is forever the
empire OF men where personal power was so
fully developed that nothing seemed impossi
BILE, and when Massena was ordered upon the
decisive move at Wagram Napoleon slept mid
the thunder of the charge, knowing that what
mortal man could do his soldiers would do
fhe second Empire was an empire Of party and
not men; and when the shock came two armies
surrendered without striking blow, either of
which was larger and costlier than that with
which Napoleon l. overran Italy. Our own
war showed the same results For two years
it was political contest in which officers strug-
gled with reference to each other and the hope
OF political preferment, and only when this
miserable farce was ended we began to get re-
suits. Every great question teaches the sound
ness and sacredness of individual rights and
powers, and the weakness and tyranny of Or
ganization. 1t is seen iu fashion, in Labor
Unions, in eociaP' drinking, and the follies
and curse OF their k Ind. We treat marauding
Indians as lordly tribes, when they should be
treated as individuals under the laws. We
treat college student guilty OF "hazing" as
though it were question of sentiment to be
timely reasoned about, when we ought to take
the conceit out of the whole business by COM
plant for assault and battery-bring him face
to face with the facts of his offence.
Passing into the moral realm the speaker
urged the same care and assertion and respon-
sibility of SELF In politics and religion there is
no tribunal or test, but that of conscience an
Judgment What should we say of Paul
chained to the arm of Roman soldier, en-
gagged in urging the claims of creed or sect
or even recognizing it in the fervor of his con-
viction. Peters true power was not asserted
or even understood by himself till impetuosity
ofipartisanship for the Master had grown into
something deeper and better. He lost him.
sell sell in IN the presence Of temporary danger,
and only found his true power when holy
sense OF the meaning of the Kingdom" came
over him; and from that time with marvellous
power he defied the hosts before whom he was
craven before, and healed the sick in the name
OF the Christ he had betrayed with foul dis
paragement. All true preaching must be in
dependent of patronage and partisanship. Is
a creed or church society suits and pleases
one it is help; and very often there is some
thing very tender and holy in such association,
but the masses do not naturally come and ad-
just themselves to any sort of theological
framework, and the less said about it the more
will the individual needs be needed and met.
The tower of Babel stands for the perpetual
folly OF prescribing especial means Of saving
men; and until all hearts are hushed in the
presence of the great facts of life and immOr-
tality, we shall have the confusion of tongues.
10 politics we have the same need of men
and manly convictions. Names mean nothing.
It was not that they were Democrats that
Bochanan's cabinet were disoyal. 1t was be-
cause they were traitorous men. tits not be-
cause certain government officials are Republi-
cans that they steal; it is because they are
tn eyes, Nor can party correct its faults by
any meaps but personal reform, and the de-
ma nding of higher level of conduct-co nduct
always measured by standard that rarely
finds its way into party platform unless the
case demands it-and there it doesn't mean
anything. A party is necessarily founded
upon claims" and compromise, and must al
ways drag down its best elements to lower
average, and sacrifices public to private inter-
changes quicker than we do. They change a
ministry in a week. Our administrations
fight for place as though the government pat
ronage were perquiSite of life and the govern
ment itself an estate to be administered upon.
Hence we have a false public opinion-the
clamor of a few and not the voice of the whole
A true public sentiment is the agreed and
aggregated sense of the community. 1t is false
and feeble if it be not thus made up. When
men assert themselves, however quietly, we
shall have truly Republican government.
When sentiment-that is, life and iove-are
gone out of party, it is worthless and dead;
as family would be dead, each to the other,
when interest and affection are lost. To assert
convictions of conscience and judgment-that
is, put ones self into the case-is the sufficient
and the only remedy for collective wrong.
Somebody has said that folly is perpetual when
men climb with reference to each other; but
folly dies when everybody thinks out loud.
Our public opinion is led by few through
the cOwardice of the many, aud men cannot
look into it and feel or even see themselves in
its, too often, muddy depths. And it will seek
lower levels all the time, unless upborne by
strong heart and voice.
In closing. the speaker said ''I have seen
vast an beautiful lake upon the hills. From
it ran strong and steady streams that turned
countless mills and wateTed the valleys. And
it was kept clear and full by thousand springs
from below and the breaking of the rain-couds
beauty, and purity in its clear depths, and ev-
cry sturdy arm of earth and stone upbore it
loyalty and lovingly; and as If in recognition,
upon its peaceful surface it pictured the sky,
the crag, and every tiny flower upon its banks,
as dear, sweet face is worn npon a lovers
bosom.
And SO, some day, public opinion may be no
longer corrupt and stagnant pool, but bap-
tismal place for all unceanness, fed by the
springs of immortal thinking. And ali true
men shall look into ITS depths and see them
selves reflected there; and the smile of God
shall be upon it."
BASE BALL.-A number of gentle men inter-
ested in base ball met at the Office of j. II.
La, r. O.