River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-09-24
The Problem of Life--TheodOre Til
TOMS Lecture.
Port Jervis Correspondence New York Her
add


aid
Theodore 1ilton delivered his lecture
"The Problem Of Lii, lin the Orera
House in this city this evening. As it
was the first time that the great prose-
cutor had appeared before an audience
since the trial, a large and remarkably in
tclligent audience assembled to liSlcn to
the lecture 1ilton's appearance is some
what changed since he was here three
years ago, and he looked much older.
The audience seemed in sympathy with
the speaker, especially when he indirect
ly made some illusions which were easily
construed to refer to his late trial. At
such times he was loudly applauded,
Mr.. Tilton stated that he supposed
that every man who has had any expert.
ence in the world has asked himself what
is the problem Of life" 1t does not
mean simply Huxley's inquiry into the
origin Of life. His inquiry is an old one.
Mine is old. Solomon, Job and the wisest
and best men Of old grasped the
subject, but could not answer it. $50
will not" says the speaker, attempt to
settle the question. ! only discuss 1t.
Many say tins is a bad world. That is a
lie. When God said it is good it is folly
in men to say it is III. The world is what
we make it. There is a spirit Of good and
Of bad in every nature, and all depends
upon that which is exercised. We hear
men spoken of as possessing good char.
acter. Now, Of all these men, how many
possess pure cardinal virtues, and how
many virtues ought man possess to be
pure and upright!
The pulpit is polluted by false religion,
and vice, under the guise Of virtue, stalks
abroad in our land. People lie in prefer
ence TO uttering the truth. The poll
tician lies to his constituents, the preach.
er to his congregation, the laborer to his
master. the master to his labOrer, the
child to its parents and parents to chill.
/ dren. Men dare not tell the truth, and
| yet we call this Christian country.
! Many people live a lie. How many ladies
dare dress finer than fashion dictates
When Harvey discovered the circu' alton
Of the blood scarcely man over forty
years old dare admit that he believed in
the truth Of the discovery, and yet it is
easy to tell the truth. The problem of
life can never be solved until men dare
be true and virtuous.
The speaker cited instances which
should be initiated. lie did not believe
the past so much better than the pres
ent, but there was purity and truth in the
past which should be initiated to-day.
Who Of you that believe the system of
trial by jury dare be honest and say so
This is a country in which it costs man
his reputation TO be honest; there is too
much striving for popularity. To day
over the grave Of Jefferson there il no
allusion in the inscription of his having
been 4 President. low different the
simplicity then from the pomp now, when
we cry for third term ami live but for
office, There was day when woman was
considered to have no soul when she was
| regarded as the incarnation Of sin. To-day
/ it is better, il is true, but let woman be-
come tainted by Imprope intimacy with
this or that man, and She is undoubtedly
ostraciSed and d:spised, while her DIES
| troyer goes free and is hnnOred. The
problem of life requires different state
| OF affairs, and in this respect woman must
make the initial movement she must re-
quire men to be as yirtuous, as delicate,
as noble as inca require women to be.
This will help settle the question of the
problem of life Some think the world
is all there is, while others think the
next world is all. and, so believing, 90
out of existence. | believe both are
wrong. Let us do the best we can here,
be honest, yirtuous, true, and we shall he
prpparpd for tho next world and thpu
will the problem of life bc solved.
Mr.. Tilton closed his remarks at pre-
ciSely ten o'clock. Tomorrow night ht
lectures in Middletown on tho same sub
ject.