The Arizona sentinel., 1875-10-16
CIVILIZATION.

WORD. In It's general dppllcatlOn
among men, the word civilization,
is used in its broadcast sense, to ex-
press the contrast between a Gull
tivated and refund state of society
and the barberous condition of
men in state of nature. This de-
finition is true as far as it goes,
but the great scope Of the word
embraces much more. The state
of being refined in manners from
the grossness of the savage cOndi-
ton, is certainly a great step in
the path of civilization, but it can
not stop there. Civilization and
progress 60 hand-in-hand, for
without progress there can be no
civilization, and progress is the
eternal law of the universe. 1t is
ever onward aud upward. If it
were possible to strip the minds
of men of the inground prejudices
that have been inculcated by false
philosophy and revolving man.
made creeds. it would be easy to
see that eternal progression is the
law of God, and the only sensible
and reasonable solution of the
great problem of the final destiny
of the human soul. And this is
what civilization is doing now.
The gavel in the hand of the Su-
prefne Architect of the universe,
is doing its work the rough ash
Ter is being transformed into the
perfect stone, fit for the corner of
that building which twill ssoon
arise, dedicated to the universal
Fatherhood of God, and the uni
Versal Brotherhood of man.
We know that in every COM
munity there are set of croakers
and GROWERS, who are continual
lg lamenting the degeneracy Of
the times. They say that the
world is growing worse, ard that
it will soon be unfit for man to
live in. Well, we admit that the
world would be better if that class
of men were out of it, for they do
not and cannot tell the truth.
Their eyes are darkened by the
film of ignorance and prejudice.
The world is not retrograding
and mankind are not growing
worse. The reverse is the truth.
All over the earth, wherever civili-
zation has planted her banners,
progress is the watch word, and
men and nations are fast casting
off the letters of ignorance and
prejudice by which they had so
long been bound, and rising to a
higher estimate of human life, its
duties and destiny. The immor-
tai Thomas Jefferson, nearly one
hundred years ago, sounded the
key note ofhuman progress, VIII en-
he said, II have sworn on the al
ter ofGod, eternal hostility to eve
~ form of tyranny over the mind
of man." =.
Too long have hypocritical priests
theological thinkers, and corrupt
wOuld-be statemen, been allowed
to tyrannize over the mind of man.
But their day is fast waning, and
light and truth, the blessed
guides of a true civilization, are
spreading their benign influence
over the earth, bearing in their
train, peace, justice and mercy.
If any man at this day, is too blind
= to see the onward march of civili-
cation, let him but turn to the
history of enlightened England
or polished France, of two hun
dred years ago, and contrast it
with the civilization of to-day.
Why the very soul sickens at the
recital of the horrid crimes and
cruelties that were perpetrated
under the sanction and by the
force of law! But those nations
considered themselves civilized,
and they were, for they were act
ing under the highest civilization
that they possessed. Look at the
prOUinU ranIIpnanco TO war, at