The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-11-30

bos, for man. When We find hat out, 10
the entire satisfaction of all mankind !;
and when there is universal agreement
about it, then there will be no conflict, DO
change, no wars nor miseries. We shall
then have entered into the m ind OF the
Infinite, and shall know it all, ourselves.
You see the trouble lies right here. There
is. we think, an absolute righi, we don't
know what il is in its ~ho,eness, but We
are trying to find it out. In the process Of
finding il out, We are forever experiment.
ing. We can moi help it. 1t is our nature
to think that what comes to us as true, is
true. But when We have tried it . good
while, we may find that il is a little defective.
By experiment, l. {. by using our princi-
piles, we learn. As we learn We grow. And
that is the way We have got 90 far from
the ancient Creeks, who thought il right to
murder their children, and from the
sayages who believe it right to kill their
helpless parents, and from the Mohamme-
dams who think it right 10 plumber and
murder all who do not think Just as they
do. 1t is by the conflict Of consciences, by
the battle of principles that we are TO find
out what is the absolute right, the right of
God. And Just here is one of the greatest
2diu vOA oh1 LIZ,
and all to live and act as our consciences
commands us. Ii we don't do it, the world
will never find out what is the absolute
right. II we follow the conscience OF
some one else, if We disobey, or ignore our
conscience, live false to what We think is
the truth and the right, and in accordance
with some thing that another, or body OF
men say is truth, mankind will halt in its
onward march, and the worlds battle for
the truth will never be fought nor won.
In the conflict of consciences, the truth and
the right may go under, but it is only for
a time The human soul loves the truth,
and it is open to the truth. 1t is sure to
receive il sometime. The principles which
to-day are unpopular, cursed and con-
demned by the bowling hordes that have
not vet seen all their glorious beauty, will
grow into the fadeless light OF the day
which will come,
"while the hoOtins mob of yesterday in silent
To CLEAN up the scattered ashes into History's
golden urn."
But what will you do, you ask me, with
these schemes Of life, and action which are
opposed to the general voice OF mankind,
and to the interest of humanity? For in
stance, here is the Norman problem. The
general intelligence of mankind says, poly
gamy is wrong. But the Mormans teach and
practice it openly az the command Of con-
science. There is the Oneida Community:
There men and women are living in rela-
tions which the general opinion of men and
women denounces as wrong and criminal.
Yet they live So in obedience to conscience.
Here and there men teach and practice q
principle that nearly all humanity in en-
lightened lands condemn. They do it in
accordance with the dictates of their con-
sciences. Now, if it is right for everyone
to follow their consciences, how can You in
terfere with these peculiar peoples? Now
that question brings us into another sphere
entirely, and there are two features of it to
discuss First, these people claim to have
truth and . right which they believe to
be the right of God. 1t is their duty OF
give the world the benefit of il. II it is a
truth, it was given them TO give TO the
world. If the rest of us believe it is not
truth but an error, II is our duty to con-
vince them of their error. 1t is of the
greatest importance that the world should
get at the truth. 1t cannot get at it unless
We examine, discuss, try, the things ad
vanced. 1t will not do to shut their
mouths. 1t will not do to persecute them.
Truth never advances by such methods.
1t is only by free speech, free discussion,
that men can arrive at the respective
values Of different principles. But suppose
they will net be convinced, and still 60 on
visiting harm upon mankind? That is
question of social rights and personal
Liberties. In good order and society, the
right OF free conscience which i claim, can
be no greater than the right of free con-
science which belongs to every other
person. If in obedience to conscience, am
alone against the world, it is the duty OF
those around me to reason with me,
and try to convince me that / am wrong.
III in acting according TO conscience, 1
bring harm upon men, and not good, my
right of conscience has crossed the line of
rights in society, and has invaded the
domain of anothers rights. Then / must
be driven back. That is what society is
for. That is what the Government is for.
The rights of men and women must be
respected, and no single conscience can be
rest of mankind. When the Mormon
infringes on the rights of others, en-
society, government, must take it in hand.
So with the Oneida community. So with
any one else. But no man who has
principle which he believes TO be the
truth of God, should ever be prosecuted
out of it. If it be an eternal truth no
can kill ii. And if it be an
error, it is sure to die by the natural law
which is leading the world ever toward the
truth. Cannot you and l trust the truth
which We hold against all the preaching of
man? Ii we cannot, We are not very GER
tain that it is the truth. II we are not
We shall be glad to have it brought
into the warmest conflict with every op-
posing principle. II it is truth We are
after, We shall hope 10 see principle measur-
ing with principle, doctrine with doctrine,
until the error, whoever loves it, dies amid |
her worshippers, and the truth comes out |
of the battle freer and stronger than it |
went in. 1t is only when all men shall |
live and speak what their conscience tells |
them is truth and right, that We can hope |
Il arrive at last al the eternal and ALSO |
lutte.
Why, how do you think men found out |
that the world was round? How that it is |
only a speck among the countless worlds |
III spaeS. iAO~ talt SdAuC W
as they are through the slow development
Or evolution OF matter and life from the |
merest dust? First one started out with |
a theory. But he made mistakes. Then
another corrected his mistakes and made
some more himself. Then another, and SO
IN 10. the end Of the chapter. Neither
iallileo nor Copernicus, nor Averroes nor
any other astronomer got the astronomy
right But men kept creeping
IN toward it, until they got where We are
now, and they arc still going on. No man
# science Is foolish enough to think that he
las found it all out, and that his idea can
never be changed. 1t is just the same in
egsrd to the absolute right, when We talk
bout doing what is right ourselves. We
nave got to do the best We know. and if We
make mistakes, We have got to find them out,
" some one will do it after us, and the
human race will still 60 on. 1t cannot
top at the word of any church, nor any
nan, nor any book, and say, "we've got it
III, our word is the word of God, our law
S the law of God, and whoever don't agree
nth us must be persecuted till he does"
say that will not do. The world has
cen enough of that. That is the very
method that has made the whole world
ield of blood. That is the very assertion
hat has cut out the tongue, and fayed the
,ody, and burned the flesh and bones, and
invented the boot and the rack, and the
gheel and all the innumerable instru
nents of torture which are stored up in
museums to shame ~ with the senseless,
larrovness and abomipable blgotry and
'olrible inhumanity of our predecessors.
NJ avcrv ono of ma 4, h,und hv The Lac | .