The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-16
GheGtteltigerrter
TmEpROGRESS or Wan.
Lecture al Tie Opera House Last
Might

Lecture NJ Tie Opera HOUSE, A'''"'
Night.
The Rev. ]. r. Thompson, Of the Chap
line Street NJ. Z. Church. delivered a
lecture at the Opera House last night tc
large and very respectable audience
Ills subject was @Tho Progress Of Man.
lie remarked in opening his address
that at times II seemed to be puzzle to
,le,erminc whether the world was growing
better or worse. There has been so much
sin and suffering all along the pathway
ofhistory, and there still is SO much, that
many good, true and cultured men had
come to entertain grave doubts whether
the thraldom Of evil and the sovereignty
Of ignorance arc not reullytO be Perpct-
ual. r
There are two ways, however, OF look
ing at the history Of man, the speaker
remarked, based upon the two theories
regarding his origin. There are those
who believe that man was originally a
perfcct being, and that he is now a fallen
and degraded being. This Is the re-
ceived theological theory. There
are others who look upon him us
being that has come up from very
low estate to his present splendid
and god.likc range Of capacities. This
latter is the scientific theory. To some
extent there is an analogy between these
Two theories. They both agree that man
from at least an early period Of his exis-
fence started on low plane Of progress,
and that he has intellectually developed
and progressed since that time, be the pc
Rod Of starting when II may. The lectur-
cr did not say to which of thege two the
roles he himself held, nor which 10 him
looked the more reasonable. He spoke
however OF the very crude notions man
entertained in his early existence of a
deity. His first impulses appear to have
been to worship material things about
him, such as beasts and reptiles, as for
instance lizards, crockodiles and all man
ner OF creeping things. From ,his stage
OF worship man gradually rose to more
ideaIstic worship. He invented a God OF
thunder, Of lightning, Of war, Of famine,
and Of pestilence, and to these he bowed
down when trouble or calamity overlook
him. Thence began the religion Of pro-
pitiatOry sacrifices. The idea was to
pacate the wrath Of some offended god,
by Offering him fruit, or grain, or blood,
aud thus avoid his vengeance. In some
parts Of the world this idea of religious
worship still prevails. Even yet children
are sacrificed to supposed deities in the
dark regions OF the Orient. But in.the
civilized world, among the advanced ma
lions ito quote the speaker "thc religion
Of propitiatory sacrifices and placat-
ing gifts is surely passing away.
We are learning that with spiritual
sacrifice God is better pleased; that
not innocent blood, or ripened grain,
or gold, or frank incense, or myrrh, or
flashing gem, weigh so much with him as
the chaste imagination, the holy nspira-
ton, the obedient conscience, the pure
heart, the clean hands, the unsellish life.
The religion Of love, Of intelligent devo-
ton, of disinterested beneiicence, Of
worldwide philanthropy, proclaims the
speedy downfall OF the ancient, CONNER
,cial, and selfish religion OF rites, forms,
ceremonies and sacrifices"
10 illustration OF the truth that the
chief progress that man had made in this
world was within the last few hundred
wears, the lecturer referred 10 the condi-
lion OF Europe at the time OF the discov-
cry Of America, when Henry the VII.
was King of England and Innocent VIII.
was Pope OF Rome. In the course Of u
thousand years France had not doubled
her population. The death rate was one
in twenty-five. The rude cities were
breeders Of pestilencc. They had no
sewers no method of disposing OF garb.
age and filth. These we're simply thrown
outside Of the rude houses in which the
people lived. These houses had no conf
forts in them. The world was sunk in a
condition Of ignorance, bigotry, super
stitiOn and torpor.
As showing what the changes have
been since that time, the speaker drew
fancy sketch OF n prophet standing in the
presence Of Pope Innocent Sth, and his
Cardinals, and Henry 18th Of England.
1--WE will imagine" said he, shat toward
the close OF the 18th century, Henry and
Innocent are together ut Rome, surround
ed by the great college Of Cardinals.
Suddenly, without n single premonition,as
Elijah appeared before Ahab in the way,
a bold prophet in strange attire, stands
in their presence, to predict the course OF
events during the next four centuries.
He prophesiscs that before the close Of
the 10Th century OF the existing era, the
Pope shall lose more than one
third Of his spiritual children; that
all intelligent men will laugh at the spu-
rious miracles OF Roman Catholicism;
that an Augustine monk Of Germany
shall forever sunder the church in twain,
that the Pope shall be Invested OF his
temporal power, and restricted 10 the ex-
erCtsC Of his purely spiritual functions;
that successor OF Henry shall be sent
to the block by nm outraged and indig.
nant people; that the spherical form Of
the earth and its annual revolution
around tho sun shall be convincingly de-
monstrated; that men shall travel with
ease at the rate Of forty miles per hour;
that daily newspapers shall DO circulated
by the million, circulating news from all
parts Of the globe received by electric
telegraph; that q mighty Republic shall
be developed in the newly discovered
continent Of America, FREQ from all
ecclesiastical control and dictation; that
in 1876, when celebrating its jubilee, its
population shall be over 100000, but
100000 OF whom shall acknowledge the
Pope; that the birth Of the Republic shall
be brought about by the successful revolt
of the English colonists against the op:
prtssive will Of George III, King OF