The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-06-27


There can be- no question about the
laot that We are living IN one Of the
most extraordinary perlods OF the
worlds history Wo'me living IN m
age Of great intellectual activity and of
extraordinary acontIlo research when
tho gonlut ol man has grappled, aud
not IN vain, with some Of the mighteat
problems IN mature wo ARE living IN
an nge of great commercial enterprise
aud aoliylty, when all tho seas and hH-
bors, and highways Of the nations are
whltened with argo7lcs Of mage sail '
We are living IN 0u oPe Of wonderful
inventions, when tho comforts and con-
yenonclos of life have been greatly
multiplied Ind when knowledge has
been 10 Increased that the uttornces OF
our children would in many cases be
oraclos of wisdom in the mouths of the
ancient philosophers, Plato and Arts
totlo are mighty names in pagan history
and their genius will always cons
maud the admiration of mankind, but
their labom wore lruitless, and their
philosophy vain, for the light Of divine
truth had not dOwncd upon thoh
minds, and the little child Of to-day,
who in simple Iaith falls upon its knees
and cxcloims, "Our Father who art in
lIoayon is Il greater philosopher than
the mightiest among the Magi of the
past Those are some Of the leading
characteristics Of the times and they
correspond most singulOrly with the
familiar prophecy by Daniel who de,
clarcs that in the latter duys--m the
time of the end knowledge shall be
increased and many shall run TO and
fro - Daniel wNs called the prince OF
the prophets, and this prediction which
was uttered hundreds of years before
the birth of Christ and which finds a
literal iulIillmcnt in this our wonder
Cul age of steam and electricity, leaves
no room for doubt that ours is the
closing dispensNtion or fifth act in the
great drama of the world
We do not claim for the men OF the
present generation superior intellectual
capacity to those who have preceded
them IN ages gone 10y, but THEN achieve.
ments will stand the test Of comparison
and they deserve something more than
Il passing commentary Much of the
progress of the present day is due to the
lnductive theory Of Lord Bacon, and
that experimental System Of philosophy
which rejects nothing until it is tried
and which accepts the clearly ascer-
tains truths OF the simplest experiments,
This simple method, the product of one
giant intellect, has created more i'm,
portant revolution in human affairs
than all the achievements of ali the
heroes and philosophers who have lived
in the past. 1t has given birth to tho
steamship, the railway, the electric tel,
egraph, and to all the vast multitude OF
inventions which have been given to
the world in the last quarter OF cen,
fury it has revolutioni2ed nearly all
the business pursuits of life and stamped
the age with the distinctive feature OF
being cminently practical it has added
new dignity to labor, and taken the
winds from the sails of the finest spun
theories Of the most brilliant intelects,
it has reduced the mere theorist to a
stareling, and elevated the practical
man of common sense to the plane of n
hero it has brought idlencss into dis,
repute, and given such an impetus to
human oXertion that new empires are
founded, and populous cities are called
into existence ms 10y the stroke of the
onchanters wand