The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-06-30

rian creed OF individ ualism. These genel
ations, cut adrift from Christianity, fol
themselves smothered by the monster {
human selfsbDess. Humanity, literall
disinherited of the love of God, was dyip
of the selfshness of Voltaire. From th
beart of this diseased society came q de
spairing cry for love, brotherhood, assOci
alton. Then started up innovators on al
eides to turn this great need of the buma
soul to their own account.
THEY PROCLAIMED UNIVERSAL ASSOCIATION
THROUGH UNIVERSAL LOVE,
and as Newton had reconciled by the dis
covery of gravitation the forces of eartl
| attraction OF love o permanent harmony
between human nature and society. Suci
was the first appearance on our stage O
| this comparatively new element, socialism
It. e., the general and yes undetermined
formula of social reform. It's claims, thus
put forward in public, with a popularity
they had never reached before, startled
| many men, even those thinkers who had
| scarcely suspected the existence of sach
ideas. It was, however, no new notion,
and had lain undeveloped in society GER
tainly as far back as the beginning Of this
century. It glimmered forth among the
fogs of socialist metaphysics wherein
ideal Of universal reform it grew under
the pens of writer's in reviews and news
papers celebrated in their day-rash limo
vators who carelessly questioned every
basis of human society, and propounded
theories whose fulflment involved nothing
less than q radical change of the organic
conditions of society, in the magical name
and under the shield of social reform.
The world of ideas had never witnessed
such confusion of mind, such an upset
ting of fixed landmarks, such o pervers on
of language. An intellectual orgy gravely
took its seat in the social world under the
name and disguise of science sbsurdities
dubbed themselves philosophers,
FOLLY CALLED ITSELF REFORM;
indeed, the passage of these eccentric the
ories and these groteeque utopias was one
of the great surprises that attended my
curious and truth seeking youth. They
were a source of pure stupefaotion to me.
The socialist idea hitherto had been almost
confined to the exclusive domain of philos.
optical distractions and social ideology.
After long wandering through the twi-
light of various conflicting systems it
emerged from these doubtful regions,
where only few innovstors perceived its
presence, and came down to the level of
the people, stirred as the latter were by
new aspirations and hopes. From hence
forward the socialist idea, the idea of So
cial reform, was not only a theory broached
by philsu thropists, discussed by scientists
snu P"hioeOPsersS onu IaughS ny inIeiiec5-
uat apostles from tribune and printing
Office, but it became q living, acting reality,
a watchword of the laboring Glasses,
A PERSONAL QUESTION AMONG woRKMRN.
Once there, ripening as ideas do quickly
in the fervid soul of the people, and push
Ing on towards its development, it strode
forward apace, it's evolution only waiting
an opportunity to perfect itself abundautly.
The people, little used to the hair splitting
Of socialist metsphy sicisns, soon saw
either that all this talk meant nothing or
ton of actual social life, and consequently |
the road to- or, as it wac grandiloQuently |
called, the new birth of, a state of comfort |
and power hitherto unknown. Each one |
nade the dazzling formula, "Society must |
Do reformed" cover his own special griev-
Individual hopes and dreams. 1t soon
became patent to all that even the apostles
If the new idea meant not only that the
lew world should be reformed one, in
he common acceptation of the word. but a
reformed-that is, a transformed
world. The fathers of the socialist idea
1ad already become aware that the present
organization of society presented insur
nOuntable obstacles to the realization of
heir favorite law of harmony as applied
o their theory of future society they
cit that the organic conditions of society
q it is we're lnvincibly opposed to their
iea, which, in order to triumph in the end,
lust become not only reform, nay, not
My o transf sfornlatiOn, but such a transfor.
ration as should change from the very
oots all existing vital conditions of society.
o reform was not enough;
THEY DETERMINED TO TRANSFORM.
One idea has thus quickly displaced or
ucceeded the other. Stripped of the
'ordy disguises in which it still affected
} wrap itself, it was simply theoretical
enisl of society, such as society has been
nee men have lived together rsdical
hapge of the social mechanism adopted in
rinciple and in practice by all nations and
in all ages; triumphal
rogress of revol social rev. !
ution itself.
Up to that period men who worked on !
le passions of the masses to compass their 9
wn ambitious ends had conteuted them !
e!ves with handling political problems, !
;irring mp political revolutions. The !
anne played by leaders of riots or leaders E
parties consisted in changing a mo- =