National Republican., 1880-11-08
SOCRATES.
Rev DIR. Harrison Discourses on the Life, the |
Teachings and the Innuencs of the Greek |
Philosopher.

Rev. DIR. Harrison Discourses on the Life, the
Teachings and the influences of the Greek
philosopher.
Tho Mount Vernon Place church is accus'
toned to large congregations, but the one
that overlooked its capacious interior last
night must have boen q surprise even to 10.
The attraction was the lecture of Rev. DIR.
Harrison on THE Life, The Teachings and tho
Influence of Socrates" The doctor gave II
full and lucid account of the great Greek
philosopher. whose influence upon the inielli-
gence of mankind was greater than that
of any other human being except Jesus
Christ. Socrates was born In the year
I60 before Christ; Thucydidcs the great his.
torian, two years before. Ihe latter lived In
Athens, wrote Of cotemporary times and does
not mention Socrates. 1t has been objected
that Josephus does not mention Christ. 10.
scphus was born A. D. 81, three years after
the crucihXion. The silonco Of tho historians
In either case Is no argument against the OK
istoucc of the character omitted 10 be men.
toned In their works. Socrates was tho son
Of worker in marble, and himself fol-
lowed the same business. lie was therefore,
one Of the people, the dcRoi, another
instance of the democracy of intellect aud
virtuo. OF thoughtful, iuquisitive, yet
joval nature, distracted. yct taltative, of
awkward manners aud homely appearance,
he commanded asrespect never yet attained ty
mere grace and beauty. A greater contrast
between himself aud Alcibades could not be
imagined. The one beautiful as Apollo, grace
ful as Mercury, seductive Of tongue rs Syrcn,
gifted with magnetism that by his mere
presence could turn even an Athenian mob
from its purpose of bloody destruction to
tho widest eXccssos of personal gratnlation,
all things to all men, equally beloved
by the austoro Spartan as by the voluptuous
Lydian, endowed, too, with the most brill
liant genius, yet utterly lacking tho influence
not only on posterity but even OH cotempo.
raries enjoyed by his lat.noscd, limping,
bandy.leggod, knock-kneod master. The
transcendcnt intellectual abilities of Socrates,
combined with tho shining excolenccs of n
character without rival In the annals of
mankind, explained the secret Of the differ
orcnce. Socrates was ambitious to learn
tho truth, which he sought everywhere,
in the market place as in tho schools.
Know thyself" was the Delphian motto, for
him a text everywhere. Ills philosophy was
the art of asking questions. All subjects
were ON trial, truth and error were obscured;
he was the attorney, questioning and cross
questioning with reason tho jury to try the
case. He accepted nothing, questioned every
thing, searched out, found truth, and per-
suaded men that while they had the Conceit
| of knowledge they were destitute of the real
ity. He was not a sceptic. He was
seeker. The truth existed-it could
be found-he sought 1t aud persuaded
| others to seek it. His physical courage was
of the truest kind, as witness his
| carrying Xcnophon from tho field of Deium
on his back. He was just, merciful and un'
| yielding for principle When his fellow ofli'
GERS offered to convict two generals for de-
feat lie voted no. Ho died martyr to truth,
and tho influence of his life and teachings
| is the spell that woke modern civilization
from the slumbor of aeon to the marvelou:
| progress of tho past 1000 years.