The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-05-30
LIBERALITY OF KNOWLEDGE
BY GAsKELL.

How often We find in conversation
and writing. that vituperation ant
abuse sre taken for argument. Tht
candor and liberAlity every lover o
the truth should cultivate are far tee
much ignored and the sharp saying,
the pointed pun, or sarcastic rejoin-
der, are oitsner used, than words
moderate, yet powerful in their
: truth.
The cause of this, perhaps, lies in
the popular demand for such q
course. People have become so &C.
customed to what they call "spicy,"
articles that the eloW-golng, aIgumen-
tative and didactic style OF our fathers
is not Telished to its former extent.
They now want II =. which will
tickle the fancy and satisfy the desire
for a knowledge of the days doinRs,
more THAI of learning those facts and
principles that will be source OF in
ward Satisfaction to the mind, when
the trivial incidents aud interests of
the day have sunk into iorgetfuIness.
The presen. age Is a fast one. So
far as incidents aud feelings 20, trose
OH the earth nov, have twice the ex
perienoe OF th ice of cebtury or SO
back, of the same age. We live
faster. The slow humdrum life OF
past centuries is intoIersble to the |
man OF to day. Experimental pbllo-
sophy has been rapidly advanced. |
We want to know the cause OF things
to search out the hidden springs of |
action, to discard all supeTtuities OF
thought, expression, argument, or
action. Telegraphio communication
is seldem more than a bald statement
OF iacts-much is left to be filled out
by the receiver, and IN filling out
alterations, Imagination seldom goes
beyond additions sufficient to supply
the sense. Even conversation, by
some, is carried on in the same way
the art to properly converse is not
cultivated TO any great extent. and,
We have 20 fill out In our own minds,
certain portions OF the meaning.
But hsv5 We gained by the chapge2
Is this high pressure, as We may call
it, necessary, and can 1t be main
tanned, without weakening the
powers. Is it not an exhaustive
process, sure, sooner or later. to re-
coil upon US in a stated appetite and
Eupersnuated strength Are We not
drawing upon our reserve vitality to
keep up our present pace, at the ex-
pense of future years Of enjoyment?
We are iu hasts in al we do; there is
time for the performance of only the
most necessary duties. We wish no
one 10 pass US in the race and lest
they should, through any lack of
diligence or energy, on our part, we
are apt to strain our powers. We eat
in a hurry, food ia bolted, not eaten;
we rush of to business in a hurry,
keep the pace up all day, 60 home
in a hurry. keep uncertain hours ;
and the mind ard fame have not
recuperated before the same routine
is commenced again. Such is kept
up for an indefinite period. and at
last we die in hurry, are put under
the ground in hurry, and the world,
or ourselves, are often bu. little bene-
fitted by our having ever been here
at all.
What is life, anyhow, and what is
the part wisdom should play therein?
What is the end and aim of it? As
it seems txemplified in society now,
Judging by the haste folks are in,
one would think they were eager 10
reach the goal, whatever that may
be. But, unfortunately, few Of the
almost countless millions upon the
earth seem to have any object of pur.
suit worthy the name. Is it wealth?
They get wealth enough to supply
any reasonable wants, yet they press
on after it as eagerly as ever. Is it
in the possession Of it, or in its pursuit,
that the happiness consists? Is the
happiness OF possession to be in this
world, or in an eternity to come?
Trivial circumstances overthrow it
here, and the soul Of the wealthy
man is often as barren of enjoyment
as that of the pauper. Is it in pleas
ure, as We call it, that varies in
different persons, agreeing only in
one particular, in it's selhshness and
being followed leading to safety and
sin. Wherein, then, is this happi.
ness? this goal, this object, to be foundi
In this life, or in that of another
sphere? In the object sought, or in
the mind of the seeker
These thoughts may seem trite and
puerile, yet how many sense them in
all their significance; yet, it is in
properly applying them and balanc.
ing conflicting opinions that We are
individually concerned. What are
the benefits of wealth, or pleasure, If
they cannot be properly used; the
mere distinction wealth confers, or
the sppetites pleasure can satisfy, can
confer no lasting good to US. They
may raise US in fashionable society,
where insipid nothingness reigns
paramount - where the latest
cut OF skirt, or the latest curl OF
moustache is the latest sensation
and valued more than the polish OF
the most highly cultivated mind, or
the generous glow OF genius which
allies man more closely to God, but
what residue remains of all this
trAnsitory fame, when peasant and
prince, laymsn and priest, meet the
great leveler of all such distinctions
death? If we are believers in the
Immortality OF the soul We must
look for something to survive all this
and If we can obtain that something,
identity it with ourselves, Intervene
it in all our being, sll our thoughts
and hopes, how much richer will be
our portion than that of those who |
seek the things that fade and perish |
away, no more to be seen. or claimed,
when the short, Etiul, feyered hour |
OF present life is ended.
Has the morally intellectual ad'
vance OF man kept pace with his
advance in other respects7 and ia be
any more earnest in the pursuit OF
truth, or has he approached any
nearer to the standard of real
truth, than his progenitor OF
centuries ago? Ideas change and
40 do mems conception OF them
change, but are We approached any
nearer 10 the millennium OF Intellec-
tusI and religious certAinty than were
they9 As creeds multiply and phllc-
sonhical theories Increase, are We