The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-11-13
The Sovereignty Of Brain.

QOu. Mhn lb compound OF matter,
force and intelligence; an epitome of the
universe, in the image Of God. Matter
without force were dead; force without
Intelligence were blind. The degree
and character of intelligence manifested
determines the rank or value of any or.
ganization in the scale of being. Intelli-
geDce is manifested in two ways-uncon-
scious and conscious. In our own or
ganization, unconscious intelligence pre-
sides over the action Of the heart. stom-
ach. lungs, and other organs whose
functions are not what psychologists
term involuntary. Conscious intelli-
gence is manifested in the various modes
of thought, and through it we control our
external actions and relations. Were we
not endowed with the power of thought
we could have no consciousness of exist
enee. ST think; therefore I am" said
the great French philosopher. We begin
to be las personalities) when we become
conscious OF existence, and the sum of
our consciousness is the measure
Of our life. The stomach, lungs,
etc., being organs of unconscious
functions, represent the physical nature.
The brain, the organ of thought, repre-
sents the intellectual, the human. 1t is
therefore superior, sovereign. The head
commands and the body obeys. Nor
does the plebeian body ever question the
propriety of an order issued by its SOW
ereign, whether it be to WELD the dag
ger of the assassin, run on an errand of
mercy, or bow beneath the heaviest cross
of toll.
The brain comprises three principal
classes of faculties, selfish, intellectual
but the degree and character Of this in
telligence differ greatly, and differing,
conflict.
The consciousness of the selfish group
is manifested chiefly in desire and effort
to benefit itself. The consciousness of
the intellectual group is displayed in q
search after knowledge. The conscious
ness of the moral group is seen in aspira-
tions after the good, the true, and the
beautiful. This first gives us all our wars,
murders, tyrannies, robberies and
crimes of whatever sort, as we'll as all
our physical pleasures. The second, all
our literature. art and science. The
thiId, all our religion, philosophy, JUS
tice, liberty and fraternity.
The relative power of these groups in
any given case is determined by their
relative size. This being true, we have
only to know that the selfish group has
ever been, and still is, the largest in the
average man, to account nationally for
the facts of history and observation that
so disgrace our race.
rTis the mind that makes the man. "
The strong -limbed, muscular, but igno-
rant barbarian of primitive times was
but dim prophecy of true manhood.
He was slave to superstitious fears and
| physical necessities. He covered before
the forces of nature, and toiled as o
galley-slave for meagre and mean SUBJ
sistence. The element of manhood in
herent within him rebelled against fate
so painful and plebeian, and cudgeled
the brain for plans by which to secure
a better living at less cost of
| labor. This discomfort and taxing of
| the brain was continued, and under the
activity thus induced, the brain has
steadily increased in size and power, and
is still increasing. The result is mar
velous, both Us to magnitude and benefi-
cence. A single brain, once limited to
the superintendent of the operations of
one pair of hands, may now control ma
chinery representing thousand pair of
hands, and this machinery is run by
steam and wastes not one ounce OF mus
cular force. The unwritten prophecy is
about to be fulfilled. Man is rapidly
emerging from his apprenticeship to the
parent of invention, necessity, into the
/ realm of independence Of thought and
action. The forces and appetites that
have SO long enslaved him are to be the
| instruments of his will and ministers OF
his pleasure.
/ There is current and popular legend,
| to the purport that it was Gods original
purpose to keep man in ignorance and
support him in idleness, which scheme
was spoiled by the perversity of woman,
as manifested in tasting forbidden joys,
and seeking unlawful knowledge. Then
| God placed man under the curse Of toll
saying to him, SIN the sweat of thy face
shalt thou eat bread" The legend is
| true to those who are able to interpret
it, as are all the sacred myths and le-
gends that have come down to us from
! the venerable past. There was, no
doubt, an era when the primitive man
leaned like an infant upon the breast Of
his mother nature, drawing his sole sus-
tenance from the spontaneous fruits oi
her bosom. From this dream of infancy
he at length awoke to the necessities OF
clothing, and sther Injuries which ma
| ture had not supplied. To these wants
| involved labor, and the era of toll was
! inaugurated. From this hard school OF
bitter experience the race is to graduate
| into the era of thought.
The new command is, "Develop your
brain and use it in an intelligent man
| ner;' for the time is not distant when
| there will be no room in this world for
him who shall have naught to sell but
his muscle; who can do nothing but toll
! with his hands. It is written upon the
| wall of the Temple of Fate, Become q
thinker, or perish" Nor is this hard
doom. To the intellectual alone is life q
blessing. The ignorant man begins his
career in eheerless childhood, passes
| through toilsome and anxious manhood
to sorrowful old age, sinking at last
into nameless grave.
The only possible, complete remedy
for the evils that now afflict society, and
of which workingmen and philanthrop.
lists so Justly complain, is to abolish the
monopoly of brains by making thought
universal. This done, and the monopoly
of wealth and power will pass away for
ever.
THE APACHE Who Could RIDE A
'tBRoNco. Tom Newland has an In
dian who place high estimate on his
equestrian ability. There was horse to
be brought into town few days avo, and
the Indian was given the job. He was
/ told he was a sshroneO +" bnt II was ssest1