Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-28
SENIOR GRAFTON.
1.-THE STIMULUS cE OrPGsITIUE."
BY EodericK 4. Cobb, of the Glass of 1SS?,
franklin and Marshall College.

THE STIMULUS cr CfP6SlTI0E.''
BY Roiericx +. Cobb. of the Glass of 1Sse,
Franklin and MARSHALL College.
An.agonism is !. law which pcrvades all
nature. We tiEd the idea existing in the
lowest orders of the animal and vegetable
kngdom. The tiny seed. implanted in the
earth, encounters and labors TO overcome
the obstacles to its onward growth, and
only as it successfully Oyercomes this op-
position does it reach its end. All crea
tion from the lowest order of existence up
to the completest development, as found
in man, bears testimony to the existence
| ard necessity of the law of opposition. 1t
| is necessity because it is one>of the prin-
cip!es of all matter that it offers resistance
| and. therefore, wherever We find matter
there is also opposition.
History itself is made up OF antagOuistic
| variations of the onward flow of events in
the course of the world. Each faction or
party has its side to espouse. One is held
up against the other, and the historian
finds truth in the combining or separating
Of both. Humanity must decide which
has the ascendaucy. The truth lies inn
bedded not merely on one side, but in
both, and hence in the development OF
truth there needs be conflict of forces. All
development nccessitatcs change and new
relations, and an entrance into higher
stage or plane of existence.
There is !: continual conflict between
the natural and the moral forces in man,
and the aim of development is not to OBJ
literate the natural tendencies and appe
ttes, but to place them in subjectiOn to
the higher or spiritual.
But opposition stimulates, gives re-
newed activity and purges out the evil.
The 10th century found England Sroaning
over the ignorance and degradation of the
church. 1t lay stepped in crime carried or
under the shameless garb OF religion.
The very administrators OF it's religious
rites as well as tie attendants on its ceve-
monies We're alike implicated in the most
fragrant violations OF the truth they pro
fesscd to teach. SO Ions. as none had tho
| courage or inclination to raise Il dissenting
voice this state Of affairs continued.
Men went Oh deeper i'll crime,
and yet the church threw over
them all tho mantel of religion.
But, after awhile, \ little spark of purity,
which still smou!dercd among the ruins
asserted itself. Luthcr and Calvin, by
raising their voice and pen against these
| iniquitous proceedings. reused the people,
sunken rs they We're, from their lethargic
slumbers. Soon there was al awakening,
and the Reformation began to send
| a blaze of light through all Eu
rope. AdhcreEts OF the pure and unde-
| filed religion stood shoulder to shoulder,
and such an opposition was created against
| the existing ecclesiastical Tyranny. as to
shake the world with its power and whole
| some effects. The new church built
the old, formed . bright contrast to the
but be bettercd by having ITS wicke,lness
portrayed and it's errors exposed aud de
precated. Would there ever have been Il
| reformation in ths church had not Some
one lifted up 4 voice of protest against the
power of evil: Surely not, and hence it
was the opposition that set the wave OF
| reformation in motion. It awOkc meu to
| a realization of their fallen condition, and
inaugurated new and purified system OF
| religion, free from errors, p.Irged by Il
most tremendous fire.
The political parties of the day are fit
ting examples Of the power and necessity
! of opposition. Tho part, i'm power is not
| allowed scrcnely to carry on the affairs Of
| the government, according to its ideas
| regardless of the couatry's good. The
Watchdog spirit of the opposing party is
ever present. And well it Is so. 1t is
natural and easy that the one party left to
itself without guidance or restraint should
| fall into errors. But the very fact that
there is continually an enemy on the alert
to detect wrong doing and misrnanagemeEt
compels the proper administration of the
government, and the adoption of the best
means for the good of the people.
The late war betwocl the North and
South bears additional testimony to the
advantage of antagonis'n. Each side
fought, we believe, for what they considered
their rights. The North regarded the
salty and pcrpetuity Of the Republic Gil
dangered by the formation of q cOnfeder-
acy in it's midst, and believed that 4 dis
severed union was certain death to our
American institutions. They believed
that the country would hereafter be con-
tinualIy involved in anarchy and strife,
and unable to contend agains: foreign
aggrcssiOns. Tho South, on the other
hand, with e4ual sincerity. believed that
| tho doctrine OF state rights was
legitimate, and cGntended desperately
for their establishment. They were con-
quercd, and their cause was OvcriErown.
| But the glory is none the less theirs for
bravery and fortitude in the defence of
their supposed rights. Honor comes upon
men not always because Of their success in
conflict, but for bravery i'll tho assertion
and defence of their cause. And tho Con
flict of the late war had q mission to per
form, which has been accomplished, and
America today hourisEes in it's enjoy
ment. Vice and immortality had grown
into the nations life, and self
aggrandlzement and kindred evils,
were sapping its life blood. But the puri-
flying process was most timely, and
through the blood ofits heroes, it has arisen
from its degraded condition and attained
higher and purer plane OF national lie.
By stirring up mems feelings, by opposing
their corrupt principles, each was com
PEELED to give vent to his feelings in the
expression Of various claims. Mankind
had thus an opportunity OF discovering
the good and the evil in each and of de
Gliding what were the underlying pEinci
pies of right to be found in them.
In all the relations of life, in the cnltiya-
tion of manhood. and the development Of
character, there must be opposition to
more or less degree. The natural spirits
and inclinations must be brought into
subsection and under the control Of the
will. The child left to follow its own
bent will soon fall into errcr, and disas.
trous consequences must follow. Bet in
order that tic highest and best develop
ment may cnsue these natural traits must
be opposed-a restraint placed upon them,
and thus by a discipline which is in OppO-