The Portland daily press., 1882-02-09
M. O..M. a.
Rev. Mr.. Alger's Lecture.

The fourth lecture in the course before the
M. @. M. A. was given last evening by Rev
W. r. Alger, his subject being;--"Hopes of q
better future for humanity on earth. The au-
dience was large andEmanifested throughout a
sympathetic appreciation.
The lecturer began by declaring his belief that
the present discordant conditions must give
way to that ideal civilization which prophets,
philosophers, poets, and the large minded and
generous hearted in all ages have foreseen for
humanity; that glorious heritage of harmony,
usefulness and "good will on earth" The one
universal brotherhood that Christ came to es-
tablish Nor has this belief in the ultimate
abolition of war and other horrors, the out
growth of untrammelled selfshness, been un-
shared by other than Christian sages Confu-
cius prophecied also this millennium, and the
religion of the Norsemen embodied the vision
of future on earth free from all manner OF
evil, preceded by battle between the powers
of good and evil, with the ultimate triumph OF
the former. Brahminism taught that there
had been nine ,incarnatlons of the godhead,
and upon the tenth incarnation, strife and the
evils under which humanity has groaned shall
give way to love and order, and all men Do
united in one vast harmonious brotherhood.
The beatifc visions of the poets, as expressed
in Atlantis and that story of Ethiopia where
immortal men are forever banquetting around
a golden table, the Utopia of Moore, and OF
a thousand Others visions born of noble intel
lects and generous hearts, are prophetic OF
Millennium. Through all ages runs the inspira-
ton of the advent of the Messiah. God is not
somendacious as to mislead by thus foreshad-
owing.
why do nations still fail to attain to this mil
lennium? Not because the Divine vision is
fallacious, ,butbecause such millennium has not
in the fulness of time arrived. When the
conditions are ripe then shall the incarnation
of God be complete. A preliminary incarna-
tion has been shown in every great ruler, phil
osopher or leader. The explanation OF this
postponement of the hope of the race is that
the higher castles in society, the organized pos
SCISSORS of power and education, shave not sys..
tematically tried to elevate the lower strata OF
society, but on the contrary have preyed on
them. A crushing pyramid OF humanity Is
that of the governing, sacerdotal, trading and
manufacturing, and beneath all, and, support
ing all, the producing class The two upper
have always employed the two intermediate to
keep the lowest in subsection. We must labor
for the establishment of Justice and harmony
in place of this injustice and reciprocal hatred,
if we wish to see the aggregated powers OF hu-
manity working as harmoniously as the pow
ers of the universe in space. The lecturer sees
much hope for the race in the progressive DEM
ocratic tendencies of the time, as illustrated by
the abolition of caste in India brought about
by English influence; the liberation OF the
serfs in Russia the abolition OF slavery In
America, and the throwing off OF the Papal
authority in Italy.
America has vaulted into the front rank OF
progress. Humanity is on the move upward
and scattered rays of promise are upon the hills
of the old world. The oppression OF the many
by the few must be ended by cooperation. On
the basis OF Justice every vexed question may
be settled when approached in the right temper.
Nothing but the binding effects of custom can
reconcile us to the enormity OF million farm
ers carr iar '.cir pittance by the sweat OF their
brow, Mi ev gambling speculators BY
making "a cornsro in the product of their toll
may pocket million dollars. What an an
omaly that our recent financial revul-
sion was due to over-product1on, fwhle
there have always been un-numDered
thousands OF our race underfed and staavIngs
It was really attributable to grasplng monopoly
This trait Of consummate selfishness IN the
capitalist is not his fault, it is Inherited from
the self-assertion of past ages, and is social
rather than an individual evil.
The Society of the Internationals have failed
bseause they have too faithfully copied the vio-
lence and intolerance of their masters. Let
them rest their claim on justice alone, let them
be Industrious orderly and self-respecting and
they will soon have no master but God alone.
The lecturer here rendered with fine effect
the poem written for the International Exhi-
bition. He sees in the worlds steady increase
in material wealth an omen of the advance
and elevation of the race, the attainment to
that millennial for which the noblest in all ages
have sighed: when man, no longer oppressed
by fear of Divine displeasure above or OF hell
below, and with universal peace on earth, may
be at liberty to cultivate the higher attributes.
The next lecture in this course is announced
for Wednesday evening, the 27th, by J. 5
Palmer. Subject, ga glimpse of the Rus
sian.''