Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-18
HENRY WARD BEECHER.
IFcTURE on THE REIGN OF
THE COMMON PEOPLE"


ago that Rev. Henry Ward Beecher would
deliver lecture in this city and the pun
Ii. were looking anxiously for the an-
nouncement Of the precise evening when
an opportunity would be given TO hear
this well known clergyman discuss tue
issues u the day. Mr.. Beecher arrived
IN Savannah at an early hour yesterday
morning and repaired 70 the Pulaski
House. where be was assigned a comfort
able and convenient room. His party, as
it appears upon the register, IS himself
and wife. Mr.. J. Tanenbaum and MI
Pond and servant.
At about noon a carriage was brought
around. and with his wife Mr. Beeeher
took a drive around the city, observing
with aBuareut interest all that met his
eve about the city. After dinner ne re-
ceiyed "A large number @. VlsIt0Fs-Ma az OF
Lester. several Of the clergy Dr. falligant
and many very prominent SavannahIans.
There was fair audience al the theatre
il. the evening To listen 10 the eloquent gen
fisman deliver his lecture on the Reign
Of the Common People" The lecturer
was introduced by Capt. Robert Falllgant-
when be arose. and after the applause
subsidized. proceeded 10 handle the subject
in a mastery manner.
The following is only brief synopsis o.
the eminent lecturers remarks. our space
rrecIuding a fuller report. He COM
menced by alluding to the lower order Of
man. and said. in substance. that the hu-
man family differs from the animal ere
alton below it in a manner Of the nervous
development the inferior animals having
no trace. apparently. Of the ner-
vOus system. Nan has the larg-
est brain and the largest distrIbu-
ton Of nerves Of any Of the animals,
and as man has unfolded his brain be
has increased in intelligence. 1t IS not
however. that a man with large head
mas large brain. You may have large
house with poor furniture. Quantity i
one thug. quality another. Applause
Both together determines the man. There
are thousands Of men whose Drains are
like a manipulated knife, only one OF
which he can open and use The others
are set in rust.
We are apt 10 suppose that govern
ments are things Of choice. But the gov
ernment Will take its form from the nature
Of the people composing it. Ignorant and
brutal people can never have free govern
ment. \ people sunk low IN life must
be governed as YOU would the horse
or the on. or any other animal. self
government comes with the full develop
ment Of the common people. It's not until
the agricultural period comes that commu-
mites begin 10 be formed. When manu-
featuring and distributing commerce l.
added. then we have at last the full form
Of community. and where it has been un-
developed, uuinstructed. then comes the
absolute chief or king. When 1t has many
men to think then it has the arts
Z tOcracy and the monarchy. y larger class
are admitted to exert influence. Little
by little comes in the middle class, and
then at last dawns the intelligent period.
when people think. In each Of these the
] government j. compulsory government
adapted to the wants. era and condition
Of the people. II arbitrary they need 1t:
Z ii liberal. 1t i because the people think
and act.
Now we have come in these ends Of the
earth and i'm these latter days to a cOndl-
I ton Numerically opposite to that with
which the race began. self government
| j. the law Of This land-Of many others.
/ The first steps were education up To
natural laws and natural necessities. 1t
is comparatively a later period before we
/ find institutions ordained expressly 10
I drill the intelligence of men. The earliest
I ON record are the schools OF Egypt There
I the DAY star Of intelligence and ciYiliza-
/ tion rose first. and that land that has for
/ a.es been the lowest of the lOw was the
very first in its OWN time. Schools IN
I Egvpt. however. were limited in number
and in function. Like all other things it
/ had to 20 through the process of eVolu-
/ ton. Only kings and priests were edu-
I Gated and that 10 the knowledge Of how
I to govern the common people. Education
I was sin, it was vice: it was a crime
I for them u pry into knowledge. it was
Z "A private privilege; II was preTogatIYe
# tine high classes.
Were there no women educated in
Greece \ great maBy-toO many: IN
art. iu literature. in music. in history, in
philosophy in craftsmanship. In
Greece. though. IN her best days,
if woman would nave a reputa-
ton for virtue she must be the
drudge of the household; She must be
ignorant All this Is 50 contrary To all
our ideas that we can scarcely conceive
that virtue and ignorance should be IN
terchanscable terms. But they were IN
Greece IN her palmy days. We can
. scarcely understand how this Is, but
such Is history. This throws great
light upon certain passages in scripture
that are simple enough in connection
with this historical fact. Paul says: Il
suffer not woman to teach in your tem-
pies. Let Your women keep silence"
He never would have said that to the He
brew women. Ii they had had the spirit
Of prophecy they would have pFophesled
undisturbed by Injunction. schools contin-
ued to multiply through the coming
ages: though somewhat ecllpsed in
+ the dark ages. reappearcd again. and
f in modern Europe still increased in num-
! Der and efficiency. At last our genera
. tiOn is reached: we see that the world has
turned completely around. and that while
I i'm ancient times il was wrong for the COM
mon people to receive education, to-day ii
/ i wrong for them not to receive it. Edu-
cation is no longer optional, but COM
pulsory. States have ordained that pa
rents shall send their children TO the
/ schools. For it is insisted that no parent
has a right to bring up ignorant children.
The result has been that such increased
intelligence has prevailed among me
chanics and labOring men ali over Europe,
and has prevailed to such an extent that
/ it may be said the common people join in
authority with the throne and with the
council.
Two facts stand opponent. one is that
the people desire an education that used
not TO care for it: the other is the ruling
! powers are just as anxious that they
should have an education as they are
+ to have it. Why is it people desire more
in life to-day: They are better housed.
clothed. fed. 1t is because intelligence
and growth develop the upper man.
Their aspirations. their lOngIngs are in
I creased. The top and bottom Of society
was very close tOzeLleE. LOOK AT an OAK
tree that covers an acre; how broad. how
high, how deep in the root. Look al the
acorn from which it sprang; which is not
bigger in space than YOUR little finger nail.
Society. rs it advanced. uniOlded gradu-
ally through the ages. Why was it that
the kings in Olden times forbade the edu-
cation OF the people: Because education
would make them intelligent. To-day
they prefer to educate the masses, because
they are easier governed. Some one has
said that if d man marries an ignorant
woman. thinking he can govern
her. he will have all his life to
mediate on his mistake. Applause.
Kings have found out that education
improves their subjects, and are now
giving more intelligence to their peoples.
War i another strong argument for edu-
cation. for intelligence makes better sol
diers. In the old world the Macedonian
phalanX of I.000 men linked together went
down against their antagonists. Do that
today and our artillery would lick them
UP IN five minutes The commander relies
on the intelligent soldier.
Here the lecturer gave little incident
that happened during the war, when he
quarteTed a Maine regiment in Plymouth
Church. in the lecture room, the Sunday
school room, the parlOrs, and the great
auditorium, and gave each man d cush-
toned seat. and with their knapsacks they
were made comfortable. He went in
about midnight and found his whole con-
gregation asleep at one time! Applause
Cities have a great many advantages
in tho war az life that the country has