The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-07
r.S.r,caL INTOLERANCE

There are bat few men of intelligence IN
these DAYS who read otherwise than with
disgust the acts of the Inquisition' AMI ho'h
church and state during the Middle Ages
by which il was attempted to check tue
Growth of learning ami the indulgence Oh
Tree thought. 1t is the prerogatiye, as IL Is
the nature OF brain power, to grow an"
/ any attempts to retard its development are
not only as idle as TO try to bind NJ the
winds, but are equally as indicative oil
marrow range of thought in those VINO AZ
tempt it, Ii is reason that distinguishes
the man from the brute, and 1t Is the eAee'
else = of individual will and choice that
rsnder men different from the animals that
follow blindly aud unthinkingly COM
mon leader. The magnificent deductions
of modern reason and research are Inc
foundation stones upon which we not only
build hope for the future of the race, but
upon which we can truthfully predicate our
superiority in enlightenment and the en-
loyment of life's comforts to those of the
Dark Ages. In a word, it is the common
boast OF our age that thought has been
emancpated ana that the age of reason has
| supplanted the eras of enquiry and faith.
| II is, therefore, not without great degree
oil surprise that we noticed In the telegraphic
report of the HERALD yesterday morning
| the announcement, under London date,
that the "Soclety for the Suppression Of
Blasphemous Literature" had determined
upon criminal prosecutions against Pro
FEssoRs HUXLEY and rYNDALL., and
| HERBERT SPENCER, and also the pub
fishers OF john STUART MILLS works and
others, "who by their wriLing have sown
widespread unbelief, and in some cases
atheism 1t reads more like a decree Of
some council of priests in the eleventh or
| twelfth centuries than an item OF news Of
the latter part Of the nineteenth century in
Great Britain, and we are astonished that
at this late day such statutes as viii permit
such prosecutions are allowed to remain as
laws in any code governing an intelligent
and progressive people, Such prosecutions
may be set on foot, but to suppose for II
moment that the writings OF masters such
as those mentioned can now be suppressed
is the perfection of absurdty. No forces
within two centuries have been so potent
In liberalzing itrm3a thought developing
the physical sciences and pushing
the mind forward to grander
destiny, than the works of such men
rs JOHN STUART Mill, HUXLEY, DARWIN.
SPENCER, TYNDALL, and others OF their
school. If their conclusions conflict with
those of the theologians, so much the worse
for the latter. If unbelief Is the result of
the study of their works, it indicates that
they are masters in thought and reason, who
are bold and progressive enough to stand
out against creed and show it its weak
points And if the theologians, or religion.
| lists, must have recourse to the courts to
successfully combat error, their cause is but
q poor one at best. Great questions of
being and immortality and future states of
| reward and punishment, cannot be settled
| by DEGREES of tho courts, when once the
human mind has grown bright and strong,
and free enough to think for itself In the
contests of principles the right and tue
true must ultimately prevail, in spite
of the prosecutions of the courts. Persocu.
tons for opinions sake in this day and time
are not only radically wrong and against
the ages spirit OF liberty and fairness, but
bad policy II looks as if reason were pow.
erless and the opposing cause without merit
to fight such mental movements as the one
set going by the great thinkers, whose put
LEGATIONS 1t is proposed to ostracise, by re
sorting to might and the machinery of gov
eminent. 1t is Il point blank confession OF
weakness. Aside from this, it is an exhibi.
ton of ignorance and ianatioism that is els
tressingly contemplate. All great advance
ments in thought are preceded by an era OF
investigation and skeptcism. Agitation. dis
satisfaction, unbeliei, are necessary prelimi.
naries to progress, and those who have
not already recognized this fact have grown
out of, or never grew into, the teachings o
all history. The better will it be for Chris
tianity if it is, after continually being sub
|jected to the attacks of skeptcsm, still
regarded as divine aud the hope OF the race
What is true will triumph upon its owl
intrinsic merit and the reason which sus
tains it, but to lean upon might and gaI
opposition would be suicidal. TyNpALI
HUXLEY, SPENCER, MILL and their kind ar,
not blasphemers, or vulgar opponents o
any especial religion. They are great phi
losophers in search of truth, and are to on
age what ARISTOTLE and PLATO were I,
\ theirs, or GALLILEo to his, or Bacon or ST
. ISAAC NEWTON or DEsCARrEs were to theirs
9 1t is possible to cheek vulgarity, or mer
Q blasphemy or profanity, or at least proven
Q its publication, but for littl
Q narrow contracted and. as thi
1 last move indicates fanatical society /
!, Great Britain to attempt to suppress phi
" losophy and destroy the immortal works
genius, because not in sympathy with thei
, own peculiar religious tenets, is absurd an
. contemplate. II would be creditable I
the courts II they would declare such sta
y utes as II Is proposed to use in this NOV,
ment unconstitutional, and send the men
=, bers of the "Society for the Suppression
!, Blasphemous Literature" to some goo
!, night school for month or two. The ne
:, essary books and tuition would cost lc
than such criminal prosecutions rs are co,
templated, and the additional advantage
lie turning over to society number of int
A. lectually improved members would
Il gained.
, ---p-e-m---
:. POINTED AND PERTINENT ENQUIRIE
We publish this morning n comm nnic