Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-09-29
WHAT Is NEEDED.
from the St. LOUIS Christian Advocated

in the past ages experienced most avn
throes of earthquakes, but nothing II
recorded history seems to be equal II
violence, in extent of territory, n II
dastructiveness, to the awful catastrO'
phe lust reported from the island o
Java. l. is said thar every volcano II
the East Indies is at the present tllnt
IN a state of active eruption, and 1t Ii
believed that during the present veal
all the known volcanoes of the globe
have exhibited more or less signs o.
life Such unanimity in operation seems
to indicate that the causes, whatever
they may be, which produce earth
quakes are at present more than usual
" active. The wise no less than Or
binary people, disagree as to the causes,
but all can see the results, and about
them there is no possibility OF disagree
ment. As it is, the present earth.
quake is following close on the heels OF
that in Italy and that wa the mmedl-
ate successor of one in South America
which followed n reported from the
northwestern coast of Asia so these
earthquakes seem to have chased each
ether around the globe. Whether there
is any logical conn. ction in he sequence
must OF course be merely 3 matter .of
conjecture, but the fact remains and is
rendered stranger blythe additional cir
cumstance Of exceptional weather IN
almost every quarter OF the worid. Inc
tornadoes Of this spring have been re-
maj kably numerous and destructive,
while other parts of the earth have been
afflicted with alarming drouths and
hardly.a single country but has, In
-- .6o.nl lrrfnn thin nhAnn-
menal year. So far as physical pheno-
msna are concerned, this will bear fav-
erable comparison thDryden'sAnnus
Mirabillis. q; ~
Yes, most emphatically. this has SO
far been . year. Of wonders, When
such occurrences rs those in the Island
of Java, where, as report says, fifty
miles square of land and from fifty to
one hundred Thousand human befngs,
with large towns, upnnmbered animals
and everything, else, were suddenly
sunk In the depths OF 1.-The sea. When
alarqe mountain wassuddenly shivered
into seven different mountains: When
almost or quite every known volcano
on earth has been more or less active:
When most extraordinary foods have
prevailed SO extensively When such
extensive and destructive fires have
ragged, and all combined have destroyed
30 much property and life, we may well
record the present az q phenomenal
year. 81
And when we come to look at it
Alright the social, civil and moral world
has been scarce less phenomenal than |
the physical. Look abroad and witness
the animosities,. the contentious, the
strifes the jealousies, and general dis
quietude among the nations Of the
world, and the internal difficulties and
dissatisfaction among the people about
this or that or the other matter. We
have been careful to study the condi-
tion of the people in foreign countries,
from time to time that condition was
indicated by their leading monthly and
quarterly publications, and the fact is
patent, that in the most enlightened
countries OF the world, ourown includ-
there are unmistakable marks of
disquietude, that presage
evils OF the most serious char
Think of the labor question that
now .gitates the civilized world. Dur
ing the twenty years last past, there has
been a constantly increasing tendency
toward monopelies both of wealth and
power; and, as might have been ex-
an increased opposition. Men
have rrso rted to every available means,
righ, OF wrong, lawful or unlawful, to
their substance. They have
acted or the abomlnable maxim, "get
money, honestly if you can; but if not,
get money" With this, has come the
Of the poor, by the forming
Of what are termed corners" that is,
by unjust and oppressive combinations,
and the farmer has been wronged, the
consumer has been oppressed, high
Tariffs have been resorted to in order
70 increase the gains OF the one party,
oy which the expressions OF the other
have been Increased. These have
been the plea for the organization OF
8 Trades Unions" :. BretherhoOds, !"
lnd the like, a | of which have in them
The very principles they profess to OBJ
onse So it is monopoly against mo
lopoly; and every man acquainted with
he principles of sound political econo-
ny knows, well, that all this is .detri-
mental to the true interests of society;
it goes on increasingly.
Then look at the present state of po-
itical life and at what is called .'high
'ocial life." What can be said of eth
,r, than that while there are many
honorable exceptions, taken at large
hey are rotten to the core. Not in this
country alone, but in other countries
- well.
OF the moral condition of the world
cennot now speak particularly.
What is needed in this country and i'll
Ill others, is the prevalence and domin-
ance of sound Christian principles.