The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-06-14

elieve that Christianity is from Go1, 2
nd yet there is possibility that Jesus Il
fas an imposteF and His religion II
rand. The way which the majority OF (,
,eople have OF examining evidence, ot c
oming 70 a conclusion, IS astonishing v
or It's lack of common sense: The-i
yreater part Of our citizens viii only | c
ubscribe for those periodicals which 4
agree with their political and theologi- !
al views. doubt II they would take q
paper of the opposite party If II were
Turnished gratis. Il
We will endeavor to trace the progress /
Of thought in the last century; TO de-
scribe to you the tendency OF mOdeTn
and 70 bring before your minds
those things which We believe demand
the thoughtful Consideration Of every
man and woman in the land. As the
ages rolled on the mind Of man grad
ually unfolded and grAppled with the
mysteries OF nature. The doubts, OBJ
servations and Investigations have
brought about q stale nf affairs which
are the happiest since tue world, by the
fiat of the Almighty, was sent hurting
through space When al the dawn OF
life the infant surveys the mattel ial
world his mind Is blank, but eternal
progress is written on every intellect
He gradually absOrbs the phenomena of
the universe; he examines the causes, /
effects and relations OF objects. and by |
these actions. with the aid Of his desires,
he comes 20 conclusions which are |
either benefit or curse 20 bis fellow
man.
We have in our midst representative |
men OF the last few centuries men who |
believe that a monarchy is the safest |
form Of government; men who believe |
that their theories and pet creeds should |
be the belief of all mankind; men who,
after witnessing all the mistakes Of big
otry, still refuse 10 be charitable 70 the
opinions of others. The world
is q long way from the mil
lennium as long as we have those
who believe that war between civilized
countries is necessity, or that the uli
matum of thought in any department
Of knowledge has at last been reached.
There are individuals who disparage our
present civilization and long for those
pleasant days of old. They put Milton
above a LongfelloW, and a CIc-
efot is superior to an Everett They
| worship some obscure saying that was
written Eve hundred years ago, and
which violates half the rules of rhetoric.
That we have advanced in some things
all men admit. No more do we agitate
| the question as to whether q majority of
| the people will be serfs with a few lords
as masters The divine rights of kings
are things of the past; taxation without
representation has been satisfactorily set
tied secession and slavery are gone
| but other evils are here. AS the world
| grows older new complications arise
new vices, new crimes which seek to
drag humanity To lower level. In
4 glancing over the past, 1t seems that the
best part of humanity has always had
some great evil with which TO contend i.
No SOONER do they deal the death blow
to one curse than another demands their
attention. Modern thought in the po-
litical world asks not that we shall have
great armies; not that the capital OF the
country shall be center of gayety, dis
sipation and wealth-but that the laws
that the workers and producers
shall be repaid for their toll 1t de-
mands in the social world that morality
and happiness be increased. We find in
our country great portion Of the Deo-
pie ignorant and deOraved. We find
the wealth of the country assuming a
division as is found in aristOcratic ma
lions. In olden times as long as an in
dividual accumulated properly accord
ing to the law all was thought to be
light; but now we have risen TO high
er plane, and our best minds advance
the idea that if men accumulate prop
erty to such an extent that they WELD
an undue influence in the making Oi
laws and in the administration of JUS
tee, something should be done to re
strain them. This limitation of wealth
is demanded, not through envy, but iu
the interest of seIEpTeservatiOn. II
seems strange that we should commence
to agItate the question of limiting the
wealth of men. 1t is something pecu
liar To this century, and yet does it no
seem reasonable, after examining the
state OF affairs existing to-day? II is the
boast of millionaires and politicians tina
give them enough money and they viii
control legislation. There is no danger
that physical tyranny will ever rule thii
country. The people are too enlight
ened. But there is danger that elias.
of our people will be oppressed and de
priVed of their just reward. Men tina
s fifteen years ago were worth hundred
million dollars are now worth thres
hundred millions. If this has been &C
complished in fifteen years, what MAJ
/ we expect in fiftyS You may think it I
, ridiculous presumption, but TbelieY,
that within hundred years, unless
some restriction is made, there will b,
:, dozen billionairs Ia the United States
Il
. state of the various countries, such
state of things was impossible. We ar,
aware that political economists say tina
every man should be allowed TO accu
wulate all that he can lawfully. Blu
this Is false. A great many of tn
laws on our statute books are them
selves violations Of natures laws. Som
men OF wealth are undoubtedly
necessity in every country; but every
thing should be limited, even the wealth
of individuals. In the rich men Of on
| country we have an arlstocracy growing
upon as quite as dangerous, just as IN
scrupulous, and just as powerful as tina
which brought about the "Reign OF Tel
] ror." A great portion of our people d.
! not have a comfortable living, and thei
condition is such that on the scanL
wages which they receive they are I'll
able to accumulate enough TO max
e them independent. About ORe-thirC c
the people in the United States do abso
lutely nothing 10 sustain and admlniste
to the comforts and happiness of man
kind. / am an advocate of the oil
thought, that ''IhOse who do MT wOr
and produce something that will max
mankind happier should not be Above
TO eat" The best of modern though
demands that the men who work shAl
have the best this earth affords. Ali plai
and undeniabl3 violations Of the natura
law between man and man are now abo
ished; but fraud has found that it Is fa
more profitable to defend itself and coz
tinue its wrong-doIng under the sen
blance of law instead OF resorting {
brute force. In the beginning OF th
| modern age of the world, the Christian
interpreting the bible literally and VOL
Shipping IL with blind, uDreasonabl
Z
assault from the deistic force. The sue
cess OF deism YVES merely trsnsifory ian
now, with the facts before US, thai falt
in Christ, and nut in the Bible, is meaI
tor our salvation. This theory is thin
OF the past. Atheism was sustained
only few of the most obstinate and u
reasonable men. That the world va
q, full of beauty and harmony they cOul
~ not we'll deny, ard how all this can
:. about they could Not wei explain. Eli
ally man named Darwin CO.
Jewel AZ idea From that tim
until his death he labOred
a. find facts 70 prove his pet theory. Oh
c. ponents OF Christian.Iy wera oVeTj Iye
K to Aud at last = theory which might
is made To prove their existence withOi
lie the aid of God. Several scientis
q. have Iaborsd TO prove the GOddeD
m theory ut AZ luton. EVOlutlon IA
in been gwen snIl Iue prominence In cul
Is nectiOn with rrIl gIII. What Is il o. Il
IN Christian VIII, taiT The world has i-XistG
le1 one hundred nIiliInn or ten thOusan
re years. Among thoughtful people the.
IN is . gFu~ipg nvIcIlon that m n do n
IT. necessarily haye 10 believe that snail
le story, US certain nrstOF says, or tn
of Hood excitement, but that Jesus ChTi
to is the Son of God. More mature and Z
lg cent thought on the subject Of eVolutIC
in leaves much TO be proved before
~ should shake our belief In the biblic
is account Of the creation.
BIT In turning cur attention 70 the soci
be life of our nation, We find class of pC
nd sons who are both ignorant and vicioU
These criminals are the creatures
bel circumstances TO great extent. BO
a ia the midst of crime, with weak wi