The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-08-22

happy faculty of contradicting himself He
sets up theories, beautiful from base to apex,
and then knocks them down. seemingly for
the fun OF the thing. Referring to the tri-
umphs Of our civilization, he says:
We can demonstrate that we have wrought many
and great changes In the social and material con-
ditions Of the race: and with every change we can
point to a corresponding improvement. We have
entered on path of discovery that must eventu-
ally lead to the recovery of the lost unties OF ma
ture. We have solved many of the knottiest prob
lens of society: and among our happiest exploits
we can boast Of having unearthed the long-lost
truth. that humanity is one and indvisible
bound up in unity of origin and individuality OF
destiny. We have broadened and deepened the
foundations of society, ana upon the bed
rock OF natures postulates have laid the
broad base of the political edidce-that grand
architectural chef d'0Hure Of manhood's maturity
redeeming the infant promise of Babel, and offer
ing shelter and security to all classes and condi-
tons of men a structure nobly planned in con-
ception vast: in proportions. majestic. solid and
enduring. We have re-sdjusted the social rela
tons, abrogating some that were cid and creating
others new. Our civilization is a reassertion OF
manhoods original "bill of rights, and the words
master and slave are heard no more. We have
deeds OF philanthropy the works Of social justice.
Love and mercy remain. but we have given them
the nobler and holier names of right and duty.
Such have been the triumpns OF free think
ing. but there are more battles to be tonight
and more victories to be won. Rev. DR..
Phelan is mistaken when he says the words
master and slave are heard no more" They
are still heard, and, what is worse, they have
terrible significance now es at any period
in the worlds history. The necessity for
free thought is readily established by the
fact that errors exist, not only old errors. an
tiQuated, wrinkled, SCARED and moss-grown,
but modern errors. peculiar to the times,
multiply, and it is the high privilege
of free thought to lombard them
out of existence 80 weaken
them ms to render them omparatively pow
erless, and thus it appears from Rev. DR..
PhelaH's point of observation that whatever
has been gained by civilization over saw
sgery, of mind over matter, of thought over
instinct, is to be credited to free thinking.
Yet, notwithstanding such conclusions by
the writer, he gets off the following:
The war whoop of the iuteilectu savages OF
lscOnic paradox ever uttered. By thought we are
to understand the assent OF the mind. Now. con-
viction grayitates to truth, when demonstrated,
Just as pfaibly as water eeks its level or bodies
fall 10 the earth IL is not In the power of the hui
man mind to deny truth once its existence Is
demonstrated II freedom of thought means
liberty to lmpugn the known truth,
then TO be mentally free we have
but to apestaclze from reason. II by Free
Thought" we are to understand emancipation
from system, we are guilty OF greater absurditS;
for to accept system, and, at the same time, to
deny what follows from It. is to believe that
thing can be both true and false In the same re-
spect. II every thinker is bound at the outset of
his career to sbjure all systems ana theories and
eeneralizations. we shall never get away from the
Cs OF knowledge. if we mean that we must
not be bound to system of theory until we have
proved its Truth, we may ask what power can
shackle the faculties OF the mind? What Court
can ISSUE what minion serve. a writ upon reason?
What prison bars can contain idea? But, per-
hsps, we are to understand freedom of thought TO
mean that man is not accountable for his thoughts.
/ have shown that thoughts are the most human
OF human acts: now Will try to prove that they
are subject to the common laws OF human ethics.
Here We find writer revealing in all the
glories of free trought, battling against
what he regards as error-false theories and
false conclusions, and yet he Classics his
own free thinking his own courage, his own
devotion to the truth as the war hoop" of
an intellectual savage" and says
The literary savage. too. loves to iniict pain.
The hottest relatians OF life the fondcst conceptions
of duty, the dearest creations of philanthropc
fancy the objects OF his malignant destructive
ness. In common with ali sayages. he requires
vast territory to roam over. A Freethinker dab
bles in theology. philosophy, political economy.
history, pAysics-in any and every study that can
be reached by bullet OF blatant. negaton. He is
a slave to master. No savage Indian ever oOeyed
his chief with half the ascrty that literary braves
show in following their chosen leaders. They are
the veriest slaves of certain literary dicators.
The Sitting Bull of the political tribe is Paine.
The Tecumseh Of the theological tribe is Vol
taire. The Logan OF the scientific tribe is elective
the beads aud feathers being awarded to the latest
God-killer.
1t may be we'll to remark Just here that
those who advocate free Thought and object
TO setting limitations to "free thinking" do
not, therefore, assert that the conclusions
arrived at by free thinkers are necessarily
correct, but free thinking is the royal 70 id to
truth. which can only be found by investigl-
ton. Error loses much OF its power and
must eventually snccumb il the truth is lei
have referred is readable, and may, to many,
prove instructive.
OLD SETTLERS MEETINGS
The season is at hand for the reunion of
old eotklara-nionaare of thosa far AWAY DAVIS