The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-06-19
THE GREAT LAW.GIyER.
A Lecture by tho Author of Progrcrs and
Poverty.

a Lecture by tho Author of Progress and
Poverty.
The lecture Of Mr.. Henry George on
Moses, the Jewish Law. giver," has ex.
cited much attention in Europe and the
United States. and the following report
of 1t will be found interesting
Mr.. George began by describing the
Jews as they existed ct the time Of the
Egyptian captivity, speaking of their
many high qualities in terms of praise,
and said the advent Of such q people
marked an epoch in the history Of The
world. But Moses himself was accorded
q place on the highest plane given to
man by three great religions. He was
the medium clothed with supernatural
power through which the Divine will was
expressed. Ard yet this very exultation,
by raising him above comparison, may
prevent the real grandeur of the man
iiom oains seen. Saul's great height
was best perceived when lie stood among
his brethren. This was case that might
be treated as one would treat similar
case In profane history and in consider.
ing the situation then we could SEQ now
what Moses's character was. To lead
into freedom people long crushed with
ousy and mutiny, to turn the quick,
fierce volume of enthusiasm into STEADY
purpose, requires some towering charac.
ter, character blending in highest ey
preston of thu qualities of politician,
patriot, philosopher and statesman.
Such character Moses was. He united
a!l :he wisdom Q: the wiseet os the
Egyptians with the humility of the
meekest of men. Behind the grand
deeds he did was the grander Thought.
Behind the high performance still
nobler idea. The great people he was
among. became q patriarchal family.
They developed from rowing life into
grand civilization-a civilization so an
cient that the pyramids were horary with
centuries ere Abraham looked upop
them. But the Hebrews there were '"of
them." Just Us the Jews of to day
among the Germans are Germans, among
the Italians Italians, the Hebrews among
the Egyptians were Egyptians, and yet
they were Hebrews still in spite of the
Egyptian influences they were subjected
10.
A people long used to despotism may
rebel against tyrant; they may break
his statutes and repeal his laws but they
inevitably set up another tyrant in his
place. A people used to superstition
may destroy their idols and free them.
selves from that particular form of su.
perstition; but they will surely accept
some other in its place. When we see
amidst people used to superstitions of
one kind Institutions of another aud op.
posite kind suddenly arise, We know that
behind such movement there must be
that active, creative force of some great
man who makes institutions himself.
The striking difference between the He.
brew and the Egyptian policy was not
one OF form it was one of esaence. And
go from out the strongest ard most splen-
did despotism of antiquity came the
freest of all republics. The blasts of The
trumpets of the Exodus throb with the
Divine declaration Of the rights of man.
From time immemoriai the Egyptian
slave was used to toll and suffering and
misery that those above him might live
In grandeur and luxury. 1t Is the same
to day and 1t ia in the constructive
craftsmanship that laid the foundations
of the Hebrew Commonwealth in such a
community that the superb grandeur Of
the Hebrew lender looms up. Blu. the
influence of the Egyptian system remain.
ed to interfere with him and his idea.
No sooner is the back of Moses turned
than we hear the cry, "These by thy gods,
D Israel p and the golden calf is set up
to be worshiped. But the influence of
his spirit is with us to-day. 1t matters
not where or by whom were compiled the
books attributed to Moses, no matter how
much of the details of the code were
there; they may be the survival of an
earlier day or the amplification of a la.
ter age; we see in 1t the mind that drift.
ed not with the tide of events, but aim.
ed steadily at definite purpose.
What We know of his life illustrates
what We know of his work; what we
know of the work illumines the life. I.
was commonwealth based upon the in
cividual that Moses founded-a common.
wealth whose ideal was that every man
should sit "Gnder his own vine and fig
tree, with no one to vex him or make
him afraid )" commonwealth in which
even for the bond slave there should be
hope and for the beast of burden rest q
commonwealth in which the family af.
fections might knit their tendrils around
each member and bind with links Of
steel the various parts in living whole.
1t 10 not the protection ofproperty but the
protection of humanity that fills tho Mosa.
ic code. At every point it interposes its
barriers 10 selfish greed. Capitalists aud
workmen, millionaire and tramp we're to
have alike the benefit of its Sabbath day.
That secured even to the lowliest in the
land rest from labor. The reaper must
leave something Tor the poorer cleaners !;
even the OK caunot be muYzled as he
treadeth out the corn. Everywhere the
dominant idea Is That expressed in our
own homely phrase Live and let live."
From tho idea of tha bEo:hsrhao:, cf man
springs the idea of the Fatherhoo6 of
God. Even though the forms may re-.
semble those of Egypt, the spirit is that
which Egypt had then lost.
The law is announced not to few
privileged ones, but to all the people.
The tendency to take the type for the
reality is sternly repressed. It is only
when We think of the divine cats, the
sacred ichneumons of Egypt, that we
realize the full depth and breadth of the
command: "Thou shalt not make to
thyself any craven image" Its God 10
one who is the God Of the living as we'll
as of the desd God of the market
place as we'll as of the temple one whose
imnutable DEGREES will bring happiness
TO the people in this life who obey them,
and misery to the people who ignore
them. A social order, in which the Di.
vine justice seemed to speak in the word
II am" dawned upon Moses. II am"
was the message which fell upon his ear.
We may miso any reference TO future
life in the Mosaic books, but that hs be.