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

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 it will be found interesting:
Mr.. George began by describing the
Jews as they existed at the time of the
Egyptian captivity, speaking of their
many high qualities in terms Of praise,
and said the advent of such a people
marked an epoch in the history of the
world. But Moses himself was accorded
a 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. And yet this very exultation,
by raising him above comparison, may
prevent the real grandeur of the man
from being seen. Sauls great height
was best perceived when he 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 see now
what Moses's character was. To lead
into freedom people long crushed with
tyranny, to repress discomfort and jeal-
ousy and mutiny, to turn the quick,
fierce volume of enthusiasm into steady
purpose, requires some towering charac-
ter a character blending in highest ex
preston of the qualities of politician,
patriot, philosopher and statesman.
Such character Moses was. He united
all tue wisdom of the wisest of the
Egyptians with the humility of the
meekest of men. Behind the grand
deeds he did was the grander thought.
Behind the high performance a still
nobler idea. The great people he was
among became a patriarchal family.
They developed from rowing life into a
grand civilization-a civilization so an
cient that the pyramids were horary with
centuries ere Abraham looked upon
them. But the Hebrews there were "of
them." Just as 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
TO.
A people long used to despotism may
rebel against a 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; twas one of essence. And
so from out the strongest and mostsplen-
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 immemorial 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 it is in the constructive
craftsmanship that laid the foundations
of the Hebrew Commonwealth in such
community that the superb grandeur of
the Hebrew leader looms up. But the
influence of the Egyptian system remain
ed to interfere with him and bis idea.
No sooner is the back of Moses turned
than we hear the cry, "These by thy gods,
O Israel /" 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 ampifcation of a la.
ter age; we see in it 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. 1t
was commonwealth based upon the in
dividual that Moses founded common
wealth whose ideal was that every man
should sit "under his own vine and fig
tree, with no one to vex him or make
him afraid !" O commonwealth in which
even for the bond slave there should be
hope and for the beast of burden rest;
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.
It is not the protection of property but the
protection of humanity that fills the Mosa-
ic code. At every point it interposes its
barriers to selfish greed. Capitalists and
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 for the poorer cleaners
even the OK cannot be muzzled as he
treadeth out the corn. Everywhere the
dominant idea is that expressed in our
own homely phrase Live and let live"
From the idea of the brotherhood ofman
springs the idea of the Fatherhood of
God. Even though the forms may re.
sembe those of Egypt, the spirit is that
which Egypt had then lost.
The law il announced not to few
privileged ones, but to all the people.
The tendency to take the type for the
reality is sternly repressed. 1t is only
when ne 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 is
one who is the God of the living as well
as of the dead God of the market
place as well as of the temple one whose
immutable 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. ~ am"