The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-06-18

Inc OcpOg8 WucEO 4YI1A2 merchants de-
posted and sold their wares, served a
nuclei, around which learning and cul-
ture were collected and from which rad.
lated . refining influence. England.
great as commercial state. has sent the
Bible to foreign lands. A the rsindrep
trirckling down the mountain JOINS 20
It's fellows and becomes the mighty
stream so the commerce Of the United
States, until to-day It Is one Of the prin-
cipal factors In the worlds civilization.
Yet grander prospects are before us. To
the north IL Alaska with Its rich fur sup
plies, silver mines and forests; 60 the
south Is Nicaragua with inviting inter-
ests. Shall We not become 9 victor in
this worldwide contest In trader Obi
commerce. thou jewel in the crown Of
labor, how resplendent art thouI Yet
unless thou art Furnished bright by con.
tInual use, how dulli
Sail On fast ships, and evermore
Bridge the great deep from shore TO Shore
GENIUS A SHIELD FOB CHARACTER.
The above subject was most practical
~ treated by Miss Nellie Edwards. he
spoke OF Bernhardt, the great French &C
tress, who was welcomed In our large
cities and received into the open arms Of
American society, not because she was
woman Of prestine purity, for she was
not, but because she was an actress Of
genius. This ia not an isolated case.
Social ostracism Is continually escaping
those who possess musical, literary or
diplomatic genius. Why Is thiss 1t is
because we emulate genius and do not
give sufficient attention to moral chArac-
ter. We have held up for the admiration
of the youth of our land the young Mac
edonlan general who crossed the Helles-
pont with an army Of 10000 men and
made the grandest conquest ever known.
Alexander was bad man, q spendthrift.
giutton, the greatest Of conquerors, yet
conquered by his own vicious appetite.
Yet dying the death of drunkard he
stands out as the facade Of some ancient
building hiding the entire worthIessness
of the interior.
We turn to philosophy and point the
youths to Bacon as man OF genius. yet
his character was detestble. He was
never true to his friends and used them
to secure his own ends. Bacon fell
under the charge Of bribery.
| If poets allure thee, see Bacon shinsd,
The Wisest, brightest, meanest Of mankind.
When Byron swoke one morning after
the publication of "Childe Harold" he
was Immediately admired, suddenly pop
ular. a flash of genius had washed away
from the sight of the world his leapeH-
like character. We cannot afford to be
30 careless In q matter 30 important. II
IL much easier for US all to initiate the
bad than the good. And if VIC continue
to sound aloud the praises of genius and
pass in silence the distinctions of moral
character, soon we shall rear g race Of
Alexanders without Alexander's gener.
alship, Bacons without Bacon's phIlos
ophy, BYrons without BYron's gift Of
poetry, race of Irreverent rioters with
out the semblance of virtue or regard fol
its saDctity.
sTHR SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE"
was the subject of well written and
pleasantly delivered Grafton by Thomas
81. Reynolds, president Of the class.
"Since the dispersion of superstition
by intelligence, Microscopy has fallen in
to disuse and demonologY in all it
branches has ceased despOtic sway ovel
the minds of men. The principle which
was the true force in these signs has evel
been changing its manifestations. Aftel
the dawn of the Christian era there wa
q strange torerunner of q complete
change In the relations between morta
and deified beings. A Roman soldier,
claimant of the imperial throne, march
ing to attack an opposing general. sees tn
symbol OF crucifixion dim the brightness
Of the midday sun, and lettered will
the words IN hoo Uince. With his fearles
personality, he selzes on the sacred EN-
blem, by which an enthusiasm tina
brooks no defeat acknowledges nothing
but victory. Al empire is conquered
Constantine has revolutionized tn
} world.
Wickedness arrays itself in garment
of righteousness to conceal its deformity
, and the head of 9 nation puts on Oh
flowing robes of the church for tn
: ACCOMPLISHMENT of its temporal powe
From the first expression of man
talent his sublImest works have bee
representations of religious legends. Tn
? MASSIVE pyramids of the Nile valley
the beautiful buildings of Athens, and tn
3 gothic cathedrals OF central Europe, who's
3 slender spires pointed the thoughts
: men heaveDWsrd, embodied the highei
sentiments of human genius and wei
: monuments of the nearest approaches
the perfection of divinity.
With the discovery of great truths
] the various sciences there has been
8 recognition of their sources. The 70
e overs OF reason may try to explain ava
this truth. scoffers may endeaYOr to hid
+ it with the cover of their eloquence, bl
! the impulse which began with the cres
ton has acquired additional momentum
g as it has swept through the ages. Thong
s the worship of the savages was rud
? though the Hindoos did not see Ii
= truth in Its purity. though the scheme
: of kings perverted its sanctity, an
1 though few may fail to recognize il
8 authenticity, the ruling impulse Of uni
= versal man, the spirit of the people, ie th
{ reverence for an Infinite Being.
9 TEE INFLUENCE OF THE SOCIETY O
FRIENDS ON MODERN CIVILIZATION.
The above subject and valadictor
were presented by Alice Hadley.
q The civilization of the nineteenth Gel
q fury has characteristics which disttI
3 guish 1t from all other civilizations an
mark it as being nearer the standard
+ ruth and right as declared by natuI
and natures God. Instead of that bin
serving, characterizing religion In forme
T ages, we have developed independents
: Of thought. I think we often attribul
;. effects to causes which have been bT
secondary In their production. Had th
society of Friends acted with the multi
D tude, t. influence must indeed haV
! been small, but in every reform whic
has agitated the world since 1913, il hs
! stood in the front ranks. They were th
! first to declare for universal religion
] federation. For one hundred years the
{ suffered distraint of property, Imprison
ment, Punishment, death, and their Per
secution in New England is one Of th
{ foulest blots on the memory of our fore
fathers. Through all the time OF patieU
3 suffering the Friends worked, not for II
3 dress, but TO lift mankind above ID
{. spirit of persecution. These sentiment
> Of humanity and liberation have increal
d ed until the present, making an internl
tional church association possible At q
4 distant day. The socItY of Friends hs