Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-02-23

the mouth of the coal pit, or under any crush |
ing weight of circumstances, suffer men to be !
pressed down below the human level towards |
and, by the inevitable logic of
humanity. the reaction follows in some vi
olent outbreak of. brute force If society |
produces brute force in men, society must |
suffer from the brute force of men. The In
ternational Working People association close
their address to the sWorkingmen of |
America - issued at their Pittsburg congress, |
in the wear 1888, with these words of wrath: |
ssTremble! oppressors of the world! Not far |
beyoud your purblind sight there dawn the |
scarlet and sable lights of the Judgment day!' |
We may smile at the notion of ''scarlet and |
sable lights; but whether any judgment day |
is reserved in the providence of Almighty |
God for our civilization, whether we or our |
children shall see crises, or visitations of
God upon us through the wrath of man, dc
ponds very directly upon our success or fail |
ure, during this our national day of grace, in
giving the instincts of justice and the senti-
ments of humanity free play and power
through all the relations of life. A thorough
" humanized society shall need no standing
army to protect it; de-humanized land no
army could save 1 am led thus to the fourth
and last suggestion of social help which I
have to offer, viz: help through increasing
participation in common social interests
Every child who has thun4bed his arithmetic
knows that certain numbers are called the
common multiples of other numbers. So as
individuals we have our common social null
tiples. There some objects of endeavor
and devotion which are our common social
multiples In these each of US becomes en-
larged. Through these each life is multi
piled into other lives. Public opinion repre-
sents these social multiples. Public opinion
is the exponent of power which even econo-
naists at their cyphering do not wholly ig-
more. Public opinion in England, for exam
pie, has not been without influence in
keeping land rents somewhat below the
point up to which force of competition I'M
checked might have carried it. Our indus
trial stability, as well as national security,
lies largely in open discussion, and govern
ment through public opinion. Let the Sc
cret counsels of classes of men high or low
be published on the housetops of our civiliza-
ton by the press; let the bureaus of statistics
give US the exact return of industries, and let
the meetings also of labor come out of secre-
sy; let American workmen in free country
despise European methods of burrowing un-
derground; let their views and claims enter
as open and fair factors for what they are
worth in the formation of the general public
opinion, and then, in a civilization which
shall be indeed our common-multiple, social
incendiaries and dynamiters might well
plot to blow up the sun and the stars to
do any violence to our free institutions.
The love of the city, and the homes of the
city, is one of these common social multi
Piles, in chs1ishing which is help and securi-
ty. We are none of us largely successful,
thoroughly happy OF safe, if we seek only the
things which are our own, if we are without
public spirit, if we are not lovers of the city.
That man who makes himself and his means
useful factor in the common multiple of
the city's prosperity, who opens park
where all men, rich or poor, may breathe
heavens fresh air, or who POUNDS free Ii
brary, or builds hospital; the man who
loves the city, and, whether he has much or
little does what he can for the city, he is
the true socialist, the genuine reforrner, and
his memory and his work shall be a common
bond of men. And the love of country is a
still larger social multiple. noticed
at first with some surprise
that proclamation of the anarchists
of this city included patriotism among the
objects of their detestation. But their logic
follows unerringly their instinct of destruc-
ton for patriotism is profound sentiment
of humanity in their way. The love of coun-
tIy-what glorious multiple of the lives of
/ many it has been in our day and generation.
This is the anniversary of Washingtons birth
day The two ends of the bright rainbow arch of
/ promise over this land rest upon and glorify
the tomb at Mt Vernon, and the last patriot
soldiers grave. Let patriotism be taught in
the pulpit the school and the home; in the
| baptism of this high and holy spirit we be-
4 come brothers.
| And there is one other social multiple
which 1 have not mentioned. 1t is the larg
est of all; it includes all lands and makes all
men neighbors-the infinite multiple of our
lives is love of God. Abiding, however. by
my understanding at the outset, 1 shall not
now detain you by any argument for the
social multiplying power of religion. know
that the age needs for the solution of its
social problems not SO much reasoning about
faith in the pulpit, as larger, more human,
diviner exempliication of Christianity in the
T H. i h.
deepest conviction did I lot pause long
enough in concluding this discussion to
1 affirm my own faith in the gospel of
| the Man of Nazareth, the carpenters son, as
the one large, sufficient and universal multi
pie of human life and thought and hope.
When over all the fields of toiling and suffer
ing humanity 1 seek for the light in which
this earth shall be pleased I must look be-
| ycnd the scattered rays which shine along
the way from friendly windows of mems
homes; and l see the darkness closing in
again around the torches Of every passing pro-
cession of men carrying banners of reform,
must look above for the dawn of the day of
Light which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world. I see new heaven and a
1 new earth; the earth becomes new under the
glory of the new heaven.
To the preaching of this gospel of hope the
| ordinary min;strations of this pulpit are de-
which shall make men more human and more
| true in this present life and for the ages of
ages this building has been consecrated; and
| in these high truths and glorious responsible
| tiles we, as Christian disciples, would prac-
tise and teach ourselves and our children.
Upon other Sabbaths, not to-day, it shall be
my privilege to discourse upon these immor-
tai themes. Allow me simply to remark in
closing this discussion of social problems
that this ancient church, strong in the
faith and the love of its members, asks no
mans patronage, and will never, trust,
consent to receive in its Masters name tbs
condescending homage of any mans learning,
or knowingly honor the wages of any mans
unrighteousness; but so long there lives
in its devotion the spirit of Christ it will
never despise the widows mite or refuse its
holy cup of communion to the humblest dis
ciple. If any workingman who in any dis
tress, injustice or bitterness of life has ever
been tempted to number theChristian church
among his oppressors has found us willing
here to listen to his story; if uniting with us
in confession of our common human want
and sin and in our songs of faith whatever
his beliefs may be, he has found kinder feel
ings and worthier motives for life rising in
his own heart, let me assure him that our
door is open upon every Sabbath day in the
name of One whom we own as our Master