The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1885-07-08
Whittier are We Drffsfnx.

in the matter of Individual wealth,
healty progress and excellent virtue are
we not deficient?
Truth is mighty, and will prevail -
therefore, I shall "Set down nothing In
malice, nor aught extenuate."
Instead of this being called the "Age
of Progress" or the age of Invention"
should we not say, this is the age Of
shams and of false pretenses
The immortal Roman Philosopher,
Cicero, tells US that "virtue consists In
discerning in every subject what Is true
and genuine; what is consistent In
everyone; what will be the couse-
quence Of such or such thing; how
one thing arises from another, and
what Is the cause Of each" Do we
Americans discern In "every subject
what is true and genuine ?" Do we not,
rather, accept false ideas, indorse hum
bug statesmen, imbibe novel theology,
fall ia with sham reforms and 90 wild
with some new and fashionable "craze?p
Do we discern and practice those just
principles and cultivate those homely
virtues which are Consistent In every
one?"
Do We care q curse for "the conse>
quence of such or such thing" when
church or party purposes are TO be
served, II we can attain our ends
"How one thing arises from another,
and what Is the cause Of EACH" matters
not If We can only gain power and
pelfp
Brazen display Of the appendagss of
wealth, love Of notoriety and sensation
slism, contempt for the simple man.
ners and customs Of our ancestors, and
the excessive worship at the shrine of
Modern Fashion, imply q want of dig
nifty and Of reverence, and point to a
weakness of mental and moral charac-
ter.
Nero, when about to die, said
"What musician the world will lose ~
But the world lost only cruel monster,
instead.
SOciety's fsvorites and fashions vo.
taries fistter themselves that were they
to die vast amount of refinement"
would perish, hut the world would lose
quite a number of worthless fools.
The rapid increase Of so-cxlled places
of amusement or recreation for spend
ing the Christian Sabbath, to say
nothing about the low theatres and OBJ.
scene performances al them, would
seem to indicate q corresponding de-
crease Of veneration for God, respect for
religion and pride Of good citizenship.
Well may q virtuous man, q faithful
Christian, a philosopher or moralist
inquire, "Whither are we drifting pr
in view of the fact that our people and
our law-makers, as time glides on,
manifest less and less regard for the
Sabbath, for the indissUlubleness and
sacredness of marriage and for the sol-
emn scene of death
Picniss, boat.rides, beer gardens, the
aires for Sunday, easy divorce laws to
part asunder the married, and want of
sorrow for the dead, all tend towards
barbarisml
Whenever n people learn TO mock ut
religion, jespise the binding force Of
the marriage rite. violate the Sabbath,
scorn the poor, adore riches and take
delight in low pleasures and british
pastimes, q relapse to barbarism is not
far off!
The grand old Roman, Seneca, con-
siders public spectacles as 50 many
places Of seduction. "Nothing," he
says, ''is so dangerous as lettering at
such diversions. for when the heart is
softened by pleasure, the passions stand
ready for the admission of every vice."
Tacitus. in his History, tells Of "the |
holy ceremonies of religion violated
adultery reigning without control the
adjacent islands filled with exiles; rocks |
and desert places stained with clandes-
tine murder, and rome itself theatr re
of horror" How many removes from
this description of the condition of
Ancient Rome are we in this Modern |
American Republic? Don't we tolerate
"Ingersollism, steal our neighbors' |
women, commit murders at all times |
and places, rob the working poor, favor
the rich, break promises, cheat our fell |
lows, condone lewdness, practice Sc.
duetion and encourage all manner of
corruption?
"Whither are We drifting?" when |
great rascals, who have plenty of money,
go unwhipped Of justice; when public
peculation. il INDUCED in by an unscru-
puIous political partisan, is CLOSED over;
when the vile seducer, II prominent by
wealth or Office, Is received into re-
spectacle (?) society; when murderers
are honored with public Office; when
publish all the details of the
most heinous crimes, and when So
Cicty w CuihihatCo Sfiiy oculiuucul anu
exercises maudlin judgment?
These things are the mental pap and
the moral nourishment which we be-
stow upon our children and our nhigh-
bors' children-to familiarize them
with the dark and devious ways of the
world!
'vice Is q monster of such frightful MEN,
That to be hated, needs but to be seen;
But seen too OF, familiar with its face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace"
There is sham and false pretenses in
nearly everything modern.
Education is a erammed and snat-
Iering mess that the gizzard of an
ostrich could not grind up. nor the
of hyena digest and assimi>
ate.
Law is a mass of superfiuity, full of
prolific of litigation and
= cross between Justice and Judas.
Medicine Is much jaw breaking dog
Latin, more humbuggery, some adver-
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