The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-24

temptstation, trouble or care, who discard
them, fall by the ears about Reason" in the
frst year of the first organization OF their
college for teaching the liberty of thought
and that Reason" alone is the only true
God and sure guide, what would the world
OF people DO, with their incapacisy, ignor.
snce, readiness Tor jealousy and resentment.
borne down By care, toll, temptation, and
incapable Of comprehending science or
Reason for want OF knowledge, when cut
loose from the hope that there is somewhere
better life and higher intelligence. s. com.
pensation fer suffering and efforts here, and
resting only on belief that they are 20 1--we
as Rest they can and die like the brutes2
Mr.. Staokhouse says that fear OF annihils-
t on is only desire TO live. That is not ny
position. said there was desire to live
hereafter; not here. Life here may become
undesirable; and If there be nothing il il
except mere bread, raiment and q struggle
for bodily comfort it is not worth the stfug-
gle. But the hope for higher intelligence
more enjoyable plane an immortality where
the pains and SORROWS hare are forgotten and
unknown, hereafter where the gvirtuo1s
acts and efforts here are rewarded, and the
vicious and essentially bad can not enter 70
mar the harmony; such hope lie consistent
with intellect, is worthy of belief and our
best efforts TO attain sad keep alive, and IL Is
the Il ad-stSne Of every sane mind.
The doubt that there is ground for any
such hope-the dread OF or belief in snnihi-
Iation-tse bslief that we sre not even as the
grass but are to die and not grow again-csn
breed no ambition other than such as seeks
mere animal qualification. Men of intellis
gence and wealth with pleasant domestic re-
latIons NAV find enjoyment, but the great
mass CT people can not
1he philosopher does not and never did
live who can point TO any good end for man.
kind under belief in chance or snnihila-
ton. Religious belief may breed insanity;
or bigotry and cruelty; and believers may bs
criminals end suicides. The subject Of or
binary criminal mentality enters into the
question only ss one Of the elements 20 be
controlled by education, fear or personal re.
straint. IL persons have the mental ele-
ments that can not be affected By hope and
fear the subject does not reach them. Cospo-
raj means alone will be effective. But the
great mass are affected by hope and fear.
Taking the individuals making up the
mass OF the common people IS they are,
which man Tor woman) lives the highest ana
best life in all the world of thought aud ma
terial existence-the one who walks alone IN
bis own strength or weakness, hoping tor
nothing beyond, and believing in moth
ing but his own mental aud
physical decay and puirefaction when life
ends here; or. the one who believes in sn
Infinite Intelligence. from Whom be hopes
for support here, and through Whose provi-
derce he hopes, by life of love and mercy
| tere, his better p6rt viii pass fhrOug1Qeath'
dark valley to higher and puTer life Of
love beyondP Who will say it is the unbs
lever and undertake 10 dsmonstrats Il to the
| comprehension OF the common mind?
If il can not be 60 demonstrated to the
learned and the unlearned alike land il can
| not), IL 1t not true that such teaching az de-
! stroys belief and hope, or that creates such
doubts as leave no ground for living hope,
| finally lead TO such mental and moral con-
dition Is encourages the killing of those We
! love and of ourselves, whenever we come to
| feel that life is a barthsn, or when. from
fesr. the mother resolves t. save her children
while they are yet innocent from slch
| teaching. hoping against hope to be herself
| forgiven? The great mass can not bs made
| philosophers or lOgiCians or scientists aud
| govern themselves or be governed By indu-
! eDces that govern those classes. Until they
can, the best elements for their government
| are those which hold them to the greatest
! morality with the least evils. A hope for
future and better life and belief that an
| Infinite Intelligence rules and will deal out
even-handed justice are such elements. aud
have so proven themselves 1t is immaterial
where they originated. 1t is the safest an
| chorage for all efforts 20 create ambition
| for the DGblest human acts and thoughts.
The intellect that is not influenced by il di-
lectly or collaterally can have no higher aim
| than q mere animal life, for to him there Is
no other; and with that comes the heliefthat
| he has the right to end it at his will, as wei
as the lives he is responsible for. It is only
a matter of accidents whether the occasion
arises fer him to sssert that belief by actual
demonstration. IL all men can be brought
to abandon this hope it will be the end of
freedom, and each man will be law 10 him.
self, and carry his own life, as well as that OF
Others in his hand.