The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-28
EDITORIAL BRIEFS.
2 BY REV. l. M, ATWOOD, D. D.
..gEHe Canton, N. Y.

|
h1QUoR, AND LUoRE are apt to be in
eo-partnerstip; and it is alliance with the
latter that makes the former 60 potent
1t is but little, more than three wears
SINCE the free African State of Congo was
instituted. They have no probibitorv
law. In the new State. Rum is free to
come in, and it does come in like a flood
Over ten million gallons were carried to
these barbarisns by four Christian conn
tries In single year. Boston sent three
quarters OF million-a beautiful exhi-
ton OF philanthropy that the
city which holds the dust of Garrison and
Phillips still loves the black man. But
Germany is the great fountain of benevs
olence; Germany sent the poor fellows
100000 gallons.
Well how does the importation of so
much liquor affect the Congoes? It has
turned whole districts into a prolonged
riot or drunkenness. The tribes seem to
take to 1t unanimously" they will have
il" you know. And the arrest of industry.
education, decency that it has caused is
| beginning to create alarm among the Eu-
ropeans living there, and they cry out
with one voice for "prohibitory law"
The only thing they say that can save the
African State of Congo from sinking ran
idly down to condition vastly worse than
that OF utter barbarism, is a convention.
agreed in by the great powers, absolute.
ly prohibiting the introduction of liouor."
But il prohibition don't prohibit what
good will that do? We recommend "high
license for Congo.
The editor OF the Christian Reoister
dlsappoints our reasonable expectations.
We kindly pointed out his error in saving
humanity" when he meant "mapkind."
and looked to see him put on sackcloth.
But ne comes out il wer-paint instead.
He has not taken the open field, exactly:
but he has taken up what the dispatches
call "strong position" behind johnson.
Richardson, Walker, Shakespeare and
Longfellow ALI we need say in reioinder.
is that the editor might support himself
IN even worse pathological sins By the
J spne stray of authorities. We shall not
hunt him down. We prefer to leave him
to his reflections. man who makes so
many OF them can scarcely fail to come at
length on the right one. Out of human
ity we refrain from making him a spec-
z1fsffK d.
The January number OF The ynito-
ran, the new magazn ne started to give
expression to the distinctly Christian,
as against the radical phase OF Unitarian
ism, reports a subscription list with which
to begin its third year, of over 6OOO
names. 1t is solidly established, has an
unexpectedly large support, is eagerly
welcomed in the homes of the more in
tiuential Unitarians, East and West. and
bears in its varied contents and full de-
nominational record the recognized marks
of publication that is issued because it
Is needed. We congratulate The Unita-
! ridR, and the denomination 1t SO we'll
represents Its success Is a vindication of
Unitarianism from the reproach of hav-
ing bartered its Christian birthright for
a mess of Free Religion pottage.
Count Tolstoi is very frank. He
tears off the mask and let's the public see
him full in the face. And such a face ss
he dlscloses! 1t is the face OF a man who.
having run early and swiftly the whole
round OF vices, debaucheries. immorali-
ties, and having drained to the dregs the
bitter cup OF sin, feels sudden recoil,
perceives the hollowness of an evil life
and of a society that shelters it, and on
this slender moral capital sets up for a
prophet! There is a striking resem-
blsnce between Tolstoi's turning of him
self inside out and Rousseau's "Confes-
siOns." In both cases there is a strange
unconsciousnees of the personal humilia-
ton involved in such self revelation; in
both cases there is evidence of a diseased
Judgment.
1t is to be said for Tolstoi, however,
that, like st. Augustine, he is now giving
proof in the life Of industry and self-de
NAL and brotherhood he is trying to live,
of a moral renovation such as we are not
permitted to believe ever came 10 Rous
sesu. We may doubt the wisdom, both
of his exposure of his former life and of
his present attempt to extemporize a king
dom OF heaven in a Russian village. But
it is evident that some great thought dom
mates him and that mighty and holy i'm
pulse is moving him. Men do not re-
nounce titles, estates, pleasures and
worldly ambitions and betake themselves
to labor, privation, and philauthropic
service for the ignorant, poor and de
praved, unless some form of the Holy
Ghost has descended on them.
These five commandments are Tol-
stoi's summary of the teaching of Jesus:
ID Live in peace with all men; treat
no one as contemplate and beneath You.
Not only allow yourself no anger but do
not rest until you have dissi 3ated even
unreasonable anger in others against
/ yourself" % "No Hbertinage and no
divorce. Let every man have one wife
and every woman one husband" (3) "Nev-