Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1888-07-14
AN "EVOLUTED" PREACHER.
@rtH from the Church He Goes to the
EfS People.

~ "
/ hst when Hugh o. Pentecost
aMoke to consciousness from the
night of superstition he himself does
not pc haps know. But he was not
of those who had "eyes and saw not
and ears and heard not He has
seen something yoftthe world about
him, and has heard the cry Of dis.
tress going up, from those whom
another good and waking priest
called Gods poor" Hugh 0.
Pentecost formerly preached to one
congregation Of professed Chris
tians at Newark, N. j. He now
breaches to the people of New York,
Brooklyn and Newark. Formerly
he told his eongregstion--ah, but
why should the shadow be thrown
athwart the Light? That is past;
Pentecost is a thinker now; a stu
dent and a teacher at the same time.
He sees the light, and he cannot
wait, but he. must tell The people
what new revelations the social eyo-
luton has spread before his studi-
GUS gaze. His subject before a large
audience at the Masonic Temple last
Sunday was, "frhe Social Evolu-
ton. " He declared that the social
question was as old as, the selfshness
Of man. The desire for individual
power had manifested itself through
every phase of civilization. Multi
tudinous laws in the interest Of the
classes Were made, and the masses
condemned to naught else but obey.
The history of the world was but the
record of the 'illustrlous few. The
people remained passive under the
suppositon that inequality was pre-
ordained by God. Although there
were national differences between
men, there were Justly no social diff
ferences, and the fact that there were
such to-day was attributable to un-
just, man made laws. The social
question would remain a burning
one as long as there were ignorant
and vicious in society, and to breed
discomfort was honorable where
there was possibility Of improve
ment. The martyrs OF Russia, Ger
many and America, who were cruel
fed for their love of humanity and
for violating laws that it would be d
soaial crime not to violate, had
forced an onward step in the march
Of progress. Until GEARS, kings,
masters, slaves, servants and child
labor were eXtirpated, social equality
would be an impossibllity. To-day
progressive ideas, were inundated on
the altar of prejudice and malevo-
lent misrepresentation. In compar
ison with the past this was the
golden age of science; but gazing at
the possibilities, Of the future, the
present sank into obscurity as the
candle to the electric light. The
speaker had in mind Edward Bel
lamy's book, :, Looking Backward"
when he said: :" Looking backward
from our. future commonwealth the
civilization Of to-day sinks into bar
barism, It will serve as a perpetual
lesson to posterity Of what misery
and degradation mankind can be
plunged into-an everlasting monu-
ment Of warning Of the consequences
Of ignorance and individual selfish
ness" .... W.. ........ ....-........
| 1t is indeed an encouraging sign
when men who have been brought
up as Pentecost recover themselves
in the prime of life, and devote their
great talent to the social improve
ment Of the people, defying the
anger Of the bigoted and withstand
ing the prayers of fanatical though
well-meaning friends. 49,. TIE.