Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-23
FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK.

The interior of Africa is gradually coming
within the domain of civilization. The
latest evidence of this fact is offered by q
proposition which has gained strong head
way among foreign financiers, proposition
to build a railway between Matadi and
Stanley pool. The route suggested is en-
tirely in the Congo free state, and the esti-
mated cost is 25,OOO,OOO francs. Two-fifths
of the stock is to be taken by the Belgian
government, but the control of the road will
be international. The projectors are con-
vinced of the feasibility of the scheme, and
they set forth array of figures to prove
that it can not fail to yield good returns
upon the investment. All these govern
ments are, of course, solicitous for the well
fare of the dear natives whose lands and
goods they are anxious to take care of in the
the pane of civilization and progress, says
the Chicago Times 1t is probable, however,
that the opening up of the country will be
productive of benefit to the blacks in certain
directions. The infamous slave trade, against
whose illegal and barbarous existence Pope
Leo recently felt called upon to protest to
the European powers, will no longer endure
when the country is honeycombed with rail
roads and commerce bears the light of civili-
cation into district which has been infested
by traders in human flesh and which has
thus far known nothing of civilization except
its elements of craft, vileness and violence,
The revolution as to matters of faith, which
was foreshadowed in the recent deliberations
of the Presbyterian general assembly in New
York, does not appear to be confined to this
country The Scottish Free Church assem-
bly, shows all the signs of the same revolu-
tionary tendency. Last month it elected DR..
Marcus Dods, professor of new testament
exegess in its Edinburg college, by a vote of
3s3 to 1865. The significance of this action ap-
pears in the record of the same assembly in
1873, which at that time condemned DR.. Dods
and his views ''as limiting the sphere and
lowering the idea of inspiration" The doc
tor was publicly censured and ordered to
withdraw his Objectionable statements,
which he did, though he never recanted, and
now, only eleven years later, he is triumph
antly elected over his orthodox competitors
to q position where his doctrines must carry
special authority and exert widespread in
fuence.
Thus all the world over, says tho Chi
cago Tribune, there is manifest n disposi-
tion to question the inheritances of faith and
to bring the old tim doctrines forward where
they can be examined in the light of progress
and reclothed in the garb Of modern thought
and dction. Probably there will be tinid
souls who viii regard this harmonizlng of re-
ligious and scientific thought as tending to
weaken the position of the church, and who
can not see that il will come out OF the revo-
luton stronger than ever. The forward
movement has begun, however. Modification
of dogmas is the order of the day in the ro-
ligious world. 1t Is as useless TO contend
against it as 1t would have been to resist the
rush of the Conemaugh torrent through the
broken dam,
Our colleges have become the gateways to
the inheritance of honorable manhood. IL
mattered not great deal whether a man was
college educated two or three generations
ago. II is beginning 10 matter great deal
now. Stricter lines are being drawn every
where, says the Chicago Inter Ocean, So
much is this the case that many men who
| "quit SCHOOL, for business now find it neces-
| sary to take special instruction In various
| lines in order To achieve the ambition new
| conditions have Inspired. Mon who cared
| nothing for college themselves are eager 70
| send their sons and daughters 10 institutions
| that will amply qualify them for the life
| struggle that advancing civilization IL max
| ing more difficult and exacting. AS q result
| our colleges are graduating more students
| than ever before, and woman is taking her
| proper place among the number. We no
| longer smile patronlzingly upon sweet girl
| graduates" Young women now are driving
| the young men q close race, and some OF
them are graduating at the head OF classes