The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-06-22
Our Olio.
Fer the pemocrzsic Advocate.
Progressive Spirit of tho Day.

Progressive Spirit of the Day.
The world Is ali as,ir. The whole ocean
of human hfc is agilated, not merely as
With summers breeze, playing lightly on
the surface. or the raging Of passing tenn
pest. bus with ,he deep, universal, resistlcss
ground swell Science and art are every
where busy with the cruCibIc, the blowpipe,
the telescope sc The bowels Of the earth
are rausacked, and analyEed at once FOR
precious minerals aud precious mysteries Of
the globes history. Sunlight Is made te
paint. iuipaipablc yapor propel the car upon
the land aud the modern ark upon the
ocean, and lightning Is made mans mes
seuger Time aud space are almost liter
ally anBihib,ed Many are running to aud
fro and knowledge Is increasing. The
press has become Argus-cyed aud hundred
handed. It's issues are ike the leaves Of
autumn. and forth they fy on every wind,
whether fer death or cor healing TO the
nations. The schoolmasicr Is abroad.
The masscs-eyeu the serls-sre beginning
10 think for themselves. knowledge, like
the warmth Of springtiue, Is permeaiing
in many a land, Old foundations, they are
heayiug and bursting, aud time-worn strue-
tures ot castle, and fcudalism. and deSpot-
ism, are trembling and tottering. Man Is
rising up everywhere, in bis own proper
manhood, to assert his rights Everybody
desires 10 know what everybody Is doing
and intending to do, aud the desire is graf
ifed. The world, by the means aforemen-
toned, has become great whispering gal-
lcry. The fainleSt u,teTances pass with
amazing swiitueSs from hemisphere 20 hem-
isphcre Thus human sympathies, as they
are multiplied, are also deepened and while
individual knowledge is accumulated, in
creased force Is given to the action of in-
dividual mind The particular mind no
longer works alone, with merely its own
Inherent power. Ii has become part and
parcel Of the common mind, and energy IS
infused into it from the vast and mighty
whole Hence it comes TO pass that what
ever moves moves swiftly; Il there be life
:, all, it j. intense life, Il thete he action Of
any sort, to any purpose, 1t mast be intense
action, Tho sluggish, the inefficient, are
either crushed, as by some impetuous rail-
way train, or removed out of the way, as
by the fender of the locomotive is the
sleeping kline
Matters being thus, how essential Is pro
gress in morals Whas energy Of holy
! influence is needful to sanctify this world
wide activity, these hghtuiRg-like move
meuts 10 art, aad science, and literature
and commerce, aud politics. Whether al
/ this secular progress be for the worlds wea
( or woe depends uuon the simple question
I whether there be corresponding progress IL
morals. Besides, morals come under tn,
general law already stated, while all other
motion is rapid, all other action potent
everything else advancing, if it do little
make little progress, it will be unheeded
and left far behind 1t may as well pu
on the eowl and retire into the monastery
or, turning from the haunts of busy men
commune, like ST. Anthony, with the NOR
quiet fishes. 1t will lose alike its sympath,
and its power with the public mind
Nor must it be forgotten that in all thi
general activity and progress there is muel
that is opposed to the true interest of man
kind. The publisher of vicious litcratur
cannot use the press, railroads or steamer
to disseminate his mental position. Ii
can make international commerce channe
of corruption by bringing the filthy ema
nations Of vile imaginations, in the shape q
romauces, into every family in our land
he can infuse immortality or infdelity int
the thousand forms of literature; he ca
poison in many ways the fountains of in
struction. How can all this satanic eng
merry, these appliances of evil, artfull
suited ia the age, he otherwise met than b
moral activity, by the principle of coustar
advancement, by turning against the euem
is own potent weapons2 j. s. G,
NeIe Oef6rd, Pa,