The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-02-05
Is. saltwater, Mimi, Thursday, Feb 8, 1891.

the earth; and, with few exceptions. with
out name or place on the historic page.
Turkey, once the seat of despOtic power,
and holding the inhabitants of one half the
habitable globe in her thrall, is now under
the protection of one great power. and in
perpetual fear of being absorbed by her
powerful neighbor. India, at one time the
center of science, learning, and the highest
social virtues, is now. with upwards of
SO, 900. 900 inhabitants, torn by internal fac
tiOn and conspiracy. and governed by a
monarch alien to her best interests and
ignorant of the wants. exigencies and re-
sources of the land; its population demOral-
lied mentally, socially and politically by
the misdoings of those placed in authority
over them-and their capacities for progress
and development paralyzed by the damning
dogma of Destiny
But we need not look backward for so.
luton to the problem. The transactions of
the present day, and calm, intelligent ex-
animation of our own physical, intellectual
and moral makeup as human beings, will
be amply sufficient to demonstrate the fact
that man is free agent, beyond possibility
of dispute. Every organism (animate or
inanimate) on the face of or under the earth.
in the waters permeating our planet, or the
NduOPy oOOSO uOs 10 SONOlhOu Wy SOA
tain immutable, fundamental laws-laws
which cannot be broken or set aside with
out an Immediate penalty which would in
vOlve either the temporary suspension of
their action or their utter annihilatiOD. OF
the myriadS of existing organisms in nat
ure's vast domain, that known as man is the
most complex. the most important and the
most powerful. He is equally amenable to
these laws, and has the free choice of obey
ing or transgressing them. If he trans.
crosses them, he knows the penalty is inev-
liable.
Man is composed of three distinct and
different sources Of actiOn-hiS physical
functions, his intellectual faculties and his
moral forces. In every act, thought and
word emanating from him, each of these
are. to greater or less extent. brought into
harmonious CO operation. From the cradle
to the grave, mans life is series of con-
fictS, resulting either in victory or defeat;
and giving an indelible impress on the in
dividuaI himself, whereby he is recognized
and distinguished by his fellow men-this
impress being known under the title of
Character.
A man destitute of character (bad or
goOd), destitute of moral force or intellect
ual aspirations, is like helpless log float
ing down the stream of life; like rudder-
less ship, the sport of winds and waves
drifting about without aim Of effort. He is
a monstrOsity. an encumbrance, blot on
the grand scheme of CreatiOn-useless to
himself, and an hindrance and stumbling
block to all with whom he may come in
contact. We know. each of us, from our
own personal experience, that our daily
life, our innermOst existence, is constant
conflict between our will-pOwer or desire,
and our conscience, or our conviction OF
what is right or wrong. One or the other
must cOnquer-and, whichever wins the
day, certain legitimate or natural results
must follow. If we were creatures of deS-
tiny, there would be no conflict. If our
fate or course of procedure were fixed be-
fOrehand. man could not be a free agent
he could not possess will-power--he would
simply drift. drift away, without aim. hope,
ambition. or definite purpose, either in this
world or the next.
Were the dogma of Fatalism or Destiny
once to be established or accepted as an
article of faith. there would be an abrupt
annihilation of all motive for advancement
in thought, social polity, science, or me-
chanical and constructive development.
The moral forces would be deprived of all
vitality and become myth. Our aspira-
tiOnS for immortality and future happiness
would be ended-and our present existence
would become so OnerOuS and irksome a
burden that we should pray for death as a
release from it's mOnotOny and uselessness.
We freely admit that, at times our power
as free agents is much impeded and even
turned aside. for longer or shorter period,
by surrounding circumstances, by outside
influences, by the deficiency or temporary
arrangement of physical, mental or moral
forces. etc.; but, for all that, the man is not
deprived of his will power, which asserts
itself sooner or later. If we deny this fact
we simply confess ourselves to be beings
incapable of physical or mental effort
mere automata-we lose our individuality,
and become part of huge machine-ir-
responsible for our actions or their results