The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-11
Gene,al Rnn,h.. proieo..

ttet'" ~ ftJttss
Professor I. II. Huxley has written TO the
London Times long letter concerning
"General" Booths plan for social rcgenera-
ton In Darkest England" The circum-
stances under which the letter was written,
the character OF the writer, and the sugges-
tons made combine TO attract general at
i tention, and IN ~ materially influence public
| sentiment. A large sum OF money has been
| placed Professor Huxley's disposal ia aid
IT The Salyationlst leaders, project. If the
distinguished agnostic scientist should con-
slider ~ feasible after proper examination.
PrOl Huxley studied Gen. Booths book with
care for the purpose Of separating the
essential from the accessory features Of the
scheme before passing judgment upon
II. The result was not satisfactory. and the
| advice that will be given the intending con-
| tfibutOr Is 20 seek some other channel Tor
his benev0lence than that offered by the
| general OF the Salvation Army. There II
| agreement between the scientist and the
salvaiiOnist ON the general PROPOSE
| ION Of the existence Of an immense amount
oi remedisble misery ia England. the re-
| SUI Of individual ignorance or misconduct
| and OF faulty social arrangements, and tnat'
| unless II IL efectually dealt with the h0rdes
| 4 we aud paupersm will destroy modern
-iviiizaiiOn as cficctually a. uncivillzed
| tribe, Of another kind destroyed the
| r az social organization which preceded
lurs. IL Is agreed also that no reforms
ana Improvements Will 90 10 the root OF tne
evil unless they attack il in its ultimate
| urce, the motives OF the individual man.
II re the ayr ement between the two stops.
\ sainst the essential principles Of General
B l1th's plan Of reform Professor HuNiey
erers protest. He denies that the syslem
| 81 exciting the religious emotions i ne
| sirable and trust ~ -thy meth d 81 perma-
| lntiy amending the conduct Of mankind
lie objects 10 the proposition that the silNa-
lion Army is the apprOpr ate instrument loi
. carving out the desired regeneration. lie
refuses b. accent the success Of the SaiNa-
ton Army n I, work 30 far ~ proof tna'
divine assistance has been sOuchsaied 10 lts
| forts. lie points cat that General
Booths success j. smaller than tnaJ Oh
Francis of Assist, lgnatus LOyOla, george
Fox. or even that OF the MOrmOts IN our
| Jvn time, aud, in view Of the discrepancies
Of the iOctrinal foundations iron whicn
each Of these great movements set out ne
finds il difficult 10 suppose that supernalu-
raj aid has been given 10 all Of them. Inc
most serious objection Professor lluNle! mas
b the project is that it places vast power
in the hands If one man, the head OF DOdy
Of devOtees. drilled and disciplined as
4 military organization and pronlueu
with "A mum rOus hierarchy OF Oincers
InNelY one Of whom IS pituEcu
10 blind and unhesitsting oDedicnct
o the general" who frankly tells us ihat
ne first condition of the service i "lmpllcH
unque,tiOning obedience Francis oil As
sisi who founded the Franciscan order,
,nd Ignatius LoyOla, who founded the
| Jesuit order. made their great experiments
| in the same principle, and Professor HuN-
IS admits "thst nothing is more certain
han that n body Of religious enthusiast
(perhaps we may even Ray ianatcs)
lped gcd 70 blind cdience TO their chiei' II
ono Of the most efficient instruments i1r
| H,ciink any p iTpO,e that the Wit OF man
hls yet succeeded in deyising." But Ills
ory furnishes examples suggesting the
danger Of such an organization being per-
v.Ited 10 mischIeVOus uses by less scrupu-
ious successors OF their original chiefs. lie
axis:
"What guarantee is there that thirty
| years hence the general who then auto
| craiIcally controls the action, say, oi lOO,OOO
ulcers pledged to blind obedience, dstrl-
luted through the whole length and breadih
If the poorer classes, and each WIN MS
finger on the trigger of mine charged Wild
discomfort and religious fanatlci-ini win
the ab,olute control, say, OF tSOOO,OOO or
or go 600 90 OF capital, and as many OF
income: with barracks in every town, win
estates scattered over the country, and with
settlements H. the cOlOnies-will exercise
his enormous powers. not merely honestly
but w!selyY What shadow Of security Is
there that the person who Yields TINS I'M
controlled authority over many thousand :
Of men shall use it solely for those phllan-
ihrOpic and religious objects, which, d0
not doubt. are alone in the mind OF Mr..
BoOfhV'-CleYeland Plain Dealer.