San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-08-14
SALVATION.
1t is a Moral or Religious Attain

1t is a Moral or Religious Attain
ment.
Written for the LIGHT by Geo. C. Knoll.
Universal salvation, if such there
could be, would, to my mind, necesa-
rily involve the evolution and proper
development of all human faculties.
What [ mean by evolution in this
sense lie, a gradual emergence from a
state of mere animality to state of
humanity-from state ignorance to
a state OF acknowledgement, to express
it in broader sense of the word, q
change from tue homogeneous to the
heterogeneous. In a physical sense
of the work, we term this growth or
development organic evolution.
In metaphysical sense of the word
we term Ii human progress.
Organic ebolution is the growth and
development of form and feature In
an organism. Human progress begins
with the education, culture and de-
velopment of the mind, eventuating
in the control of mind over matter.
In organic evolution, nature alone
is the operating agency, while in
human progress the spirit of man
voluntarily co operates. with nature
in the work Of its own evolution, and
even assumes to take the whole pro.
cess into it's own hands. As the for
mer does not virtually influence, or
bear directly upon the attainment of
salvation tor man kind, 1 will no
longer dwell upon it, but pass on to
the latter.
In the attainment of salvation for
mankind, there are to be considered
as essential, the following conditions:
Q) The proper moulding of human
character; (2) the moral of man TO-
ward fellowmen (3) tie duty he owes
to himself as the most exalted of all
forms of organic life-a human being.
Will not the strict obs erv-
ance to such duties natural
ly conduce to the elevation
and eventual welfare of humanity
If not, why not? A good man needs
no religion for the simple reason that
religion never made good man any
better. Notwithstanding this fact, We
find among our daily associates, peO-.
pie who strictly m sintain that relig-
ion is the only agency that will, II
given unrestrained control, insure
eventual salvation for the human
race.
What is their proof for such an as
sumption? Why do they attribute ali
human virtues to the Influence that
eligion eXerts over man? Is it not
because they believe moral dutv to be
the outcome of a religious belief? Ii l.
err not-of course l may-religion
consists mainly in the worship of y
Deity; but has worship ever elevated
s:map? Has worship ever effected a
change in a mar from bad to good?
If, when, where and how?
Ii, however we really must have
some kind of religion, let it be q re-
ligion which elevates and not one
which degTades-on in which the
reason, the volition and tae emotion
in man are iIseparately appealed to.
Let the incentive to do good De one
independent of the hope of q future
reward fer goodness; and the
deterrent frUm evil one independent
of the fear of future punishment for
wtckedness. But If you must have a
reward for the god you may do, aud
nell 10 deter you from doing evil,
why cling by all means to that straw,
rather than fall a prey to they de-
NOuTlUR Hhul6S Vi 6b6Tudl ME anu
birthstone. You may be so con-
temptible and mean q man that moral
suasion alone will not reform you,
II you are such man you certainly
are in need of something or somebody
to remind you OF fire and rhinestone.
L am, however, almost inclined to be-
lleve that, if you find no self.satisiac-
ton temporarily in doing what is
right, you will scarcely be content
with the eternal reward which you
expect In the hereafter. If you de-
preciste temporal happiness it is
dubious whether you will appreciate
eternal happiness.
The best religion that can think
OF is to do what is right from love of
what is right. and to shun what is
evil because 1t is evil. This is what
is evil. This is what morality
teaches. Does religion teach as
nanoh