The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-23


noble hope respecting tho fortunes 81 on
: republic; = patriotism which inds in civi,
I duties 4 great joy and in true s~tHteananshil
} . divine Occupation. And this. patriotism
10 4 rsligious sentiment which invsats gu
! political life, however accular, with sopia
associations. while IL ptompts tho a~Acritice
: OF love, though II may be silent respecting
: the traditional doctrines OF tho aodhsad
There il no mora animating thought
In the whole range Of spiritual az
pirations, than thai OF q nAtioI
in which all GLASSES move with = common
and a righteous impulse in fulfllmsnt %
some sublime ideal of excellence, wher,
each citizen takes for tho quickening pur
pose of his life tho determination to buiiG
mp the life OF the great brotherhood tt
which he belongs. And this fervid patriot
ism rsacte everywhere in favor OF justol
laws, of higher public sentiment and of a
nobler civilization. This deep conviction,
which assumes a great destiny for our ma
ton and prompts to noble service, helps to
relieve the present OF what il petty and ig-
noble. To think nobly Of our country en-
mobiles our daily life.
And to gain a clearer understanding of
our task as a nation. the glorious ministry
which We are called to perform for the peo-
pies of the earth. let nj look ut
the condition of the world some two
centuries ago. and note the gains which
have come to humanity in this period from
the noble stand then made for liberty by .
little group of people i'll England and Hol-
land. Two hundred years ago, the great
oriental lands with their immepse popula-
tlons were hardly visible to the eve 81 west,
monotony of drealmland seemed to reign
supreme. The Moslsms we're still the
dread of Christsndom and the crescent was
then planted under the walls OF Vienna.
Fair Italy, once SO powerful and illustri-
.-. ~ ~ a. hrno1a0u r. oAn%r al
progressive anarchy. superstition having
laid the hand of death on every man who
survived the petty and incessant feuds of
the time. Spain, debsuched by lust for
gold and paralysed by priestcraft, had
all her ancient pride but the wi
which had won her glories had departed. In
the north, Germany was in the depth of
that social desolation which followed the
Thirty Years. War, and the only ambition
of her petty princes was to initiate the vices
of the French capital without its graces.
The Turk had just laid a heavy hand on
Poland, fatsd to such sad fortunes through
these subBequent ages. The Russians were
yet a formless host, for Peter the Great had
not yet done his monumental work. Across
the Atlantic was a dimlv seen continent,
more forbidding than inviting. a few trad
ing posts scattered along the st. Lawrence
and its tributaries, the New Eencland set
Elements in a tumult with Andras; Penn
was Just making his honorable trade with
the Indians. and New York was n
more village. How distant seems that
Mllton's Epic WAS a now book, and i'll it the
Ptolemaic astronomy il assumed. while
Newton's Principal was not yet given to the
world; additions were still being mado to
that long list of victims to the witchcraft
delusion; the inquisition, though on the
wane, was still q horrible reality: even in
England people were publicly branded for
petty offenses, while heresy was punishable
by death. About this time there was
enough inhuman bigotry left in France to
secure the revocation of the Edict of
What a strange world. and how far re-
moved from it we are to-day! And why?
a few men in England and Hol-
land believed in liberty and gave them
selves to the upbuilding of q civilization,
upon the humanity of m~an.-free-
dom of inquiry; freedom Of s%peech;, free
Che law and Justice to ALL
the end of government = the
perfection of the individual and the COM
mon good of all. This is what the %restora-
ton in England meant. This is what Lex
ington and Yorktown meant. This is what
the French revolution meant. This is what
the reform legislature of England meant.
This is what Appomattox meant. Indeed,
marvellous things have sprung from
the labors of those apostles of liberty!
France a republic, Germany a constitu-
empire, Italy a free and secular gov
ernment, Spain fermenting with democratic
Russian autocracy retreating,
however slowly, before the love of liberty!
Tho slave trade and the STAKEHOLDER. the
inquisitor and the witch hunter-all these
have gone. A free press, a free church,
: free ballot, free school these
has thrown its network of ~civility over
he vast population of India; it has added
,he new continent of Australia to the do
main of civilization; while it has helped to ]
mako Japan almost a republic. Those fee
Die Atlantic colonies have grown into a
Of the world. What strides humanity has
in these two csnturies! How the
seed of Liberty has become a great
whose branches cover the earth! In
The days of Louis XIV. how small a refuge
had liberty and how few her followers!
Since then what gains in free institutions,
in republican principles of governments, in !
religious liberty, in knowledge of nature?
Despotisms turned into republics; shackles .
struck from mind and body; oriental null
beginning to search for truth and
And in theae mighty triumphs for the
humanity of man in church and state,
has played a conspicuous part. and
The "Word OF tn Lord' to US to-day is that
We complete that part of this great world
movement" WnlCh We are peculiarly
and specially ordained to accom-
1lish. England has its mission in this fed
,ration of the human race: Germany and
France their place in this great historic |
lranla; but on account of our composite
Our geographical situation and
,ur freedom f ON traditional restrictions
# caste and creed, this nation has advant-
lges which no other people possesses.
American civilization is based more CON-
,letely on the dignity Of man as a man than
ny other. Our imperial sentiment is that [
which demands that every man be given a I
to make tho most of himself-n free
chool to educate the child, u free press !
O create public opinion, a free ballot |
o turn public opinion into law, free labor (
or the accumulation of wealth, a free SOL
lety distributing honor according to merit
atber than according to pedigree, and a
rec church where man may wolahio God
ccOrdin& to the dictates of his W con-
cience. Where else is liberty so co,npre- |
%ensively translated into life? Where else
re the possibilities for universal develop
asnt SO evenly distributed? Where else is
hero 80 homo-centric a civilization? Here =
70 utilize our energies and economic our
oclal lmpulses-no war armament wastes :
ur resources; 10 age-long prejudices OF
ace or creed impede our general proRress:
o lnveterats superstitions withdraw
reat numbers from active life, as
'as the case in the middle ages.
very form of piety being mea-
ured by tho practical good which it accom-
fishes. It is our task to build up this new
rder Of manhood, based on the dignity of
nAf1ra. rau rlI ia tha