Telegram-herald., 1891-10-05
SOAP 4 MORAL FACTOR
Mr.. Underwood Praises It's Emcacy
a. Such.
THEORIES OF RIGHT DOING STATED
Science and Intelligence Held Up ~ the
Standard. by which Neral Seit-
items are swayed and Establish
ed-Seisnes 1rium phant.

WAS larger tuan any tnat nuu Bfrttcu
him upon previous occasions. He spoke
as follows:
"The adherents Of emotional religion
lay stress on what they regard as . SUI
pernatural conversion. No doubt that
through the psychological influence OF
religious assemblages many have been
turned from bad ways OF living. Hyp-
notism III some cases has cured the
opium habit and tie alcohol habit.
But mans character is the result OF
his inherited disposition and tendencies
and of hls education and surroundings.
A man who is naturally dishonest can
not be made suddenly honest. One
who is naturally mean cannot be made
at once magnanlmous. or his master
Frederick Douglass said: 81 believe
hum to have been . much worse man
after his conversion than before. Prior
to his conversion he relied upon his
own depravity TO shield and sustain
him IN his savage barbarity, but after
his conversion he found religious sane
tion and support for his slavehoding
cruelty" Now the probability is that
this Shareholder was neither better nor
worse after mis- conversion. He be-
lieved in the right of holding slaves and
Furnishing them severely, and his cruel
disposition exhibited itself the same
after as before conversion.
Moved by Moral Forces,
Morality defends often intellectual
and moral qualities. A moral man is
| one who knows what right conduct is
and has moral principle and sensibility
to move hlm to acts of justice. Getting
| religion is not getting knowledge, nor
is it the requirement of moral traits or
tendencies. Under the influence of
religious excitement Methodist, a
Mohammedan or Mormon may make
good resolutions, and when there is
| tirmness and favorable influences NAV
adhere to them; but all depends pri-
marty upon the qualities the indivld-
| ual possesses. A temperance agitation
may have the same effect. AS people
become thoughtful they are less swayed
by excitements and are moved by the
| moral forces within, directed by the
intellect. Whatever improves ans
environment increases the means of
rational enjoyment, removes the temp
tations to wrong doing; whatever tends
to make men observant, reflective, sells
reliant and self-restraining tends to
rational and moral conduct. The ex-
tension of scientific knowledge dlffuses
the scientific spirit which increase love
of truth and the habit of
careful and accurate thinking.
In theology and speculation gener-
ally q man may talk wild and state alb
surditles with impunity, for there is no
data to which appeal can be made to
convict him Of untruth, but in the do
main of verifiable knowledge, the ut
terance of falsehOOd Is sure to bring
reproach upon HIM. Careful thinking
conducts TO careful living. 1ptellec-
tual slovenliness leads TO moral sloven-
illness. Greater exactitude of language
and conduct means greater morality.
Previous to the use of watches and
clocks persons were less exact IN fulfill
ing their appointments. The departure
of railway trains from Grand Rapids
the same hour and minute daily, does
more to promote punctualIty than all
the preaching heard IN the churches on
this virtue. Numerous inventions and
processes based upon scientific dscov-
cries could not be worked at all unless
men possessed habits of greater accur-
racy than formerly. Workmen now
require higher moral and intellectual
education and their duties require
more intelligence and involve greater
responsibility. Charles Sumner at tine
time the Atlantic telegraph was first
employed, said that the use of that
telegraph averted probable rupture
between Great Britain and America.
Soap Moral Agent
Apparently insignificant inventions
and discoveries have great moral re-
suits. Cleanliness Is said to be next to
Goodness, Who then can estimate the
moral value of soap, the origin of
which was the discovery of the deter
gent properties of broled mixture of
lat aud aleali, and the moral value of
the numerous inventions which have
chespened the most important SOAP
producing material, viz, washing soda,
and those which have cheapened oil of
vitrol, the chief substance consumed in
making washing soda. 1t has been
stated that the degree of civilization
might be determined by the amount
consumed of those substances. Science
enables us to detect crime. The tele-
graph 10 employed to track and cap
ture criminals and photography is used
as q means OF recognizing them. All
darkness is favorable to crime aud gas
light has conduced to morality. The
numerous sources of intellectual and
moral enjoyment like the piano-forte
for instance developed by inventions
based upon scientific discovery,
have attracted mankind from more
sensual and less moral amusements.
knowledge Of science conduces to self-
discipllning and self-masteryby making
known to us the penalty which must be
paid for the indulgence of the passions;
IT moderates one bgotry by exhibiting
to us the great uncertainty of improved
opinions; 1t restrans our credulity IN
mems assertions by showing us their
frequent fsllacy; 1t gives us confidence
IN the laws OF nature by proving to us
their uniformity; il withdraws us frcm
self-deceptlon by compelling us to
accept the truths of nature as they
at ready made for Us, whether they
harmonic with osir pre-coDceived IDEAS
or not, for men cannot argue Win
nature as they can with their fellow
men but must submit To the influence
of verified truth. Science substitutes
for ignorant wonder and awe al inteiil-
gent appreciation of natures work. it
supplies the MAS of people oetter
homes. letter food, better clothes more
leisure, aud with books and papers IN
abundance and a thousand other tnins
which are all favorable 10 the moral
advance n4ent of the people. OF course
every good thing s liable 10 be abused.
TIE abuses of scientific knowledge DO
not arse from the true spirit OF re-
search. q derire for knovledxe on
account Of t. value 90 man and from
love of truth, bet from absence OF tnat
.r..,{...,s as.f shs sVsis that ggftle from