Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-26

the virtuous instincts OF all religions, II
seems should have induced within this do
main universal peace. Yet, strangely
enough, the history of man up to the
Eighteenth century is little more than the
history of the barbarous battles Of beliefs.
The blood that has flowed to satiate the
believers wrath if collected in one mighty
torrent could have dashed back the food at
Jamestown as lightly as Niagara would
sweep away tear.
Mankind has fought for dogma with much
more readiness than it had yielded to the
mild demands of faith. Its spiritual lead
ers have too often labored with more zeal
10 usher souls into their hell than they
prayed to keep them out.
When progress had reached that stage
which forbade the ramming of dogmas down
the throat of man with 4 sword, the contest
was continued with unabated acrimony in
the intellectual arena. There the press en-
gagged, not as partisan Of one but insist
ent upon the rights of all.
True TO its historic mission, it stood
guard, in the plenitude Of its electric
power, above the nearest intellect and
commanded touch it not; it is kingly.D
To-day, protected by the all-powerful bat
terles of its criticism, every man may cher
ish unchallenged and without annoy what
belief he will
Its influence upon theology did not stop
here. Wherever it goes, the press takes in
uplifted hand the torch of reason. 1t found
man bowed and quiyering at the foot of
shaking Sinai; it bade him look up, and 10
the mountain took on the peaceful aspect of
a cross. It found in the pulpit gospel of
terror, which has been transformed through
its humanity to a gospel of love. Every
good work of Christianity has felt its po-
Iential aid, and it breaches morals daily to
millions who never hear the pulpit's voice.
But the mightiest achievement of the
f.,AC. tn hn n,,t.
lion of the human will.
Spite of all that may be said in eulogy of
progress, this is yet universe of slaves,
and iron shackles clank about the mightiest
souls.
The daring explorer who ventures out of
the little ark that is freighted with the pre-
cedentS and traditions of the ppSt, may
come back with twig of hope, but it is to
speak to echoless walls and to knock at
bolted doors.
Who dares to call himself free who fears
10 Think
All the achievements of civilization have
left thought manacled and dumb-the hap
less prisoner of gloomy past
OF what is called mems faiths, how small
part is living fire, how much of ashes
gray,
Immortal Reason, which God designed to
soar, creeps humbly in the dust and dis
owns its wings.
SIe VI inc prluceS Oh the CHURCH, the
throbbings of whose mighty intellect have
just been stilled, consecrated his life-work
10 the enslavemeut of the mind, and New
man was but the devout expression of an
all-pervading rule.
Intolerant Of mystery, the press alone
looks upward with fearless gaze, and
dares proclaim that the eye of man was
made to see.
1t calls upon the benumbed prisoners of
dead faiths to cut adr'ft from sunken
anchors, and to launch out upon the upper
sea where there are no barriers TO the
navigation OF the soul.
When Jahveh looked down upon an infant
world hung in blackness, divine sympathy
exclaimed: Let there be Light" 1t must |
have been shadowy ray which first shot |
across the feeble vision of the primeval |
world. On its outer confines man planted |
himself and peering out into the darkness |
of the first eveutide cried back to God: |
Let there be Light"
And there was light, and there is light, |
and there viii be light.