The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-08-27
MEAT EATING AND MORALITY.
Count Tolstoi's First Step in the Regen-
Grafton of Mankind.

Count Tolstoi's First Step in the Regen
Grafton of Mankind.
only desire to establish the PROPOSE
lions that, in order to lead moral life
it is necessary TO observe 8 certain Sc
ouence in good actions; that if man j:
serious in his aspiration to lead gooc
life the practical manifestations Of thai
desire will necessarily unfold themselves
in certain order, and that in this order
the abstemiousness (self mastery is the
FIRST virtue which he will have to cultl
vate. In the pursuit Of the virtue Of alb
stenliousness he must again observe
certain definite order, and the first steI
therein will be abstemiousness in food
fasting.
In the practice of fasting the first
thing from which he must abstain. 1t ne
really and truly aims at leading good
moral life, is animal food: and this fol
the intelligibi7 reason that, not to speak
of the passions it engenders and fosters
the consumption Of animal food is plainly
immoral, because it demands an ACT
which does violence to our moral senti
ments-viz., murder-and is encouraged
and kept up only by mems greed Of gold
and their appetite for savory food. The
reason why the first step in fasting and
in right living is abstinence from animal
food has been admirably formulated
not by one man only, but by all man
kind in the persons Of it's most accredited
representatives during the course Of hui
man history.
But why lone may ask, if the Illegally
ii. e., immorality-of consuming animal
food has been recognized by mankind
for such long period, have people never.
theless persisted down to the present in
ignoring this law? This question natu-
rally suggests itself to those who are
prone to be guided less by the light OF
their own reason than by public opinion.
The answer to the question, however, is
that all moral progress (and moral prog
ress is the essence of all progress what
every is work Of time, is accomplished
slowly, but that the sign of genuine
progress. as distinguished from casual
advance, is it's uninterrupted continuous
ness and it's ever increasing rapidity.
The vegetarian movement ought to fill
with g]adness the souls of those who
have at heart the realization Of Gods
kingdom upon earth, not because vege-
tarianism itself is such an important
step toward the realization Of this king
dom (all real steps are equally important
or unimportant), but because it serves
as q criterion by which we know that
the pursuit Of moral perfection on the
part of man is genuine and sincere, in-
asmuch as it has taken that form which
it must necessarily assume, and has truly
begun at the very beginning.
1t is impossible not to rejoice at this,
just as it would be impossible for people
not to feel glad who, after having vainly
endeavored to reach the top of the house
by attempting to climb up the walls
from various sides, at last meet at the
bottom step Of the staircase, and crowd
ing together there feel that there is no
way Of reaching the top except by as
cending that staircase and beginning
with this first and lowest step.-Count
Tolstoi in New Review.
Some Old Newspapers.
The first Dutch newspaper, which is
still continued under the name of the
Haarlem Courant, is dated Jan. s, 1856.
It was then called De Weecketycke
Courante van Europa and contained two
folio pages of news. The first Russian
newspaper was published in 1908. Peter
the Great not only took part personally
in its editorial composition, but in cor
rectirg proofs, as appears from sheets
still in existence, in which are marks
and alterations in his own hand. Thers
are two complete copies of the first
years edition of this paper in the i'm
perial library Of St. Petersburg: The
first newspaper established in North
America was the Boston Newsletter,
commenced April "a, 1904. 1t was halt
a sheet Of paper, 8 by - inches, anc
having two columns on page. 1t sur
vived for seyenty-two years and advo
Gated the policy of the British govern
ment at the outbreak Of the Revolution.
None of these newspapers ever said
anything about baseball, but they make
very interesting reading these days
nevertheless, and it you ever come across
any of them in your cellar, or under
your parlor carpet, or indeed anywhere,
you will be very wise person it YOU
take the best possible care of your fnde
for single copy of any one Of these pa
pers is worth quite a hundred times the
price of a copy Of today's paper, or to-
morrow's either, for that matter.-Har-
pers Young People.
The Worthy Member.
Brother Lastly" said the spokes-
man, 81 have all unpleasant duty to per-
form. There is report that You have
said that one OF the best and most