The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-10-21

TO the individual. We are the individual. and 1t
Is hard FOR Us TO go to our own place and stand
among the small we are recusanf against the
law that governs our lives and destinies. There
Is q natural residue of resentment in the human
mind against that principle which makes man TO
be no more than local circumstance in the gen.
sral plan which no Is not even able to appre-
bend. The man, being proud-yain of his
achievement in the sphere OF his activity-would
tain regard himself as the creator of greater
things. He cajoles himself into the belief that
no IL so, and does not willingly agree TO that
plan which makes him 10 be but q conscious cell
In the walls OF history. Before he will assent he
must be reasoned with and CONVINCED. Hemust
be shown that his agency extends TO so limited
sphere and is so brief In its operation as to be
necessarily dfsregarded in that general plan,
which Is as long Us time and as profound as
space.
No estimate of history. and the place of man
therein. can be adequate or satisfying which
does not recognize the complete subordination
and immersion OF the individual In the world
drama, OF which he is but an incident. The man
must be brought to see tue disproportion be-
tween his agency-whateyer IL Island the tire
mendous organic whole il which his destiny ia
teid-a disproportion as striking and iDcom-
measurable as that OF the finite TO the infinite.
Consider for o moment the limitations which
are inexorably fixed around all the boundarieS OF
human life. Note the limitation or time. The
average duration OF the life of man is almost
lnfinltessmal. 1t IL a nand-breadth. IL Is naught
As compared with the -s stretch ,t OF the ie
thousands OF years old, and Is still young His
tory, in making her facts and preparing her re-
little attention 10 the brief generations of men
who rise and flourish under her extended dy-
nasty. To the man she assigns one decade OF
activity. or two. or three, and then he goes. He
goes TO return not. But the event does not go.
II accompanies itself in its own way. Like the
milennial oak, IL regards not the viclssitudes OF
the season or the puny tribes or living creatures
that vociferate and play for day beneath its
tremendous branches.
like Limitation is that of place. Man Is
bound TO single locality. but the event has the
world for it's country. Until the present century
man was narrowly circumscrbed TO the little
arena OF his origin. He is still circumscribed.
and whatever he accompshes is. in the nature
OF the ease. as local as himself. What he builds
stands there brief monument of the small
sphere or his action. Mar flies not, but only
walks. II he swim 1t is in the shoal waters of
the surf The birds and the fishes outgo him.
and the four footed creatures have greater
speed IL We consider his mind, his faculties
and aspirations, even they are limited to places
and conditions. In saying this we do not forget
the Hight OF thought the excursion of intellect
ual force. the outreachtng of human purposes;
nut al these are, In comparison with the greater
schemes OF history. no more than the circumfer-
enee OF leaves or the flight OF insects. The man
Il Obliged 10 recognize not only the brevity OF
his day. but also the limitation of his activity 10
certain spot OF earth little affected by his pres
ence and totally Indifferent TO his destiny.
A third limitation laid by nature on man Is the
weakness OF all his powers He weighs not as
much as the ST. Bernard that by his side. The
OK easily oufdraws him. The horse--even when
bitted and reined-dashes away with him and his
carriage The smallest OF natures forces round
about losses him hither and yon. He canuot see
III the night or survive without shelter and IRE.
Shall We call such creature rs this the maker
OF history History Is stronger than the winds.
migntier than the sea- In her hands ali forms of
life that 1nhabt the globe are but the microscopy
lc creatures on the slides OF the naturalist, To
her all seasons and years. all climates and places,
III continents and dominions are hut the mate
rails OF a purpose which she cherishes and pur-
sues on unbent lines from the beginning TO the
end.
We accept tho subOriination OF man 10 historv
irldi hnS
email place In the general movement Of The
wor.d-drama. small influence in affecting the re-
suits or the present or final action. It is not
meant that man Is naught, but only that he is
weak aud transient. IL IA not meant that the
structure OF history is built up OF materials other
than human; hut the individual parts are only
the cells and molecules or the organic whole.
The individual has bis sphere Of activity and his
local force but these are only the cell life. the
e0rpuscle and tissue in the universal organism.
Every man in the world il a miniature battery.
He has bis small cup of force. the size of "A gun
cap. In IL are the acid, the carbon and the zinc.
Ont OF II reaches gosSalGer thread, which at
tacnes itself To the tremendous lines of universal
causatlon gIrdling the earth ana binding nature.
The little gun-cap battery discharges its
modcum OF electrical force into the general cir
cult. and 20 that extent contributes To the mo-
tive power of the world. Here. however the
agency OF the individual ceases, and the reign of
law begins. Here the work of man. man. I'm
the drama OF history ends. and he himself Is alb
sorbed In an action tbs nature OF which he does
not understand. and the final results OF which he
may not foresee imagine To t1is general
scPsme-inyolying the universally of history
and the suhordinati0n OF tho indiyidual-all men
and all events inevitably conform. Each has it's
place and It's purpose-a place and a purpose lit
Tie discovered by human faculties, but tending
ever. ns We are able dimly tn discern. tn the bet
ternent and perfection OF the human race. Ii is
In the light OF this view Of history aud of man
thlf every fact and event IL TO be weighed and
understood. IN the radiance OF this brief eail-
die of KNOWLEDGE the man himself Is TO be esti-
mated and considered. lie takes his place un-
der the dominion OF universal forces aad con-
tributes his little part tho destiny the
Thus l. history 10 be known, and thus are all
men 10 be measured and interpreted Certainly
we shall not take from the conspicuous
actors OF past or present ages their weli-enrncl
title OF great To be great is to answer the call
OF an epoch IL Is 10 respond TO the conditions
of ones age, and To fulfill them. 1t il TO take
the rank and office which history has assigned
beforehand. and TO make strong that part of the
eternal ramparts IN which the living agent may
he builded. 10 was thus that the sages and war
riOrs OF the ancient world answered In their
lives 10 demands which went before them aud
"a conditions which determined their activities
ami fame
We do not say that there has not been human
epontaneity In the world We 10 not say that
the Hindu poets who sang the songs of the Vedas
were no more than the sounds of reeds filled
with the natural wind-no more than the rustic
OF leaves or the ubir or wings through tho
thickets by the banks OF Indus. They wego more