The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-10-05

cal and Ecclesiastical Changes-Res.less
Masses.
NEW YORK, Oct. REV. Thomas
Dixon, Jr., begins a new series Of morn
ing sermons In Association hall The
subject of the series he calls 1.-The
Coming Revolution" In it he will dis
cuss the signs of the times that indi-
cate great social, economic, political and
ecclesiastical changes. The sermon this
morning was general introduction to
the study, which will run through. sew
eral weeks. The subject Of this intro
ductory discourse delivered today was
1.-THE Restless Masses" He declares
that democracy In It's broadest and truest
sense is manifestly the destiny Of the
race, and that there is today developing
q world movement Of the masses that
presages q new social reformation. The
text chosen was from Mark xii, 81, "And
the common people heard him gladly"
THE COMMON PEOPLE.
There is no more pregnant sentence
within the lids of the New Testament
than this text. The common people
the great multitudes-heard him gladly.
Then we may rest assured the high, rul-
ing, conservative classes did not hear him
gladly. We are not surprised that they
crucified him between two thieves as a
common felon. This profound sympathy
with the great under masses is in reality
the key to the mystery of the incarnation.
He was the carpenters son.
He lived the life of o common work
ingman. He chose his fellows from the
ranks Of the lowly masses. The great
and the rich were not his disciples. His
apostles were from the ranks Of the com.
mon people. There could have been nc
accident about the birth of the Saviour OF
humanity. 1t was not by chance that
he was born of humble parents in man
ger. 1t was the fulillment of prophecy.
1t was the fulfllment of the divine plan
of the ages. Only thus could the world
the whole world-the real world
be reached and saved. Only thus could
he truly say, am the Son Of Mani Be-
ginning thus among the simple and ig.
norant and poor slave masses of q sin
cursed and sin burdened earth, he placed
the leaven that should at last leaven the
whole lump of humanity.
And since Christ the trend of the ages
has been slowly but surely toward the
unplifting, ennobling and saving Of the
common life.
Vital Christianity has been the only
power through the centuries Of the
Christian era that stood between the
weak and the strong and steadfastly de-
clared that might is not right, and that
weakness shall rule strength at last.
THE SOURCE OF ALL POWER.
The source Of all power is the very last
analysis; when all fctions have been ex-
ploded, is found in the under millions
who bear the worlds burden, intellect
ual, spiritual, moral, physical. In this
mass will be found the true source of
all power, intellectual, spiritual, moral,
physical. Asmen and families scramble
out from among the masses and array
themselves with clique and class, they de-
generate and their offspring perish
some in the first generation, others in the
second.
The seat of ultimate imperialism has
always been in the masses. They have
simply never yet become conscious of
the fact They are the Samsons, but
they are asleep. AS they wake to the
consciousness Of the power that inheres
by nature in them, they assume that
power and never relax it.
We behold thus the ever growing,
never halting expansion Of world de-
mocracy. 1t is the destiny of the race.
There is no power on the earth, under
the earth or above tho earth that can de-
feat its final triumph. Each day in
times calendar witnesses some victory,
however small, gained in this world
movement. An inch Of soil once gained
is never lost.
A NEW CHAPTER IN HISTORY.
There is presentiment, feeling
call it what you may-that pervades the
civilized world, that we are about enter
ing upon new chapter in the history Of
the world. So strong each day becomes
this feeling that to some it means fear
and trembling, to others hope and in
spiration. In every period of the worlds
history Immediately preceding great
changes, this prophetic spirit has filled the
hearts of men and found utterance. At
no time has its utterance been so clear
and so nearly universal among nations
and peoples and classes of divers inter-
ests, 1t is humanity's hour of exultant
1t is the races hour of spirit
ual uplifting when society is being ush-
cred into a higher and diviner life.
To the mind of the pessimist the air is
heavy with the threat Of coming revo-
luton by violence. To the man Of hope
there comes the vision of tears, but the
tears are turned to dew to water the
gardens of new heaven and new
earth. Does this feeling prophetic of
great change mean anything real, or is
1t fgment Of the imagination?
Is there anything apparent in our life
to justify it, and has it basis in fact,
or Is it merely the ever recurring vision
of the radical and pessimistic tempera-
ment in all times2
Certainly there is one fact in our cur
rent history that has Immediately to do
with the great question of social destiny
that can be gainsaid. 1t is a portentous
fact in the future of the worlds history,
because it concerns the life movement Of
practically the whole shuman race. 1t
Is this:
There is today world movement Of
the common people which indicates the
new approach of great social change.
We observe this:
First-In the dawning consciousness
among all nations of common life.
The solidarity of the race has been
dream too high for the ef-
fort of the common neonla II has ra-