Connecticut western news., 1893-02-02
me another as I have loved you"

LOVc IS not an OutWard appearance, lt cannot be seen. it cannot be measured, you cannot draw diagram of it any more than you can see or measure or draw the life that is in an acorn; you can dissect and examine the acorn, even then the life is not detected, yet it is there; it belongs to the unseen realm; so is Love unseen, but there grows spon- taneously from it the new law that is mental and spiritual and that eventual ly shall bear universal sway. Out of this law there must develop spontane- ously, (not forced by any outside pow er) in strength and beauty, those quail ties which are pure, lovely and of good report This is Christianity and it's le- gitimate method of development.
 Having tried to make clear what we conceive to be the principle of religions life, let us now apply it to some condi- tions of secular life and see how it oper- ates in this important sphere. Do not think that I would dispsrage the use of outward forces and helps where they are needed, for they have their advan- tages and must be employed so long as the world remains in imperfection; but we may insist that wherever the world improves there we can gradually drop off these external aids or crutches Every kind of life if properly advancing will sometime be able to proceed of it's own strength that is imparted from with in.
 A human being in infancy Is wholly unable to help himself; outside assist ance is requisite; but as months pass the child needs no longer be fed with a spoon and carried about by another; he Is able to feed himself and to walk in his own strength. Soon he must go to school, and here comes some more neces- sary external help. Unable to think much or study, another has to teach and sometimes struggle to thrust i a little learning, yet when the child has diff cult.sum to solve it is better that he solve 1t himself than that another do it for him. you may easily help him and he will easily forget it. Let him master 1t by his own effort and Uere is true developement; the mind becomes stron- ger and better able to overcome the next difficulty. -. l All school-life is a crutch, an external agent helping the young mind on to the point from which it may proceed inde- pendently. The end in view is to become able to go alone. This crutch-work has to be done at the start, but if one is al- ways to lean upon it the only result will be humiliating failure to grasp the true object of existence. Schools of law, medicine, divinity, business col lege and apprentice-life give outside aids, and indispensable they are to put one on his feet in these various callings, but in due time they must be dropped and if this outward application has stimulated inward growth the individual will be ready to walk in his own strength.
 Garry this principle into civil law. If everything were perfect there would be no law, but things are far from perfect and law must be enacted It is the outward method of development, and if citizens have not progressed sufficiently to obey law of their own will, then law has to be enforced and punishment in- ficted. This is why the land is dotted with reformatories and prisons; and that so many of them are ovarcrowded testi- fies to the multitudes who even in this age live in the rude condition which de- mands for their advance external force as severe as the law of Moses and some times the stern penalty of death. And the time to release a prisoner IS not when his term is expired, this is a mis- take, for then he i'm mmediately resumes his trade and finds himself again in the clutches of the law. This is moving in a circle and there is no progress. The time to release prisoner is when he is reformed, and become able of his own inward ability to progress aright. The true object of penalty is not to punish merely but to reform. Let our law giv- CTS and legislators think of this. We who are peaceful citizens scarcely real ize that laws exist in so far as they per sonally affect us We should move on in about the same way did they not ex- ist; so to us they are practically dead letters because we are able to proceed without them: but if one wilfully break a statute then he falls back into that sphere where there must be execution of the law.
 Look at some of the rich in the world, and see by what outside aids and artificial props they are enabled to maintain pleasing situation Tn the es- timation of men. Some depend on them through life: occasionally these supports unexpectedly fall, and with them have to fall all who lean upon them. for there is nothing else, no mind or soul cultivation, to give support. Many a man is in high station. attained through powerful friends rather than personal merits. Here is the truth of that sentence to be fulfilled in the great reversal of human judgement And many which are first shall be last. '"
 Garry this principle into the words learning and kno,cledge Someone re- gently indicated to me distinction be- tween the two. To learn is to gather from an external source by observing, hearing and reading: it is often superf- cial and if so, is quickly sounded and found to be surface establishment The possessor of this learning is fond of displaying the crutches and likes to walk with them, he is willing to con- tribute little to most any subject, but doesn't know thoroughly one subject, and is taken for more than he is worth. What one knows he acquires by patient, systematic toil; he receives and assimi- lates and makes 1t q part of his life. To have practical knowledge of one book is of greater value than to have smat- tering of many books. If this distinc- tion between the words is allowed, then learning Is almost a counterfeit of knowledge, and we cannot fail to recog- nize the superior. The one is showy, covers more ground and is good for those who have not advanced sufficient ly to grasp the other. The other is more valuable because it sinks deeper, makes the person stronger and is endur- ing. Learning is good, knowledge is better; learning uses the results of 'oth- CTS, knowledge produces results of its own; learning makes dependent, knowl- edge, independent. Formulating origi- nal opinions and conclusions strength ems the mind; using the opinions and , conclusions of others is trading in sec ond-hand wares.