The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1893-04-20
The Dawning of a New Era.

Mr.. B. o. Flower takes as his subject for edi-
tOrial discussion in the Arena, " Present Day
Tendencies and Signs of the Times" We are ap-
preaching, he believes, an era of radical reforms
and soon shall witness a new order of things.
This change is to be brought about largely
through the broadening of the ideals of men:
1.-The prOgress-paralyZing miasma of creeds
which few years ago envelOped the warning
sects of ChristendOm is disappearing before the
dawn of a higher conception of Gods truth and
truer apprehension of what constitutes religion
pure and undefiled. Creeds are falling away.
and deeds are coming to take their place. The
religion of the morrow will emphasize life rather
than dogma. It's mission will be to seek and to
save. because love will be the administering pas
sion of those who have felt the higher civilization
pulsing through their veins. And this breadth
of thought will enable gigantic reforms along pal
liative lines to be carried on, as we'll as radical
fundamental changes which, in the nature of
things, will require more time. believe the day
is not far distant when societies embracing
Christians, Hebrews, Buddhists and AgnOstics-
in word, societies embracing all who love man
kind enough to sacrifice self in the interests of
humanty-will strike hands for a common
good. 1t may not come this year or next year;
but the trend is Enthusiastically toward the union
of those who believe in saving man here and
now. as problem of supreme Importance.
when such organizations shall be formed in
our cities and hamlets, they will be schools of the
higher ethics for all members, as we'll as active and
aggressive forces for the redemption of life in the
social cellar. They will establish in the sums
reading rooms and halls for lectures concerts and
healthful amusements. where all will be welcome
They will provide swimming pools and gymnasi-
ums, and they will open kindergarten and indus
trial schools They will teach cooking and sewing
to girls. and useful trades to boys. and at the
same time they will teach the young to be pure,
just and noble. They will seek out the suffering
and the starving. They will help the weak to
become strong. They will catch guiding and
Overmastering inspiration from the words of
Victor Hugo when the great poet-prOphet ex-
claims: Sacrifice to the mob Sacrifice to that
unfortunate, diSnherited, vanquished, vagabOnd
shOeless famished, repudiated, despairing mob;
sacrifice to it, if it must be- and when it must be-
thy repOse, thy fortune, thy JOY thy country, thy
liberty, thy life. The mob is the human race in
misery. The mob is the mOurnful beginning of
the people. The Hob is the great victim of dark
ness. Sacrifice to it thy gold, and thy blood
which is more than thy gold, and thy thought
which is more than thy blood, and thy love,
which is more than thy thought; sacrifice to it
everything except justice Receive its complaints
listen to it touching its faults and touching the
faults of others; hear its confession and it's &C
cusatiOn. Give it thy ear, thy hand, thy ARM thy
heart. Do everything for it excepting evil.
Alas! it suffers so much, and it knows nothing,
Correct it, it, instruct it, guide it, train it,
Put it to the school of honesty. Make it spell
truth, show it the alphabet of reason, teach it to
read virtue, prObity generosity, mercy. RE
rielC of Rerieqrs