The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1893-12-27
THE wATCHMAN AND sOUTHRON. DECEMBER e. 1898

conceived, much less carried to Il sue
cessful issue without cooperation,
which means the subordination of self to
the good of others. Subordination OF self
is the great unknown in society. so
ciety' is born, lives, moves, has its being
strictly in and of the exploitation of self.
TO subordinate self would annihllate
society at one full stroke. It would
destroy clique and class and exhalt hu-
manity. Hence society was not in it.
And it could not have entered it with
out abrogating its right to existence.
If it were indeed the Worlds fair, and
society" was not there. the place OF
society" is where? The echoes Of vac
uity answer ''Nowhere!'
But why inveigh against society
with such warmth if it were not there
and did not profess to be there? For the
same reason an irascible old justice of
the peace once gave for fine. A young
lawyer accosted him familiarly On the
street one day and made some remark
which at once aroused his wrath.
Young man" said he, II fine you -
for contempt of court.
why, judge" said the young offender.
you are not in session..
This court" responded the judge.
now thoroughly aroused: this court is
always in session, sir, and consequently
is always an object of contempt.
Second-Such movements presnppose
boundless faith in man.
It required a measureless faith in man
to project in the name of human progress
mere show to last but six months
which could not be held without levying
tribute upon the whole world, civilized
and savage. and e1pending the enormous
sum of 5000, 100000.
Society in its fundamental creed for
bids. under penalty of banishlnent among
the common herd, faith i'll man.
Society" does not know man He
has not been presented. Nobody can
spexk for his ancestors. And those w'o
do whisper the horrible rumor tl-at
folks say he is related by blood to Il NOR
key! Whereupon society is shocked
and calls for smelling salts and tea for
400.
FAITH AND PROGRESS.
Now. faith in man is the secret Of all
human progress.
For this reason the philosopher thinks:
for this reason the scientist tolls, the
philanthropist sacrifices. and the inventor
never despalrs.
Sweep from the human soul this SUBJ
lime thought, and civilization is dead.
1t is this faith that has sailed unknown
seas. opened the forests, tunneled the
mountains and brought to the whole
world the inspiring conception of its
unity and brotherhood. The poorest in
vcstment any man ever made is infidel-
ity-especially in man and of man. No
investment pays such returns as faith
especially in man, the image of God.
And no man can have faith in God who
has no faith in man.
read the other day a strange story Of
a gulchnear Shasta City, Cal. The writer
said that it is deep ravine, with rocks
showing all the way up the sides. Gold
in paying quantities had been found
along the stream. but it seemed to disap-
pear a few feet from the channel. One
day, while gang of men were toiling in
the stream, a stranger, evidently lgno-
rant of mining, came along and leaned
on hisragged elbows to watch the results
! of their labor.
The mine-- near him took out u $ mug
get, and anxiety overcame the ignorant
stranger.
Say" he asked. where can | so to
diggin to find it like that
The hardy miner stopped his work,
and giving the wink to all the boys, so
that the JOKE should not be lost, pointed
up to the barren rocks. where no sol!
! had ever been found.
''You see that rough lookin placer
Yes" said the new hand.
We'll. thar it is rich. Jes' you stake
out claim IN so to work, an when we
finish here We'll come up too.
The new hand thanked the miner, and
the boys all grinned their appreciation
of the joke. That afternoon solitary
figure was seen picking on the rocky
hillside. and every time the miners
looked up they roared with laughter.
But the next day the new miner struck
a pocket and took out several thousands
of dollars in gold. Then he came and
thanked the miner who had sent him mp
there, and went down into the valley
and bought farm, while the other min
ers dotted that same rocky hillside for
DAYS without finding Il pocket. They
agreed that it was a joke, but not ex-
actly of the kind they had intended.
So society" lifts its nose in supercil-
ious surprise at the simplicity of a bound
less faith in man. and would roar with
laughter at those who toll for that faith
were not roaring vulgar" Born Of
this measureless faith in man was the
,,,,;fo-,o ooo3 natrre and kindliness that