The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-11-02

In Association Hall, New York, Rev.
Thomas Dixon, .Ir., continues his series
OF sermons on the coming revolution.
The subject OF the following discourse
was tn" period OF transition or the char
actcristcS OF he times which signify the
approach OF Il new social order. He dis
clIsscd as such signs the rapidity OF ma
tcrial progress in the elimination Of time
and spacr, the marvellous development OF
mechanical forces, the discoveries OF sci
encc as well rs the growth of cities, the
intcnsifcatiOn OF life, and he rise Oi he
common people to political power, and
the universally of education. II" de-
cl"rcS these to be the elements which
cOnStit lite the basis of necessity Tor II
new soc al regime. The text was chosen
from Matthew Xvi:3, "le know how to
discern the face OF the heavens, irlt ycci,m
not discern the rignS OF the times.
History seems naturally to dlvldrit:,"Ii
into periods. These periods OF history
have characteristics which distinguish
them from the centuries which I'r"c"t!c
and the centuries which follow the era OF
the crusadcs as clearly and distinctly
marked in mcdi;rval history. The period
OF the French revolution i'll like manner
has its special characteristics, and i.
clearly defined i'll the history Of the world
SO in ancient times there We're centuries
OF development which are distinctly
marked. There are, on the other hand,
the crises of transition between the great
historic centuries Of development. IhrSt
periods OF transition are the seed time
while the great centuries OF revolution
and construction are the harvest times
in history.
\ PERIOD OF PREPARATION.
The nineteenth century is peculiarly Il
century OF transition. 1t is II period OF
preparation. Ii has been one OF tremcn
dous development, and yet it is the dcvel
opmcnt OF II promise rather than tn,
fulfillmcnt of that which has gone before
The most marvellous development of the
nineteenth century is the prophecy il
gives of the twentieth With all Oul
wonderful achievements there is nothing
so wonderful as the universal hope in
Spircd in the human breast that we vii
do something better in the near future.
The import OF action in Il period o
transition is of inestimablc import ance
What is impressed upon the character o
this age will constitute the elements o
strength or of weakness i'll the new cen
fury that is to be- born. That which i
now shaping the forces that shall dOmi
nate the life of the twentieth centur,
must partake OF permanence. In man,
respects it will be decisive.
There are certain elements in our curren
life which reveal to us the fact that TIN
century before us must be constituted il
its social, economic and political life upO
Il new basis. This must be So
First-5ecause of the rapidity of ma
trrial progress during the past genera
81 6
this generation. The elimination OF tim
and space has been one of the most rt
narkable Developments OF our period {
invention. and the period of the world
invention is the latter part of nineteenth
century.
In the eighteenth century the worl
was divided into isolated continents an
isolated nations. There was little inter
course, and what there was came thrOug
the slow travel by sail on water an
StagccOach on land. The facilities fC
gathering news and distributing the hi:
tory OF different nations among one al
other We're of the most meager kind.
All this has been changed in the latte
part OF the nineteenth century. tt
world has literally been made a grea
whispering gallery. and every natio
gives its quota to the day story. Thel
is no longer isolation OF any sort Ems
land and America are to-day in clost
contact than was Massachusetts an
New York in the eighteenth century
Is possible for Il man to leave America
one week and visit the dead civilization
OF the east i'll the next. 1t is possible fC
n man at his breakfast table to know q
the important events that happened tt
day before in every nation of the worl,
We cross the ocean in less than six dav
We go round the world in two month
and We come in contact with the currer
of the life of all peoples and all nation
OUR CIVILIZATION A SYMPOSIUM.
Our civilization is a svposium. IT
very deicacies of our table are the pr
duct OF the whole earth What we ca
what we wear, what we place in OF
homes, are the product jointly OF II
effort OF the world.
The problem of time and space hi
within few years been practically a
nhialated. The Use OF steam and ele
tricity has brought the world thus
close contact. But the speed with whiC
we are making progress even in annil
latlng time and space is so great that
is possible within the next generate
that the rate OF travel will be increase
from four to five fold at least. 1t ma
be possible for the children of the ne,
generation to have their suburbi
homes 500 miles from the place OF the
daily business. Such an achieYelneI
would mean the development OF the eli
until it shall cover the whole earth