The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1895-10-24
TmouemT Is ovs sulea.

0VO0We - WI U0o6@s
IN Poser 81 TAsssAs - sAs P.ssas e
Pregs~~s .ss Moves sAs Pesssssal
Wsrsd-
Mrs. lmogene c. Fales pens for the
Sentinel the sollowing eloquent trib-
uteIto the Independent thinkers of the
day:
1t is true that society cannot be
manufactured; that il is q growth
But what 10 the secret OF its Rrovth3
L. il not thought Is there any force
in the world other than thought that
can bring about the growth Of soci-
ETY.! Is it not the power behind all
things and in all things7 The more
life and thought there is infused into
the general intelligence the more
rapid il the growth of society.
People depreciate ideas; they de-
preciate the work Of . reformer.
why agitate," they say, society
cannot be Manufactured, it must
grow" As il its growth were deter
mined by certain fixed mathematical
laws, apart from mental activity.
If Robert Owen, the great social
list, had not fred the souls Of men
with the CLEAN of distant gates Of
Eden;n If Plato had not firmly be-
lieved in the realization of his
ideal Republic, In which men would
reach their highest possible develop
ment; il Christ had not made the
eommunistic social state the burden
Of all its teachings, the thing itself
wsuld not be possible to-day.
There has not been q lofty dream
or vision that the humblest soul has
ever known that has not incorpor-
ated itself into the structure of soci-
ETY. and become moving part of its
progress.
tits thought that moves the world,
that infuses itself in the minds of
men. and becomes part Of their life.
The progress OF one age is but the
outworking and the realization of
the thought forces of a previous
age. And the reason why events
are multiplying and moving with
such marvellous rapidity to-day, is
that the general intelligence of man
kind is greater than ever before in
the history of the world. Brown
ing's prayer, make no more giants,
God, but elevate the race at once, -
is being answered.
The whole social system is vital
lied with thought and to this gen.
er"l state of growing intelligence all
social institutions must conform.
There is no longer room for serfs and
slaves. Even the dullest feel in a
dumb sort of way the quickened
pulse of the world.
The age has eliminated. The old
order of things is passing, never to
return. The process of shaping ex-
ternal surroundings to human con,
dltions has commeLc ed. New wine
put into old bottles, breaks them;
new thoughts placed within the fet-
tiers OF old customs, shatter them.
Men are mightier than institu-
tons; they have made them, and
and they will destroy them. They
are doing it. They are blasting the
solid rock of conservatism. Let
those who put their trust in mate
rial things beware; there is no sta
bility in them. There is nothing
stable but ideas, and they are revo-
lutionary.
To-day the old idea of kingly, O,
priestly, or class rule is becoming
extinct; the new idea of equality, OF
brotherhood, is taking it's place. This
is the meaning of the struggle OF
capital and labor, of the Fremont
tory heavings of society before the
final earthquake. It is war OF
ideas.
The new thought of human equal
ity confronts the old corrupt lie OF
kingly, or priestly rule. 1t confronts
fosslllzed institutions, wealth and
power. Defeated to-day, it will be
victorious to. morrow. It will force
a way through all distractions, will
make new Democracy, and a new
commonwealth, in which poverty and
Indebtedness, and finally vice and
crime, will no longer exist and peace
and plenty will dwell upon the earth.
Men of thought! Be up and stirring, nigh,
|. and day.
Sow the seed, withdraw the curtain, clea,
the way,
Men of action, aid and cheer them "a ".
may,
There is fount about to stream.
There's light about to beam,
i There warmth about to glow,
There's flower about to blow.
There's midnight blackness changing into
| gray,
Men of thought and men of action, clear the