The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-11-28
pect the selfish to fail to avail themselves
of the opportunities offered?
KIDS SOCIAL EVOLUTION


The most important factor in mans
development and the object of his great
est interest is acknowledgement
This interest is sabsor bing when his reli-
gion is his faith, it is almost equally so
when il becomes matter of un belief, at
tack and Iidicule. But there is another
view 10 take of religion, this stupendous
element at once the cause and effect of
all history, ami that is as social phe-
nomenon, little understood and demand
ing careful and scientific study.
Scientists have traced it's growth from
early ancestor and ghost worships. They
have shown that our huge edifice of rites
and dogmas has its foundation in the
primitive mans childish conceptions of
nature. but these are explanations of
special manifestations only. They do
not seize upon the great phenomenon as
a whole nor inquire into the secret OF the
enormous influence religion has exercised
and continues to exercise upon human
development.
Benjamin Kidd in his Social Evolution
has presented conception of the part
taken by religion in the development of
man which will starle those who have
assumed win Renan that 1.-The future
survival OF religious beliefs is rather an
ob5jsct o: Pious hope than OF reasoned
II it were possible for individu-
ais of any form of life to secure
them selves against competition. 1t
would be to their interest 10 do so, yet
by so doing, they suspend the conditions
Of progress for the race, and we have the
startling conclusion that mans reason
working alone would have the effect OF
ultimately staying all progress.
Certainly the reason can give no sane
ton to the great majority in this world
for the condition III which they live-a
condition which the French call ia mis-
ere"-that in which the prospect Of even
steady and honest industry is life OF
unsuccessful battling with hanger,
rounded by pauper's grave and of which
Huxley says: If there is no hope of
a large improvement in the coalition of
the greater part of the human family, l
would hail the advent OF some kindly
comet to sweep it all away
. AS we come TO the great pro blem OF our
social development, on the one side, We
have self-assertive reasons; on the other
wider interests of the race, demanding
absolute subordinatlon by the individual
to onerous conditions which is apparent
~ reason gives him power to suspend
any, all 10 further a development in
which he can never hsve the slightest
interest. We have the extraordinary
spectacle of man, moved by profound
lu5tiICi, iSNi'S Nv thS tSi"S'S va
his social progress, against his own in
terests as an individual. What then Is
the force which leads man into conflict
with his own reason?
MIR. Kidd finds that force to be religion,
which he defines as form OF belief pro-
viding sanction for conduct in an indi-
vidual in which he subordinates his own
interests to those of the ra3e. The Christ.
ian religion is the greatest social force the
world has ever known because OF its eth
zeal systematic doctrines OF love, chart
~ and sef-sacrihce producing tnat
altruism which is the greatest element in
modern DEVELOPMENT. The western peo-
pls and especially the English speaking
portion, are the leaders in the worlds
progress, because most thoroughly I'M;
bued with the altruistic spirit.
Cranial measurements OF primitive man
and modem savagss give the civilized
man no claim for superiority. 1t is his
peculiar social Instinct, which by pre-
serving for each generation the enormous
fund of accumulated race, knowledge
places him as to birth UNNECESSARILY be.
yond all others. Kidd asserts that the
abolition of slavery was not an intellect
ual movement 3nt WAS the result Of two
doctrines, pre- eminent in the Christian
religion, viz, that of the equality of men
before the Deity and that OF salvation.
This idea Of social equality is in the
minds of many today as not an impos-
sible dream.
JOSEFA TOLUURST