The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-06-06
SOME RAMBLING THOUGHTS
Written for the Democratic Advocate.
BY MEMO.


These Thoughts" represent the utilization of
the spare moments in the life of a busy layman.
The aim is to lead in optimistic way to better
understanding of life, its grandeur and response
bilities.)
Let us continue last weeks line of thought based
upoa Ciceros statement that there traces of the
Divine in every man. In considering now the evil
dences that exist of something in that is neither
matter nor mind, permit the writer to preface his
statements bya disarmament of criticism. The man
who thinks he knows all there is to be known on
any subject is the one who knows that subject but
slightly and his own limitations still less. All of
Truth is so vast and so many-sided that can all
see some of it but not one of can all of it,
Even our own view of Truth this year may not be
our view next, particularly if we are progressive
aud growing just as the outlook in hilly country
changes as we drive, or as the aspect ola promon-
tory juttng out into the varies from moment to
moment as we sail by. The present column of
Thoughts is simply therefore portion of grow
ing line of thought whereby one who was brought
up in the bndest faith and subsequently turned to
practical atheism, is threading his way back TO a
better understanding of the dignity and power of
complete manhood and womanhood and the grand
possibilities within the reach of both.
The writer observes among all nations, past and
present. certain rites and ceremonies at the time of
burial which point to belief in the continued ex-
istence of the individual though his body and brain
revert to dust, and become absorbed again into
terrestrial life. These may range from the munif-
cation of the Egyptian to the funeral pyre of the
Hindoo; from the slaughter of wives and servants
in Ashantee to the slaughter of animals by the
North American Indians, from the wild, weird
chanting of the Norsemen over the warriors whom
the Valkyrie had transported to Valhalla, to the
thrilling tones of the Christian minister he utters
the sonorous phrase 80, Death where is thy sting7
But the idea in all, barnacled over though it may
be with all sorts of superstitons is the SHINE be-
lief that within us is something 10 which death
cannot put full stop The writer finds 1t impos-
sibe to accept the explanation that this universal
belief among human beings is the result of the
cunning devices C priest; for while they have
Welded and do wi AN enormous influence over
partially informed peoples; yet traced back to the
origin OF things, the priest is found to be who
simply because of greater insight into religious
things isset aside religious duties The develop
ment of the burden imposing Rabbits among the
Hebrews from the simple functions of Aaron, and
the progress of the Bahmans of India from house
hold priests of princes into great religious auto
crazy, illustrate this.
The writer observes also that in the aged person
of good health there is gradual decay of the
bodily powers and slow weakening of the BRAIN
but he has yet to hear of meet one of pure life
whose faith in the hereafter and his essential share
In 1t declined as the moment of dissolution APP
preached Instead 1t has seemed as IT, concurrently
with the failure of all animal power comes a re-
viving life to that within, which is not subject to
the limitations Of either body mind This univer
sal instinct according to the analogies of nature
means something to undoubtedly; the web-foot
ola water fowl found far inland shows us that it
can swim; the wing muscles of bird tell us that
,vf1l arx han,
their natural bent not by any process OF reasoning
but by instinct. As far as we can understand,
animals make merely muscular protest against
death. but we human creatures are justified in
screaming with our expiring breath anathema
against Creator of the instinct, that makes us
long for place, where, unhampered by the weak
ness of body the fralties of mind, the yearning
for accomplishment measuring up 10 our powers,
may have full course, is merely a tantalisng de-
lusion and miasm of the mind
The writer further observes as he looks out over
the toiling millions of humanity that the animal
impulses prompt to acquire wealth and seek
comfort, and our minds show us how to exert our
selves most effectively toward those ends. With
bodies and minds only, this world would become a
vast hog trough where the invariable rule of the
scrambling mass would be ..Get all you can and
keep all you get" five are made up only of per-
ishable elements struggling fol individual existence
how are we then TO explain satisfactorily the grow
ing tendency OF the race, particularly in Christian
countries, to bear one another's burdens. This
world is thiekly dotted with institutions for the
betterment Of the sick and the deformed and the
bereayed and those who do not count their lives
dear fthey but assuage the grief or smooth the
way OF others. may be numbered by the tens Of
thousands. This phenomenon cannot be under
stood except by presnpposing our oneness in
spirit with one higher than us who secth the deeds
done In secret and rewardeth them that walk up
rightly.