The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-16
HISTORY IN WORDS.
nal Meaning of Terms in Common Use.


ndLhe goou meaning, and the word
after while was differently applied,
as frank person, frank letter. fran
chise, all having an exalted meaning.
In due time they changed the name
OF their country to France, derived
from frank. Now this is just as true
as that the Romans constructed the
Appian Way, or that Jason sought
the golden fleece in the Argo.
When we eat a beef-steak, NUT
ton-chop, or veal-cutlet, are we prone
to think of the reason why these
names are applied to the dead ma
terials, while entirely different ones
are given to the living creatures, as
OK, sheep, and calf? Still the ques-
ton is easily answered, when we
learn how the Normans CONQUERED
the Saxons in England, making the
latter menial servants having charge
OF the farms, the herds and f1ocks.
and they naturally called the cattle
by their own names of OK, sheep and
cali; as soon as they were slaughtered
they were delivered over to the Nor
mans, and of course, they called the
dead by the names of the living
creatures, as beef, mutton and veal.
AT length the victors and victims
came to stand on an equality and by
mutual consent the Norman names
were applied to the dead animals and
the Saxon to the living.
The word pagan" is the embodi-
ment of history. 1t is Latin word
signifying village, or a small collec-
tlon OF people, in contrast with citv.
or town. 1t is fact that science.
literature and civilization have ema-
mated, for the most part, from cities
while the rural districts and villages
have always been slow to receive and
adopt the improvements of the town.
BY this means they have forced into
the word pagan" bad significance.
Accordingly, when Christianity came
to be accepted in the city, it was re-
lected in the village: so the dwellers
IN the former were called Christians
and in the latter, pagans; thus good
meaning is forced into the word
Christian and bad one into pagan.
The word Christian was first applied
IN the city of Antioch to the disciples
OF Christ as stigma, but by good
conduct it has been elevated and is
now one of the sweetest words in any
language.
The word "heathen" is somewhat
similar to pagan in its pedigree, or
iginally applied to a dweller on the
heath, as a peasant, or farmer. In
the Orient he has usually been slow
to accept new things, and, especially.
improvements coming from the city.
choosing to be rustic to a civilian.
and, therefore, has forced into the
word bad meaning, as ignorant bar
barian and degraded. So we see that
it is conduct that defines words, Civ
ing them good or bad meaning.
The "lazzaroni" of Naples, Italy,
are miserable beggars sleeping on the
sea beach, or in hooks along the
streets, and get up in the morning to
beg a breakfast. Often they may be
seen by the hundreds sucking down
infected macaroni by the yard and
eating the crumbs that have fallen
from the tables Of the wealthy, as
did Lazarus of old at the home of the
rich man; so these Neapolitan beg
gars have taken his name and have
continued to degrade the word.
Candidate has come to be COM
mon and important term particularly
to those coveting office. In ancient
Rome it was customary for one desir-
ing an election to present himself
publicly, arrayed in white toga, and
so from his dress was called a candi-
date, signifying white; but this did
not by any means imply purity of
mind and purpose; it had reference to
the external, not the internal. If
modern candidates were always white
in character what blessing it would
be! 1t is money today that controls
the political Office. The word candi-
date is losing in significance, and will
come to mean black, if there is not
a change for the better.
From the few words already con-
sidered, we see how the Latin, the
Greek and other tongues, play an i'm
portant part i'll the formation of the
English language, making it exceed
ingly rich and euphonic; yet it CON
tains scarcely word which has not
an interesting and suggestive history
connected with it. Helps for this
work at present are numerous; some
good Macenus stands at every turn
to point the way.
OF course each one has got to
travel the road for himself, though
lions are couched in the route. In
Al ~