The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-18
GEO. R. PECK'S ADDRESS.
There Must Be a Return of Puritan
Ideals.
TIE TINES BAD and DEG RADING


ture society at Milwaukee Sunday night.
Many of the prominent people OF MIL
waukee were present. His subject was
"The Puritans." The most striking part
of his address was as follows:
It has often been said that Puritanism
and the intolerant spirit of Puritanism
brought, as too much zeal always does.
the natural reaction. This is doubtless
true. The pendulum must swing or the
clock will stop. But reaction implies
life, it implies motion, and it implies uitl-
mate progress. It is certainly true that
the spirit of the present age Is not quite
up to the Puritan model. l wish 1t were
otherwise. No fairminded observer can
fail TO see, and to see with sorrowing
eyes, that we are not in the current with
influences that are bad and degrading.
1t is the age of brio brac; the high tide
of dilettanteism in literature, in art, and
in religion. John Milton and john Bun
yam are with the immortals, but we have
an increasing flock of Austin Dobsons
and Alfred Austins, whose twitterlng
notes give as yet no promise of a timely
silence The blood of Puritanism is In
the veins of this nation. Some day there
will be revival,
When Puritanism comes again it will
como because new revolt will be need
ed; another protest against false stand
ards of authority, and false standards of
morals. But the new Puritanism will be
better than the old. or may not say it
will be the old, with the knowledge, the
growth, and the progress of 200 years
added to it? 1t will not-at least, l think
it will not-be CaIvinistic; but it will be
genuine; it will be earnest and it will be
filled with that allconQuering spirit which
the author of "Ecce Homo" aptly terms
"The Enthusiasm of Humanity" The
mil hiYh
ideas than the old. 1t will dream no
more of Republic of Saints. armed with
the sword of Gods anger, but it will
strike with the nobler weapons of peace
and love. 1t will be gentler, and therefore
stronger than its old prototype Charity,
patience. and hope will be in its ranks
and courage in its heart. Some mistakes
it will avoid which gave to the old Puri-
tanism its unlovely features. 1t will
have faith, not in dogmas, but in the
high essentials of right living. It will
exalt religion, but little heed theology.
1t will place conduct above creed. 1t
will not consider happiness in this W 0rld
the sure forerunner of misery in the
next 1t will rejoice in the laughter of
children, even on the Sabbath day. Songs
and poems will be its Joy and its conso-
lation; and the drama, purified and en-
nobled, will show virtue her own fea-
ture, scorn her own image, and the very
age and body of the time his form and
pressure. The new Puritan will not
think it wicked to read novels; but, IN
less the present quality Is improved, he
will think it great waste of time.
The Puritan of the future, like the
Puritan of the past, will be patriotic,
knowing that though patriotism may be
based on selfishness, it is the selfishness
of an enlightened judgment If he
lives in the United States he will con-
slider it his duty to maintain the honor
and dignity of the United States. He
will believe in the Monroe doctrine as
Monroe defined it, with such additions
and engagements as may be needful for
the protection of Republican government
in the western hemisphere. He will
trust implicitly in Gods providence,
but he will also believe in hav-
ing the coast defenses always in
order. Above all, he will understand
that he can best show his love of country
by making it more and more worthy the
love of all men everywhere. In that day
no man will think it right to leave to
others the performance of obligations
that belong to him in common with all.
The Puritan, when he comes again,
will take up in the old resolute way the
duty that lies nearest He will labor to
introduce honesty into politics-and into
politicians. l need not add he will be
kept exceedingly busy. He will believe
in soft words and in the efficacy of gentle
suasion, but he will also believe that
when these fail the rough hand should
be quick to smite the wrong and the
wrong-doer.
We need not disguise from ourselves
that we are facing problems in govern
ment-especially in local government
that cannot be solved by leaving them to
solve themselves. That was never the
Puritan method. The town meeting was
dear to the heart of every farmer and
villager in New England. The interest
of the community in which he lived was
his interest, and he sometimes made him
self very disagreeable in asserting it.
Today most of us think it sufficient if
we hold right views in the abstract, and
that truth is SO powerful it will some
way prevail. Every highly respectable
citizen believes that public Office is a
public trust and SO he goes to sleep,
while less highly respectable citizen is
quietly gathering to his own bosom the
public office and the mutilated remains
of the public trust Is it not the time
for Puritanism in some form to reappear?
Do you not think we could endure Ii for
awhile, even If it should come in its old !
likeness, with blunt speech and awkward |
manners, if it should bring again the |
old outrageous spirit and the will to do |
whatever needs to be done? The crying !
evil of the times is the lack of civic |
honor. We have learned to hear of pub !
lie delinquency without blushing, while |
we thank God it is not our fault. It is |
often said, and with some show of rea-
son. that the rulers Of the people reflect |
the average character of the people. |
This statement should be true of every |
representative government but, unfor- |
tunately, it is not.
Very few men are wilfully dishonest, bu
a large majority are careless of their own |
interest in the common veal It is true, |
toe, think, that our servants who hold |
omcial positions are seldom actually and !
Intentionally nnfaifhfuI Thar moral