The San Francisco call., 1896-04-06
DR.. YORK'S LECTURE.
What Is the Meaning Of Life From
the Standpoint of the Free
thinker?

t1o otdI1opOtnI OF F6e-
thinker?
DR.. J. L. York addressed large audience
at Scottish Hall last evening on 1.-The Sci
ence of Life, ana What Do We Live For?''
He said:
The question in our text is readily solved by
popular theology. and answered by the state
ment that we live TO glorify God and the saliva
t1on OF our souls from punishment in q future
state. But standpoint is everything in the
discussion of life, human duty and destiny.
And up to da te we have no absolute knowledge
OF any other world or any better lie than the
present life. And being perhaps unfortu-
nate in this regard we must look at this world
in the best light afforded by this world, and
are most happy in the thought that the best
probable preparation for another life must be
found in the wisest and best use of this life.
Reason, experience and natural science tells
us that our life is a part OF all other life and
subject to the same divine law, and that to
reach the best results in this life implies obedi-
moral being. And what we live for should be
the true development of all powers and facul-
ties with which nature, in her plenitude,
has endowed US. Human lie is full of prob
lens and open questions.
We are glad at the solution of every problem,
and yet, problems and queries are the intel
lectual miser's stock in trade, and to guess, an
tlclpate and theOrize pleases us almost as well
as to find out the riddle. and as rule our first
conception equals in pleasure any verification
or after explanation. All settled questions are
the stern realities, like the granite blocks upon
which we build the house. All open questions
are like windows in the house. which let in the
sunlight of heaven, and through which we
catch a glimpse of the landscape beyond
Human souls, like ships, were not made to
| anchor or be tied up to rot at the wharf, but
were made to sail from island TO continent
OF thought Animal life is simply motion /;
mental life is thinking, and TO think higher,
deeper, broader and purer thought is true
advancement and progressive life.
The life of our Republic, depends not so
much upon her commercial enterprise and
| wealth in the hands of the few as upon hon
esty, intelligence and Well-paid labor among
the masses. How to get rich? Young men,
don't try too hard 10 become rich, as wealth
makes most men mean and penurious. All
that man needs to get rich is to study
meanness, grab everything and hold on to it;
and the more they get the more they want
and neaner they get, as the undue cultiva-
ion of acquisitiveness, the hog side of our ma
ture, burns out all of the nobler qualities OF
manhood and leaves only self, while true char
acter is built up by the cultivation of industry
honesty and benevolence.
Our claim to live in the world is that we
share its labor and contribute to its progress
L. K. Washburn says that If you have talent
for professional career and wish to serve
| your race nobly, be physician if you don't
| think much of yourself ror much of any one
| else, be q thiId-rate lawyer; and if you don't
| have any confidence at all in your race, be q
| pothouse politician.