The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-14


forerunner in the last days.
Unitarian.
The large congregation at Unity hall
yesterday morning were greatly pleased
with the rendering of Dudley Bucks
great anthem, Come, My Soul, Thou
Must Be Waking" by Unity quartette,
and Of Holmes arrangement of Nearer
My God to Thee" by Nine. Swenson.
Mr.. Hudson preached from the
text: Am 1 my brothers keeper"
He said that the crime of Cain was not
merely murder. To this he added the
far more subtle and faIreaching crime
of indifferentism. Cain appears in the
Hebrew legend as the first Indifferent
ist, the leader of that large class who,
through the long ages since man
emerged from savage state, have been
repeating the impious question, Am
my brothers keeper" The preacher
wished Shere We're some stronger word
than "indifferentism' to characterize
this selfish Sinking of human respon-
sibility-some word with a clear, sharp
ring TO it, like rob, or lie, or steal or
kill.
When a man appropriates anotheT's
property we call him a thief (unlesS he
is rich enough TO be a kleptomaniac).
when he defrauds those who have
trusted him we call him cheat with
out mincing matters. But when a
man denies all claims of human respon-
sibility, when he turns his back upon
his fellows and excludes the power of
love and sympathy from the motives of
his life, when he shuts his eyes to hui
man need and makes himself a human
vulture, then we grow polite and pol
ished and refer to him quite respect
fully as an ''indifferentist."
And yet indifferentislE is the prolific
parent of all crime, the most dangerous
and subtle Toe to the growth of human
love and brotherhood. Not only this,
but it is even a foe to enlightened self
interest. The indiferentiSt is not only
criminal, he is also supremely foolish.
Human life is so closely interviewer
that Indifference to our neighbours well
fare becomes in effect Indifference to
our. own. The wise farmer cannot be
Indifferent to the noxious weeds that
are growing in his neighbours field; for
if permitted to mature the seeds will
scatter and next year spring up on his
own ground. We are even the keepers
of our neighbours weeds, and if We
fail to recognize that fact today it will
be forced upon US through bitter eX
perience.
A terrible and widespread example of
this community of human interests was
presented in the panic Of 1898, when
thousands of independent and success
full business men were thrown into
financial bankruptcy and ruin by no
fault of their own, but through condi-
tions arising from the acts of men
with whom they had no sort of ap-
parent connection, whom they never
saw, and Of whom they never heard
before. At the same time the impOr-
tance of mutual support and sympathy
was exemplified in the strong, brave
and wise management of financial in
situations in saving the credit of
themselves, their customers and SINH
lar institutions by recognizing in a
practical way the interest Of each in
panics, harsh and cruel as they are,
seem to be needed once in a while as
object lessons to teach humanity that
no one liveth to himself alone, but we
are members of our body.
The same great lesson is taught by
epidemics of disease. The unsanitary
conditions which affect the health Of
our brothers and our sisters, not merely
in our own city, but even in distant
lands, may propagate germs which are
readily communicated through the
means of growing travel until they pen
citrate your own households
Crime, too. is a malignant disease,
contagious and infectious, which, if al
lowed to terminate in any soil, will
send its contamination throughout the
length and breadth of human society
Along the byways and alleys of our
cities may be found the fetid and pol
luting atmosphere of haunts of misery
and vice. But do not think that their
influence is not felt in the handsome
homes that line the boulevards and
avenues. We may sneeringly repeat
Gains question With our lips, but be
sure that when we do we shall feel
Gains mark upon our brow.
The same great law prevails in the
field Of political controversy. Underly-
ing all party policies and platforms is
the great principle that no government
is wise that permits conditions to ex-
list which despoil our brother to enrich
ourselves. Mr.. Hudson defined clearly
what he conceived to be the true atti-
tude of the pulpit toward public ques-
tons. Whatever influence the pulpit
has, he said, lis a trust conferred
upon it by men and women of all
shades of political belief to aid in the
advancement OF puDIlc morals, and
when the pulpit seeks to use this infiu-
ence in the interest of any particular
party or faction, it is as much guilty of
a breach Of trust as if a guardian
should invest trust funds for private
gain. But underneath the strife of
party conflict, lie enduring and ON
nipotent principle, with which the pull
pit should non hesitate to deal. One
of the most important Of these princi-
plies is the great law of the vital interest
Of every class and individual in the well
fare Of every other class and individual,
throughout the body polite. When the
principle comes to be adopted in place
Of the Christless code of Cain, political
policies will be greatly simplified and
political strife allayed."
The Drea said he mad thus far
spoken of the subject from the point of
view of self-inFerest. But there is a
higher standpoint from which to view
the question. 1t is only through our
recognition Of the common element in
human life that we are able to enter
into communion with the divine life.
The infinite spirit we call God is not up
above the clouds, but down among the
people" Gods truest altar is a hu-
man soul. When our heart enfolds a
brother, God is there. Love to God
and love to man" is the great double
law of life, and each part incomplete
without the other. But this love must
take it's rise upon the human side. 1t