Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-19
" ETHICAL FORCES"
DR.. J. s. MARTIN ASKS SENATOR
REEVE SOME QUESTIONS.
The Gentleman Goes Into Quite an Ex-
tended and Interesting Answer to
the Ouery-An Answer of Interesting
Comments.


ing before on ethical Force" asks
this question.
Is there All eternal and absolute
principal of right, independent aad
above mans authority, proceeding from
an absolutely perfect intelligence and
goodness, not subject to changes of
society or mutations of public opinion;
and has that principal been so fully re-
vealed TO mankind that the "wayfaring
man, though fool, may not err there
in"
That question was fully answered in
my lecture. If the doctor had used the
word God, for and instead of san absO-
lutely perfect intelligence and good
ness"-I would answer, No. The ex-
lstence of such principle establish
ed and revealed would be the determl-
nate, fixed irresistible decree of an i'm
maculate power, and it could not be OBJ
structed, violated, or changed, without
destroying equilibrium.
The Bible contains abundance of
moral precepts but that was given to-
only one people specially adopted by
God, few in numbers, and they were
forbidden to mingle with other peoples.
When Christ came with his revelations
he limited them to the same people,
and when he sent out his Evangels he
forbade them going to any other peo-
pie, and sent them only to the Jews
his own people. 1t was not until Paul
got angry at the Corinthians and said
he would thenceforth go to the Gentiles
that any other than Hebrews were
preached to. And there is no record of
any one but Paul preaching to any
others than Hebrews. Even today, two
thirds of the worlds inhabitants know
nothing of the Bible and its revela-
tiOns.
The doctor quotes Webster's defni-
tiOn of Right, as "the will of God"
What effect would that have on men
who do not believe in God or on
savages who never heard of a God, and
there are millions of them?
The doctors question is prompted by
my statement that, there is no fixed and
permanent standard of right and wrong
among men; and that each rests in the
individual perception, opinion, and
judgment, and in a temporary con
census of judgment as to communities
He can see the truth of this in the
difference between his own views and
the views of others on all sides, on any
subject. He has only to look at human.
ity as 1T is and always has been to see
that such ian eternal and absolute
principle" does not exist; that right and
wrong in moral sense is only an idea
growing ont of the idea of "the brother.
hood of man"-which is the source and
foundation of all mora. ideas. To see
that there never has been and never
cae be any fixed, unchangable, stand
ard of right and wrong in moral sense
made by men. To see that a
conception of right and wrong jus
tice and injustice is the con
clusion of each persons judgement, de
pending on his perceptions, knowledge
and envil Oument first, and srcond, or
an agreement among many, governing
the opinions of cummunity.
If such principle and revelation ex
listed as his question infers humanity
would not be at war with itself as it is
and always has been. There would
not be different races of human animal
graded from brutal canabilistic savage
up TO the enlightened There woult
not be hundreds of religions and o
variant religious devotees and contend
ing organizations. There would be n
agnostics and infidels. There would b,
no disagreeing courts, or juries, o
wrangling among church conference
and synOds; or in political parties, leeis
latures, and among nations. 1t woul
be impossible. There would be no be
levers in foreordination. Christ woul
not have said that he came to bring
sword and that a mans enemies shoull
be those of his own household. III
would not have come at all to reform
or fulfill the Mosaic law because ther
would have been no need. If such
principle and revelation ever existe
then Gods incarnation in Christ and hi
immolation on the cross was who'll
uncalled for and useless. That fact i
history alone proves that it did ne
exist. And the Christian theology an
worship of today is useless if it exist
now.
The doctors question infers that tn
will (which is the purpose) of an infinit
immaculate God for the conduct G
creatures of his own creation, is subjet