The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1896-06-11
ssTHE UNGRAgEFUI. MASSES. Y
The Grafton Delivered By Mr. Harry
Shaw III the Inter- Society Contest.

-
shaw ID the Inter- Society Contest.
Below Is the excellent Grafton YER
batim delivered By Mr.. Harry Shaw
iii the contest on Tuesday evening:
The world has always had its he
roes iii every great crisis. Indeed the
great master wheel Of progress has
been turned only BY the blood Of men,
#of the heroic few. The great body oil
mankind has opposed every move
toward the betterment of the condi-
tion OF the race. So bitterly have the
masses chung to ancient customs and
lsages that the men who have dared
to stand for truth and the advance
ment of ciyilizati6A shaye been mar
tyred almost without exception. This
indeed to us seems strange; but III Is
nevertheless true.
Proinetheus was bound upon the
Caucasus and made to undergo the
most severe punishment because he
rendered service to mankind. Soc
rates was put to deathsfor his discoy-
cries in mental and moral science.
The writings OF Aristotle were con-
demned and their readers excommuni-
Gated. The experimental philosopher
OF the thirteenth century, Roger Ba-
con, called the EARLY star predicting
daWn', was charged with being pos
sessed by a devil, and placed in d cell
and kept in close confinement CALI
leo was driven from his home because
of his discoveries in astronomy; was
subsequently summoned before the in
QUESTION and forced to swear that he
would never again say anything inn
porting that the sun is the center of
the solar system, and to adjure the
..sheresy of the motion of the earth. =
He took the oath, but as he arose
from his knees it is said that he ex-
claimed in clear Italian accent, sit
moves notwithstanding. His oath
did not save him from the jealousy
and big0tFy that surrounded him: for
his writings were prohibited and he
was placed in prison to remain ait the
pleasure of the inquisition, Every
school boy is familiar with the trials
of Columbus; how he went from court
to court bearing on his heart his
great idea Of the new world beyond
the seas, meeting verse than dis
#couragement at every application fol
aid, until his persistence caused him
to be judged insane; and how after he
had fulfilled his great mission to the
world, he was allowed to die IN the
most Wretched poverty.
The inventor Of the steam engine,
one III the greatest benefactOrs Of his
race, was considered mad, and iInpris.
Eear5 TIE lf11 r1Ns 49, pNil11
down by a mob Fhe house OF the in.
yentor of the spinning jenny was bro.
ken into; his machine destroyed and
himself driven from his town by the
same kind of rabble. The newspapers
and magazines made all manner Of
fun of sStevenson's ideas of rapid
transportation, and Fulton had nc
friend that would venture to accom-
pany him on his trial trip up the Hud.
son.
Not only in science, inventions and
discoveries do we find this peculiar
and deplorable state of affairs, but
especially in matters of religion. The
church with its authority and wealth,
backed by the masses of the people,
has stood with ak in hand ready to be
head the advocates of any new princi,
pie that might be thought incompatit
BILE with the established organization.
So much evil has been done under the
garb of religion, so fearful has been
its opposition to science, and truth,
that the church, seems to have beer
the chief source.of mans suffering. LII
its history there have been many dark
ages; and had it not been~for Those
single individuals who cared more fol
truth than for life itself, we would to
day be living in dark age more, terri
BILE than any that history records.
Wicliff, the forerunner Of the refor
nation stood alone in his attack up0r
the early Romish church. He came
into the world and found that Godi
message to man, the Bible; was for
hidden treasure and that Its possession
was very dangerous He saw tina
those who dared to look within 1t.
sacred pages, were obliged to do SO II
the dead Of night and behind barred
doors and NOT unfreqnently did b.
witness solemn procession move e
the public square and there scraps q
the Holy Book with their detected
possessors consigned to the flames
He thought this ought not to be and
sd he set to work I'd translate the Bi
Bile and to place it in as many hands
alb possible. 1t was before the time D
printing but we are given some idea
| OF what this tfreless genius accom-
plished from the fact that two hun
dred OF his Bibles were burned at on
time. The reward given him for Thu
| inestimable service to mankind, wa
to have his grave desecratsd and hi
burnt ashes thrown into the Swift
Thus they thought to deny him ;
tomb but the Swift bore his ashes Il
the Avon and the Avon to the sea
thence they were dispersed TO all land
making the entire earth his final rest
Ing place.
Next came upon the arena to TAX
up the work where Wicliff had laid |
down. the fearless Martin Luther
and with his public life began the ma
Reformation proper. He Tough
against prejudice, authority and TIL
lcorrupted church aided only BIZ Al
unseen power. He dealt the priest
lhood staggering blow when he pro
Iclaimed to the world that Gods for
lgiYeness could not be purchased 70
lmoney and that man could 20 To Hin
without human mediation. Did til
people assist him In his efforts 10 fre
them from such terrible bondage Na