The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-02
]. ]. VALEN TINE SPOKE.
Logical Address Delivered at the
Episcopal Church Of the
Advent.
Evils of Society Must Be Dealt With
Not From the Outside But
From Within.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL !

sos broadway, Aug l. }
Instead of the regular sermon this morn
ing at the Church of the Advent j. j.
Valentine, president of Wells, Fargo 81
Co.. lecturcd on Social Evolution" Mr..
Valentine is senior warden of the church
and the announcement that he was to
lecture drew a large audience to the Epis-
copal Church
After short introduction the speaker
said:
gressiye steps In the social order of the world
durIns the past 1900 years, by which savage
and lawless man has attained lie OF COM
parative law and order, in which the preva-
fence. throughout Christendom at least, of
compassionate altruistic sentiments is very
marked. design merely to give sketch OF
some of the stupendous changes achieved In
this progress as a ground OF reasonable expec-
tation OF change for the better as time goes on
In view of what is to follow IL is well to re-
member what the past has been. Our archaic
Drogenitors were dominated almost wholly By
savage instincts, and they considered war the
normal condition OF mankind. They would
have regarded the doctrines OF equality and
the brotherhood of man as utter Jolly; and
the theory of moral responsibility is unin telIi-
gible except as limited 10 mans own kin.
Human sacrifice, in the superstit1ous rites and
recognized diversions oil ldolatrous worship,
was horribly prevalent.
H. alphabetically speaking Thomas Jeffer-
SON. Benjamin Franklin and Edmund Burke
mad been called 121 years ago, as committee,
before q conference OF the crowned heads OF
Europe, or of its chief states men, to express
their views upon the future OF nations and the
human race, and had, by the mouth of the
gifted American statesman first named, de-
clared with inspired energy that the American
colonies of Great Britain would rebel, and
after an eight years struggle succeed in estab
fishing a republican form OF government, TAX
ing It's place in the family of nations; that It's
development as union OF Tree states
would attain une1ampled proportions, the
aggregate population OF which wouI ID, within
the time indicated grow from less than 000,-
900 TO ~, 600, 900, and that it would satis1ac-
torily administer its internal affairs and
main din its authority at home and Its inhu-
ence and power abroad with standing army
and navy of less than 10000 men-how wild
and visionary the recital would have sounded
to their august auditors.
H. to conclude, all these things had been
thus set forth 12l years ago before az assem-
blsge of monarchs or distinguished statesmen
OF Europe the several foreshowings OF events
would have been secuted as emanations from
the dlstempered fancy OF hairbrained enthu-
siasts or vain dreamers, and, like enough, the
prophetic speakers would have been de-
nounced as lunattcs and proper subjects for
STRAIT jackets in madhouse. Yet all this
vast progressive movement of the race, and
more, has taken place, and stlll unsatlshed we
sigh.
hold that this marvellous progress of the
nations, the uplifting OF the masses not only
in all the material comforts and venfences
of life but in intellectual, moral and spiritual
vigor, is not mere surface Manifestation, put
has a deep-rooted foundation and sturdy
vitality far exceeding any phase of ancient
civilization exhibited in the domlnions OF
Egypt Assyria Persia, Greece or Rome.
As the evils OF society are but the outward
expression of Unborn seltishness and depravity,
it is fu tile to attempt to deal with them from
the outside. Man, having well-nigh mastered
and narnessed nature mus now conquer HIM
self. and howf Through Jesus OF Nazareth,
the mower of God unto salvation.
To that question, then, OF Jesus: "Who say
We that am" as it addresses itself to every
human being, my own heart would reverently
answer: Thou art the Christ, the Son OF the
living God" And this, my friends, is the rock
foundation of my faith that The eternal pur-
poses of God are good,'' and will not suffer
arrest nor final defeat.