The times., 1897-06-13
scotch opinious of America in 1870
tFrom the New York TIibunel

tFrom the New York TIibune1
The Monthly Bulletin of tie New York
public library publishes letter written by
the Rev. Charles Nistet, tie first PRESIDENT
of Dickinson College, winch IS a yeIy gcCd
answer to a rather large class Of people
today who declare that this country Is de-
teuorating morally. The letter is dated
Carlisle, Pa, September 2, 1880, and is
written to a friend in Scotland. We hear
a great deal these DAYS about the superior
morality, virtue and patriotism that char
acterized the early days of the republic,
when religion flC1Iisheti. seCial life was
clean and pure, and ali politicians were
statesmen anxious only for the public good.
Ii is most moving picture of an idylliC
condition, suggesting al once the Garden
OF Eden and p Iato srepubIie. but. curiouSly
enough, Mr. Nisbet, who was an honest and
intelligent man. gives a totSlly different
view of the times in which he lived. In
deed. il he is TO be taken as a Ccmpetent
witness, instead of deteriorating, this na-
ton today is immeasurabIy more religious
and moral, and its political methods are far
more pure. So easilyis the bubble of theo-
retic assumption pTickei by the sharp lance
of truth.
In substance, 8IT. NiSbet declares that
religion and morals were at a low ebb in
this country at the time he was writing
There was no such thing as disinteTeste.l
friendship, every man looking out for his
own selfish interests, even though he had
to break premise To do SO. IAN charac-
tiers are equal, says this candid chronicler
of anage that some Of us have been taught
to regard as golden. NO Degree Of Vice
car make Man inf nor 1OuI,f fIn
highest Degree OF Virtue Il Piety pIo-
cure any Respect to its Owner.
Other view equal yunfla,te aregiven,
but il is not necessary to repeat them ia oe-
tai Enough hasbeen quoted u show what
the first president of Dickinson College
thought of his time { may be said. of
course, that ne grossly exaggerated the evils
that then existed. We are not concerned
here to deny this. Perhaps he did exag-
gerate; perhaps his utterances were coli
ored by prejudice, no less real because il
was unconscious. But that admission viii
not help those who glorify the old days ~
the expense of the present. For if so in-
ts!ligent man as Mr.. Nisbet was unable.
for whatever reason, to tell the truth about
his own age. it is not possible thai the men
who to-day are voiubly declaring that the
country is going 10 destruction, are equally
mistaken? That is the lesson which Bfr.
Nisbet's letter teaches, and it is a lesson
that is well worth learning. In every ags
the evil is always more in evidence than thu
good, and the downward tendencies Of
society are always noIe vigorous to out
ward seeming than the tendencies that
make for righteousness. All observing men
must note this fact; but some attach to il
more importance than it deserves. They
begin by taking account Of the evil, in
order. perhaps, TO find out the best way If
overcoming 1T. They end by believing that
not only is evil in the asccndancy. but
that it cannot possibly be overcome Such
pessimists do incalculable harm, especially
il they are good and welEmeanine; for they
blot hope out of the horizon. and cut the
nerve of endeavor. Despair never yet
preached a successful gospel. and it never
will Moreover, the man who gets into
the hahit OF instinctively looking at the
dark side OF life is his own worst enemy,
for he who begins by railing at the world,
ends by scorning himself.