The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-09-28

plumber as the only means Of livelihood,
upon man as nothing but a savage war
rlor and woman nothing but beast OF
burden, and upon sorcerers as possessing
magic power, Imagine the world OF to-
day, with Ideas OF medicine, psychology
anatomy and theology Identified with
those Of long centuries ago, and you VIII
have an idea of what stagnation OF
thought would mean. The same conclu-
sion is arrived at here as elsewhere.
without continual change, thought as the
little bud, would soon yield 10 the inevl-
table enemy death, and It's remains
would soon be wrapped in the shroud Of
oblivion.
Nor does the realm OF religion present
any exception to the rule, 10 this lnevita-
BILE law OF change. So long as men con-
tlnued to look upon rock and log and
images as gods, so long as they could
worship roots, claws of birds, skins,
teeth, feathers, human and animal re-
mains of all kinds, as deitles, SO long as
men could influence themselves 10 believe
that animal sacrifices, that the slaughter
OF bullocks and lambs and the incense or
countless offerings could placate an an
gefed emnipetent being, SO long did re-
ligIon have TO remain a stereotyped fact
and not a developing force, Had It not
been for the ever repeated influence of
reform, of change OF the right character
had not the devotees and leaders Of faith
intoxicated with religious inspiration,
recognized the necessity OF internal and
evolutionary. not revolutionary change
religions influence would have long since
ceased and It's recognition as the domin-
aIaDNanf NJ IIIn
would have been thing OF the past, The
religion of Abraham is not Identical In
all respects with that of Moses, nor is the
religion of Moses that OF the prophets
The same development visible In other
directions Il visible as well here, The
same demand for change on the part not
Of the people, but OF time. The same al
iteration OF form with the advance OF
thought Is visible here as well as else.
where, Nor did the religion OF any oil
these three leaders by any means repre-
sent at all times that which the masses
practtced, believed and demanded. Had
the masses had their say, they would
never have changed. What ! mean IN
had no leader appeared In those days 10
show them the necessity for change, such
change would never have appeared, and
the good results thereof would remained
hidden. 4.au there been no Amos Ia
leave his herd and sycamore trees, to en-
ter the festival at Bethel and proclaim
his Views, the festival would have con-
tinued, and been repeated In similar form
year IN and year out.
In View OF all this, in view OF the fact
that every sphere OF life, that the mater.
ial and physical universe, the flower and
fruit kingdom, the Intellectual and scien-
tlfc and religious worlds all demand con-
tlnuOus changes of deep and most vital
nature, At IL n matterof surprise Is 1t not,
thta when we reach the realm OF the
nineteenth century activity In an ethical
and moral sense, the law and change
seems 10 meet with an inexplicable ex.
ception. At all events 1t is seeming ex-
ceptlon.
The prophet was therefore right when
he called unto the people "Rend your
hearts not your garments" II the
change for the better be not thorough it
were better not at all, II the alteration
be not heart whole 1t were better no al
teratlon whatever. The New Year brings
unto us this message, writes 1t down
upon the walls of time in words which
need no Daniel Interpreter, change but
change thoroughly. Think and act DIFF.
ferently, but let the difference be not
only noticeable, but deep and lasting,
The new year will not be as the past.
The slnNlarltles will be fewer than thu
variants. Let us follow In these lines,
and we shall find the coming days pos
sessed of more benefits to man, Of more
success TO a world Of Individuals, Of more
happiness to all the human family.
Amen.