The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-25

count on their fingers the number cs years
1t VIII take us TO reach barbarian. Or the
knownothlng stage. They viii cite tie
awful condition OF politics religion health
etc. to substantiatc their arguments.
But Will their arguments holl good? For
instance, let us take politics. What Is
there in the politics or today TO SHOW that
we are moving backward? Absolutely moth
ing. But there is great deal to show
that we are moving onward and u9vald.
The great principles set forth In the demo
crntc platform of 1896 show an onward
progress. an enlightenment of the masses,
which is In harmony with the tn IS, The
smolderng fires OF freedom, which have
slumbered for ages, seem 20 have burst
forth In that platform. One 10, id close
his eyes and almost imagine that George
Washington WIS guiding this grand old
ship OF democracy, and that tn. Continental
army composed its timbers Patriotism,
freedom equality, Ameli AN an. ICY are
ali there each one a shining s;5i ttat Ia
leading countless millions or ward and up
ward 10 realization OF all that patron sIu,
freedom. equality and America liain lprlv
There are a set OF politicians who are
trying to stop our onward progress. out the
great mass of the people can be /, lard
marching onward. and the star which
seems to be drawing onward this great
march OF progress is the star Of knowledge.
Tho masses are studying and thinking ana
as they seek know ledge our politics become
purer and our progress onward
And religion. The star of knowledge las
shorn II of its old time superstition and
folly, and those ideas. which IN former
years could not be associated with a just
God and the misery of the world are
today blended as one--knowledge has iCund
the key. l remember few Yeas ago
reading one OF Rob Ingersols lectures In
IL I. ~ .xstt
hour and gaze upon the misery of the
world. let me take you to- the Sims OF
New York City, and there let us gaze Tor
thirty minutes upon all the ml1ary, poverty
and suffering that Is there; upon ,he sick
ness and starvation OF those poor wretches
Then, when you have sazed for one-hnlf
hour upon all this misery and suifering.
come with me across the great ocean and
let us visit the slums Of London, Let us
for half hour gaze upon all be misery
and suffering there. Let us gaze ilpon the
sick, the starving aud the dying. Let us
gaae upon the poor wretch N the srasp
OF that policeman; he has stolen Loaf OK
bread for his starving children. Ho is
condemned and sent to prison. What! You
turn AWAY from all this misery. You saw
you do not want Ia look loon II any
longer; that You can not bear It, And
yet you would have me believe that there
is Il Just God in heaven, who. day by dev
and year by year. locks down npun all
this suffering and misery, and when death
comes to the poor sufferers relief, that
this Just God will condemn .ho Moor
wrotch's soul forever. No! No! ] don't te-
lieve It, I don't believe 1t"
At that time II seemed that Mr.. lngcr-
soils article was almost unanswerablc.
for the great mass OF The people believed
that all those who committed wrong were
condemned to an everlasting torture. But
the star OF knowledge has shell its light
over the land and THUGS have changed.
knowledge says; "Would wheelright,
In making a wheel, make It to run for
ward or backwardg' Ana common sense
answers. forward" knowledge makes of
God a wheelrlght; the world Is the wheel
He made 1t was thu crownlng event OF
His success. and He made IT to turn for
ward, not backward That all things but
work together for the COOL OF nautlnd In |
the end: IN other words. that in the great |
oui all mankind will he saved There Ia
a seeking after knowledge and an onward
progress In religion,
There Ia no backward movement In tho |
progress OF the world. Knowledye kceps |
Us ever seeking, seeking, and Keeps the |
world moving onward, We are standing
on the threshold OF a new century. AMI the
opening OF this new century viii see the
triumphant march ot the massas into
power and control. ". l.. Gates