The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-02

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design or collision? Il all points TO the
conclusion that the popular voice testi-
fes instinctively to the existence OF an
innate idea Of Immortality. This voice
seems TO say IN various languages but
with one feeling. when We die, we do
not utterly pass out Of existence; we go
INTO some other place or state
The Latin word homo IMAM together
with its adjective. "humanus' human).
seems suggestive Of instruction. II the
word be Of the same family as "humi'
(the ground) Did the ancestors Of the
Romans have some trace of the revela-
ton that man was made out OF the dust
Of the ground? The Romulus and -Remus
account Of the founding Of Rome to
gether with great deal more that we
used TO learn with so much enthusiasm
about the heroic age OF early Rome, has
been swept away by the profound and
iconoclastlc criticism Of Nisbuhr and as
scholarship has failed to give Us any
satisfactory account of the ancestors Of
the Roman people. may we not harbour
suspicion that, at some prehistoric
period, those ancestors had an oppor-
tunity OF learning something about the
Mosaic account Of the creation? one OF
Vireirs poems sounds almost like "Messi-
anic' prophecy. Whence did he derive
his idea? He IS not distinguished for
originality. / am not dogmatizing but
venturing TO speculate In a field OF
thought in which the specialists them
selves seem able 10 do little else.
The word Fright" IN its notifications
in various languages IS a standing protest
against the abstract speculations OF "a
tionalistic writers on ethics. like Jouf-
troy; and a witness I'm favor Of the Chris
tian code of morals. which makes the
will Of God the rule Of life. In Latin we
have "rego.' TO draw a straight line-tO
make straight-hence to rule. Then we
have 'rectus," right or that which IS
made straight. The idea of straight
ness" is the root-idea in all the members
Of this numerous family. many Of which
we find in English. as 'rectify." "recti-
tude,' direct" erect" &c. Our word
right" itself shows in its photography
a close kinship TO the Latin "rego" some
times written with an (, as in 'dirigo.'
to direct. In geometry we speak OF
fright" line meaning n straight line.
Right" then. is that which is straight.
and the rex" regs)-King, drew the
straight line. What a strong coniirma-
ton Of the principles Of Christian ethics,
But this view is stll further confirmed
by the word which expresses the opposite
of right. Wrong" past participle OF the
verb ''to wiring" tsanic word as 'wrung')
Is a standing testimony 10 the truth OF
Bishop Buffers contention that immoral
conduct does violence 10 nature. That
which is wrong is twisted. or wrung out
Of it's natural. proper straightness. The
French have the same form OF express
sion. 1t is tort" Gwisted), compare the
Latin "torqueo." and the English tor
ture." All this shows what violence man
does 10 nature whenever he does wrong
OF course by the term nature" l mean
his original. straight. God-given nature.
and not the perverted. twisted second ma
ture-the wrung. distorted nature which
was introduced and produced by sin.
God made man upright
While on the word right" I will note
the fact that the French word for right
convicts Of stupidity. or Of unreason, las
Carlyle would call iD every man who does
wrong. The French word is raison (rea-
SOM, and a man is said 10 be right when
he has reason dl a raison) Every French
man. then. who does wrong. is. by the
very formation Of his language, convicted
of folly. This view Of the case gives
strong innate testimony in favor Of the
right; but the people whose ideas of
l4ElL IlAAt il SIMPLY IfarOll1fAtf NlV
In the origin OF the word. attached no
divine sanction 10 the thing. were the
people who deluged their land with blood.
In an insane attempt 10 do away with all
authority, human and divine, and to en-
throne the goddess of Reason" as the
sole object Of their worship. Oh reasonl
what unreasonable crimes have been
committed in thy name,
II is a curious fact that the word ire
ligion" Itself is Of heather birth. The
Romans had il in almost the Identical
form in which We now have it. Its for
nation naturally suggests a suspicion
of at least an unconscious recognition Of
the fallen nature OF man. Etymologically
the word expresses the thought Of bind
ing back-restraining curbing What
need OF binding back checking. restrain
ing moral agent whose principles and
motives are all right, and who can
therefore be trusted 10 90 right without
any such restraint? The re" preposi-
ton used in combination with the verb
'ligo. Is especially suggestive. II is an
inseparable proposition. 1. c.. one which is
never used alone, but always in combina-
ton with some other word. thus forming
n single term. u means back. or again.
as in our English return" There seems
10 be lurking here n recognition of mans
away from the correct stand
ard Of duty. He has gone astray-has =
disposition 10 80 astray-and needs TO be
bound back.
This view Of the word religion will
not seem fanciful to those who have care
fully studied the religious rites of the
early Romans. and have noted the deep
significance OF their numerous sacrifices.
Tho etymology OF the word pain" is
Instructive. It is doubtless the same word
as the Latin poena-the ransom money
for deed Of blood-satisfaction for crime
DR. wrong-hence punishment He who
suffers pain is suffering punishment-the
Of the violation Of law. The law
nay have been violated by the prosenitors
Df the sufferer. and the pain may be
vcarious punishment but still il IS pun |
ahrnnnt Snrnn Of our 1nnlical mon might |