The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-01
ORATORS IN GUTHRIE
Continued from First Page)

refused 10 obey law; ne did not reverence
even the su5limi,y OF art in his fanati-
cal ambition % inaugurete reform. But
was this destruction without
was this destruciion waHton? Let re-
and torn pictures there arose in the
church TIE truer altar q the Great UR-
seen. The minister OF God became more
.r,lly the D. eache- OF Righteousness.
Spirit took the place OF form in religious
services and the church moved forward
10 aer conquest Of the world.
But the Iconociast, in broader
sense. is any man who employs his en-
e-gies TO break down the old and use
less trat the new and useful may take
its place. Sucn one was Alexander the
Great: a mighty destroyer-but Of what
Life and property, 20 be sure. but. more
than these. his worldwide corqussts de-
strOyed the selfish. individual isolation
Of nations ard spread over the world a
cosmopoittiSm that changed forever au-
man society.
The man OF GSiilse was an Icono-
clast Not With ak and spear and blui-
geon did ~ do his work; bur when ne
stood and declared ti,at men are not
nea,d for much speaking that the son
that 'nct mat which gosch into the
mouth defileth a man. ne destroyed the
most cherished idols os rne Hebrew ma
tlon in order that ghe religion os love
might prevail.
But Iconociasm has touched vastly
more than the religious side os history.
Political society has. in the past. c:eav-
ed many idols at wiTose shrines liberty
has been sacrificed. justice slaughtered.
and humanity destroyed. The divine
light OF kings was a gigantic po,itical
M0loc1 that for centuries received and
consumed in his sitting embrace every
tender offspring OF democratic thought /:
but az last there came an Iconoclast,
wno win the Pufitans' prayers and
the sword OF the New Model. threw
down the image OF this monster. ground
il to powder, AMI washed away the
pollution with biooi They were Iconc-
clests. w.lo, in l776, in the very face OF
threatened destruction. dared 10 pro-
clam 10 the world thSt all men are
created equal;' for by that proclamation
they struck down the idols OF caste 10
which men had bowed FOR countless
ages. He wes an Iconociasx WHO in 1858
in the capitol Of our nation. VITA heart
afisme with love for hlrnnity and pen
wet with the ink OF righteousness wrote
the dsathless words that struck the fet-
tiers from the wrists ot four million
bonisnen; for by nat act he overturned
the devouring, destroying. deTnoraliz-
ing Idol of slavery worshtped for CEN
turtles by deluded mortsls.
Thus mas the Iconoclast been ever
and anon passing over the stage OF the
worlds activity. Destroyer though he
Is. he still mas been the fOrerunuer OF
every advance in civilization. The
golden wand Of progress has been wav-
ed onl yaoOve the heaps Of ruins he has
made. The fuller glow OF sJcia1. polgti-
cal. and religious light in whicn the
world today rejoices shines in because
the dark images set UP by superstition
In the past have been thrown down.
Were II nor for this work Ot destruction
We To-Day would be groveling In the in
teiiectual darkness OF the middle ages.
We today would be plundeied and de-
voured by the greed Of kings. We to-
day would be burning hergtics. hanging
witches. and guinJtining free thought.
''Bu. with al our deliverence from
sIcl things We are yet idolstors. Every
age sets uD rs images. and We nave set
up ours. Even in the halls Of mirtn AMI
J0iity we pass them and uncover ouf
hcads; in the political arena we estard
leyerently before them; in the church
on Blended knee we woTship them. And
what are they? Our social Gus. orns kirat
have no claim 10 our respect except t1at
they are old; political principles, which.
only because of age, c0nttCl
mems thought; religious dcgmas which
men believe and reverence all because
the fathers held tarn sacred. These are
images as coTrupting 10 society. ~ de-
to nations. a. denor4lizing 70
tie church. as ever sJOod in palace.
court, OF sacred tenu8e. These are
images mat turn mems hearts and
minds from the true p3rpose of living
AMI tSw2rt the designs ~ Divine Intel
igence itself These are forms 1hat the
waning lignt ot the Niueteenth century
must reveal ana the Icon,cIsst q to-
lay must sha3ter.
Yet. when I speak thus. conservat-
.sm, kn0w. Is shocked AMI alzr-neI.
Tie COnscri5t Fathers. many - .he-n.
withdraw Win agitation IN racir faces.
Men ara ready 70 cry out: a vain ba5-
bier. a councillor % eyH. 60 nct after
aim
Wen. sirs. 7 know enc strange spa,l [
mat SITS upon Trinkied brJV-s and hoy-
rs above the silver locks ! knox the
strange eDchantmeut t3st hangs s5out
80 form q age I myself have fe8 fEs
'pel as I stood in tn uD1rJken forest F,
hat centuries rad conspise5 - create. /
myself nave felt tae enhancement as I
STOOD 1enesth t5e cliffs u granite ani |
J1ked upon Tlsir broad faces al san |
y N Scared BY T1e fingers q time |
aces where were caroaicIef r1e pzs-sirls, |
Z ages ! vas entrsncei a. fe,t fhst |
luni1s1s = centuries zere Ioos1 ns- l
i3E7n upon me- Bat z-hen the s-eii xss l
1rJken. the enchsrr-neu< gone. teen /
aid: 'H0sg useless the forest except 3, 1
- torn % ard bgilde1 irfto e5pces p. 1
nen AMI s'li1,s 20 carry usgn's commerce-
Md c1e cliffs bu- conceai beneath and !
,eaiDd taeiT an-ient forus csse precious /
ress- Tae r3eEs nust - rent and 4
and torn tasV ths go.1 may /.
q
5y. gnsn I ssan1 bsfore c1sssrns ani /
avs AM faiths: t5e i1feri9r must yield /
m b Destroyed saaf the superior nay
ssn1-
-S5c.s1y today. ziss al lts ruze -