The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-04
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
AMERICAS COMING ARTsT0CRACYs a
LAB0R-DAY DISCOURSE.
By the Rev. Albert c. Grier, ID. D.,
Church OF the Good Shepherd, Uni
versaIist, Racine, Wis.

We are the children of God, and: Il chm.
heirs with Christ.-Romans viii, 1911.
When our forefathers wrote in the
Declaration Of independence that all men
are born equal they uttered the wish u
their hearts rather than the philosophic
thought of their brains
Men are born equal in no sense of the
term. neither in wealth nor intelligence.
neither in strength nor opportunity. If
our fathers had said that men ought to
be recognized as equals before the law
and no condition of birth, color or other
extraneous thing should permit a privi-
lege to be granted one or right de-
MED another they would have said what
they meant.
Some there have always been. some there
will always be, superior to others. And
this condition of supremacy is a necessary
enc. for if all were exactly equal in any
thing all the value of diversity would be
lost. In the struggle toward an ideal there
must be different conditions along the way.
1t is all exactly equal or an advantage for
some one. Nor is this true of single quali-
ties only; not only does this man excel that
one in ability to rule, but in quickness Of
intellect. in power of arm and in nobility
of soul.
AS long as man has lived upon the earth
there has been an aristocracy; there have
been those who ruled and those who were
ruled; some few who showed that they could
not only tame the forces of nature, but
employ the same process upon their fellow
men. Nor has this all been evil. 1t was no
rule or the rule of the few The mass was
not capable of ruling together and so the
most fit must do it, And the mass as gen.
eral thing has been content with this ar
| rar auf TCr-or1 in ho
sometimes prefer. 1t would seem. to have
corrupt rule rather than attend to it them
selves. But it is not always so, nor is it
necessarily sign of barbarism when the
people revolt against their rulers. 1t may
be an evidence of their awakening sense
of personal rights and an awakening ability
to share the burden of government.
But there is not only ruling few; there
is also class which centers around these
few. They are the real aristocracy. for
they come in closer contact with the people
and it is with their lot that the masses COM
pare their condition. Society is very COM
pick thing, as it is the QUESTIONING of most
wonderful and complicated mechanism. the
human mind. 1t is wheel within wheel.
And So we find an aristocracy in every cir
sADDENING HISTORY.
We look with saddened eyes over the his
tory of once great nations. We read of their
rise through seas of material difficulties.
see how they have shone in their grandeur,
and then sunk to rise no more. Then, look
ing around on our own beautiful history we
see the struggles of our forefathers. how
they conquered the wilderness and it's saw
age inhabitants, doing heroic pioneer work.
| making character to be shown in their sons
and preparing the way for them to work.
And then in the present we see ourselves
the richest and in many respects the most
powerful nation in the world.
So, in two steps, at least ours resembles
the history of all of the once great nations.
What Is there to hinder us taking the third
great STEP the fall? What reason have wa
to expect an immunity from the fatality of
history that has come to these other peo-
pies? We have arisen faster; may we ex-
pect a more rapid decline? Unless there
are conservative elements in our society
| that the fallen nations knew not of this
must be-
We believe that these conservative ele-
ments do exist, and that through them
there is large hope for our future. Let us
work and pray that they may ''have free
course and be glorified." Yet, glsncing into
| the real heart of the present, we do see
| dangers. OF but two can we speak at
length. passing by intemperance. race hat
red, the increase of divorce, the passion for
gain, the influx of the worst elements of all
the world. the longing after titles and all
sorts of arstocratic paraphernalia.
The aristocracy of America will never be
on the basis of blood. Our education is all
against it, and our experience has led in an
other direction. Blood never was and never
will be the sbibboleth of American society.
We may for moment ape England, but
our native qualities will crop out and money
will be on top every time. And 1t is to this
king that we are making our obeisances.
| The possession of wealth is the passport
| into society," and wealth is the aristocracy
of to-day. Nor is this simply an incident
| it is a necessary outcome of the wonderful
riches of the new world, of the spirit of adj
venture of our fathers, the mechanical and
scientific developments of the age and the
Undertaking. tendencies of our times. Seek
We first the kingdom of Mammon" is the
| aphorism of to-day.
This spirit presents not only spiritual
danger, but a material one. The creation
of wealth, unless there is just and some-
what equal distribution, is the very thing
that will stop its production. Production
cannot go on unless there is exchange, and
how can there be exchange when both the
thing produced and the purchasing power
are both on the same side of the house?
AGGREGATION OF WEALTH.
Mark Twain laughs at the old kings ana
priests who built vast cathedrais while the
worshipers were clothed in rags. But what
king was as rich as Vanderbilt? And what
one age could have as costly house OF
worship as some of the homes on Fifth ave-
nue.? There are seventy estates in the
United States whose average value is $780,
10000; 1900 people own one-half Of this
vast country, which was given by God for
the blessing of all his people. while the
other half Is divided among the seventy odd
millions that make up the balance; one
hundred men own practically all OF New
England, twenty men OWE nearly all OF
Scotland. while 40 possess all of value CT
the Emerald isle Thomas G.. Shearman
says that If the present rate is continued.
the bilionaires will be with us in forty
years; but Mr.. Sherman believes the dam
ger will be ere that. and the billion
aires coming be prevented.
The chief danger lies in the use that these
owners would make of their wealth 1t is
not natural that they should use It In secur-
ing material pleasure, in eating and drink
ing in gambling and other licentious ways?
What but these things were the causes OF
the fall of Greece and Rome? They are signs