Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-10-19
different standards of duty.

One man thinks he ought to do what
another condemns as wrong. Men
have different and imperfect notions
of right.
What I wish to point out here is
/ that we cannot take our idea Of duty
from the actual condition Of things,
it il too imperfect. We cannot use it
as d guide. Then what shall be our
standard Of right: The only answer
iS,'that which is more perfect than any
action we now see. The right is not
| TO be found in one individual. or
nation, for there are elements Of
Se.tSnneSS and imperfection in their
/ besJ deeds. We can see mistakes.
/ We can think of improvement. We
can imagine wider good which might
be attained by better deed. But
where do we get that? Not from any
! thing we see around us. Then where
| do the ideal ethics have their origin?
II not in man with all his Imperfect
tiOns and cOntradictiOns-Where?
DR.. Felix Adler says, I'VE must
/ interpret the universe as if it were
dedicated to a good purpose, in order
| that by our eXertiOnS we may con-
tribute to make it good" If the uni
verse is dedicated to good purpOS who
50 dedicated it? You see we have to rise
| above all human imperfectiOnS for our
| idea Of the good that ought to be.
! Not only that, but every man who
acts for the welfare Of society lives in
| The future, he forecasts what will be
| the effect of his actions on the national
life in fifty or one hundred years
! hence.
And what does all this imply? 1t
| means that man possesses facuiti eS by
which he can penetrate the unseen
and discover it's secrets. He can pro-
| iect himself into the far future and
prophecy what man and society will
| be.
In his search for the ideal he has
come face to face with God In Shap-
| ing his actions with reference to far
| distant future he reveals his immOr-
| tality.
Let us take Ingersoll's creed as an
example of this. This is what he
for the right. To love mercy. To
assist the weak. To forget wrongs
and remember benefits. To love the
truth. to be sincere. to utter honest
| words, to love liberty, to wage relent-
less war against slavery in all its
forms. to love wife and children and
friends, to make happy home, to love
the beautiful in art-in nature, to
cultivate the mind, to be familiar
with the mighty thoughts that genius
has eXpressed-the noble deeds of all
the world, to cultivate courage and
cheerfulneSs, to fill life with the splen
dor of generous acts, the warmth of
loving words, to discard error. to deS
troy prejudice, to receive new truths
with gladneSS, to cultivate hope, to
see the calm beyond the storm, the
dawn beyond the night, to do the best
that can be done and then be resigned
this is the religion of reason, the
creed of SCIENCE
That is noble creed, but it is not
an agnOStic creed. You have in every
sentence large and sublime know
ledge. Every particle Of it comes out
Of the future and has the stamp of God
and Immortality upon it. Every word
describes the ideal. What are truth
and Justice but visions of the imagina-
tion? They are not seen by the senses.
How can there be love of the beautiful
unless it is inspired by the Creator Of
The beautiful? How is it possible to cul-
tiyate courage and cheerfulneSS unless
we know there is one who is stronger
than our foes and will give us the
victory over them? And how can we
see the calm beyond the storm--the
dawn beyond the night if we have no
immortal life Or power which can out
live and outride the storm? If we are
not terrified by the darkness Of the
night then we must see through it into
world of light beyond.
This creed implies moral insight
and the noblest motives for the
WOrthieSt kind of life and actions.
But it is not the creed ofscience, nor the
product or reason. 1t was in existence
long before there was what we now
call science. You may find every part
of it in the teachings of Jesus, and
while it is rational the reason alone
did not create it.
The Whole of this creed may be
summed up in single sentence. It's
faith in d moral ideal. And what is
that: 1t is only an abstract name
for God. You cannot have the moral
ideal without the activity within you
of 4 living God.
And it is lust here that we see the
vital relation of morality and religion.
4 morality without religion would be
noble conduct without high motives,
which is impossible.
The essence of all morality is the
sense of obligatiOn-the feeling that
ought to do a certain action, but who
creates that feeling and conviction? |
do not create it myself for | often feel
| ought to do what is contrary to my
desire and inclination. And it is not
given to me by others, it is not the
demand Of society upon me for society
does not always know what kind of
action is best for its welfare. The
ideal of the prophet and refOrmer does
not come either from himself or the
people. The vision is Of higher in
SplratlOn.
Any morality that is worthy of the
name-whicG is a sincere and honest
effort to do what is right, has its roots
in some deep, eternal principle-de
riveS its motives from the future. He
who acts rightly does SO because he
has a reverence for man, but there
can be no reverence unless a man be-
lieveS in the SacrednesS and immor-
tality of his nature, if he regards him
as being no more than a mere creature
| here today and gone tomorrow, then
| all he cares is to use him for his
selfish purposes. Nothing less than
the faith that he possesses great and
permanent life can give that reverence
| for human nature which inspires the
right treatment Of it.
The older sanctions of morality
were rewards and puniShmenUs. The
motives for good conduct were the
| terrOrS of hell and the JOYS Of heaven.