The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-06-23
MARY E. LEASES DISCOURSE.
Words Of Wisdom, Eloquence and
Hope From This Gifted Woman.

ooill cqualleu, MUS. Ma Y u. Lease
spoke on ''The Signs of the Times
at Library hall at 2:30 Monday af-
ternoon, carrying with her the sym
pathies of those who thronged the
hall, and forcing words OF admira-
ton from those who through dis
reputable press comments, had been
p%rejudiced against her. Standing
room was at u premium, but those
who attended expecting to hear a
general TRADE against everything
and everybody were beautifully dis
appointed. A broader, deeper,
more charitable or more humane
view OF present conditions than Mrs.
Lease cntertains would be difficult
to conceive, and her entire discourse
closed with an eloquent word pic
ture which carried within it hope
and brightness and encouragement
for future generations.
E. Howe presided and at 2:35
called upon Judge Levi MCGEE, who
in u few choice words referred to
the solemn duties deyolving upon
the true citizen Of a nation such as
ours in the solution Of public ques
tions, and in introducing Mrs. Lease
he referred to her as one of the fore
most thinkers of the present day.
Rising with a stately air which
challenged the admiration of the au
dience and told Of the intense ear
nestness of the gifted woman, Mrs.
Lease wasted neither time O words
but proceeded at once to her sub
/ ject. She stated that evolution was
!, simply a series of progressive chan
, ges and that civilization was never
! a consummation. Briefly she pass
: ed over the history Of the republic,
p pictured the advanced ideas of a
hundred years ago as compared
with those of a century earlier, and
then graphically portrayed the adj
:, vanced ideas and methods Of today
!, as compared to those Of the days of
the sturdy continentals. She stat.
ed that the nation stood on the
+ brink of important social changes
. and that The great masses Of people
: were practically unconscious of the
> mighty changes being wrought be
fore their eyes. With touching pa.
g. tnos she referred to the crucitixion
l. how those who crucitied Christ il
T. the old days thought they had rio
N themselves of Him and his teach
= ings, little dreaming that in the cen
IN 'uries to come that cross which bor'
tie the bleeding form Of the saviour
m would become the symbol of a uni
versal religion. So it is with new
ss ideas. All changes are preceded b,
20 agitation among the people, ant
~ those who dare advocate new idea
n and new doctrines are prosecute,
III and misrepresented, but the IDEAS
10 if righteous, live on forever: Sh
20 stated that we are living in an ag'
he Of religious inconsistency. We pre-
fess the doctrine of Bear we on
anothers b1rdens," but in bushes
ie life our motto is every fellow TO
81 himself and the devil take the hind
~ most" IN the rush for wealth w
ar have substituted gold for God-n
10 room in money bags for the tie
u commandments. She gave all du
credit to modern church method
for all they had accomplished, bu
IS stated that the the churches mus
ee face about and administer to tn
90 body as we'll as the soul. 1t is diff
it. cult to find a hungry mar who ha
IN experienced religion. Feed hil
q and clothe him and you can the
talk religion to him. For centurie:
she stated, theology has been tryin
!, to keep the people out Of hell. 1t
- high time that theology recognis
the bodily needs of the masses, az
minister to them and thereby kee
hell out Of the people. She picture
the Inconsistency Of sending bibles
ng missionaries and w~hiskey-all
Dr. the same cargo-to christianize tt
IS heather across the seas, while ter
of thousands at home are in igno
val ance and suffering for the actual n
IT. cessities of life.
er. But from the triumph Of freedo'
over slavery the speaker drew
picture Of hope. Slavery W a
~ wrong, freedom was right, and q
though blood "a required to wiz
out that crime, right triumphed al
The race was blessed. She believe
re- that the national thought was ava
CT ening to a realization that a civiliz
to ton which permitted the robbing
the many to benefit the few was nj
q q civilization, but a barbarism. Il
nc trust question was touched upon I
M containing the seeds of its on
destruction in that it would for,
the solution of the problem. Min
es- ty per cent Of all our manufacture,