The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1900-12-29

Again, with the Reformation was
born new theology that cut loose
from the church, from tradition from
degmas, and in some instances from
Christianity itself. SO joyous was it to
be free as a religious and reasoning
SPIRIT indeed, the rebellion of Martin
Luther, or rather the spirit of religions
freedom brought to expression by Mar
tlE Luther, is back of all the free
movements of modern times, for man
I ni.s always been primarily religious
he hght for religious freedom has
gone steadily on. the determination OF
the free spirit to have the truth the
whole truth and nothing but the truth.
mas slowly brought into relief the sim
pie gospel Of the Christ. against the
nackground Of traditional dogmas and
the creations of fanatic imaginatio,
stimulated by religious enthusiasm hut
iehilghtened only by the dull flame of
all indifferent ignorance.
! And 80 the spirit of freedom has gone
! forth to conquer. and today civilization
rests on this solid rock of the truth of
it'reedom-the truth of human rights. of
soul liberty, of independence of spirit
on this solid rock of the freedom re
II uuth-the freedom of knowinp COL
I and nature and mankind and self Rut
what is freedom?
our ideas of freedom. like all our
| Ideas. have been shaped by conspicu
Gus events in history or in our own
lives. England and America disa
apout the tariff on tea. They fight and
America gains her freedom. th.h lie
she repudiates taxation without renre
sentation and wins the right of self .
government But this right to her own
government does not necessarily con-
stitute a state of freedom in America
witness the fact that one hundred veare
iater she awakes to the Knowledge that
4 Qhjaaf ole
that there was this slavery at the yero
moment when America was fighting t.
oe Tree. But a civil strife in which
me pest manhood and resources OF tba
Hation are drained in order to free fha
slaves. does not. after all. constitute a
.oatuieion .,!' non Oh pure freedom in the coun-
Hy' witness the fact that fhirty-fiv. +.
years after that great bloodshed i,,
behaif OF freedom thousands of thosa
WHO were freed are purposely enslay-
ed by an enforced ignorance and arc
not granted those rights of cftizensbin
LOT winch their benefactors fought and
cled. Aside from the question as to
whether there should be a condition ~
human slavery or whether slaves once
fleed should baT granted All of tba
rights or those who freed then, fba
aciuai condition of life in America arr
er the REVOLUTIONARY War and again
aIter the Civil War prove that freedom
pGre ana simple, cannot be defined in
terms or any historical event or chair
oot events. Precisely so is II also IN tn
u!Niduai experience. You find some
NeHing obstacle In your pathway. Won
are sure that freedom, liberty To pros-
:. ute your desires and purposes lies on
'ne o.her side. You break down the
opposing wall and rush Onto find an
o,ler yer stronger and more formidable
obstacle intruding itself between vn,,
ana your hopes. The mother str,,g
sies to free her child from ignoranco
ana she finds that the very knowledoa
sne mas given TO her child is fraught
Win dangers and temptations. Thu
sishtist SPENDS his time and money
ana strength to solve some yexinS
problem that weighs like lead
on MS spirit. He solves it. but the verv
discovery of his new truth is also q
revelation OF a multitude Of problems
set 10 De solyed-problems of which he
lever before dreamed. Freedom. soul
l,eeoom, can not be defined in terms of
any event or external condition what
soever. There are historical evants
personal experiences which indicate
lehoency toward the realization Of fraa
uoIn, out real freedom lies beneath tho
nurIace and it is only in terms of that
mlricil Is pack OF events and single ex-
tlal definition of freedom. Ia fresdo,,
tnen' the liberty to think and act "as
ole pleases? That is freedom in :,
nesatlVe sense whose right designat;or
- hcsnse or RIGHTEOUSNESS Ts tba
with whip poised over his
ta,s' Tree man? No power on earth
hoids his hand. He Is absolutaI, -,
TO do las he pleases.' but he 10 =, iee
u ue sense free man." for freador,
ieVtr pegets bondage He is free 10 a.
as ne pieasA, but real freedom, aa ao
pehds entirely on what he pleases -
uo. ., suppose he catches one glimnsa of
tne Isnt OF common humanity. of a
that dem 1nds pity. and ia
rue 10 that light, withnold;pg -, aad LIS -
'ntenued Tor his slave For that mo.
Hient ne Is free man because ~
spiilt "hlch controls him Is the snirit
'. freedom and begets freedom IN
III words, freedom can be defined
sr,is,. ~ terms of the attitude of the
sp'r't-in attitude toward tr,ytb 80
ward conditions. toward the u or,a 70
rrruiiIahity. But what Is that attit,,dao . 1
reeuofn always takes into account not I
90 or"piy SELF. but the truth or condi+ior,
i Ir.n rellow- -peirgs toward which self Is
$500, s necessarily related. This is no I
p,mss Any other way Of defining
,i,e, VIII construct a definition ~ |
e 'einsh rs iicerse. Freedom is an attit,,da
:. - me soul toward others What at;
~, necessarily that attitude which (
- We the cause of freedom in 9TH
b.. ~ ~. freedom must beget freedom
:, ultiihateiy we must define freedom
II terms of morality. truth poodnnss
iose tnings which we hold az pood !, ~
fortny In life. He is a free man tbara
- WHO mas toward others that att;
,oue which engenders in them GOOD
80 peace, joy, truth A nation as
'uch is free only when IT has to,ya ri
'ther nations that attitude wb;oh
'a.Ges TO them joy and peace, good
,ss' ruth In the last ANALYSIS. strin-
,eu ,o.. oi all concrete notifications. free
ion is simply the attitude of voIun-
dry service. He only is free who lives
serve All others are bond-servants
:, ,ecause their spirits are chained nv
ncse things which engender sorrow
,npression. untruth. Freedom-the at
~ uue or service. Push your Thought
'ch 10 ultimate things, you will find n
.osoiutely impossible to define freedom
;.aay y oeher terms. 1t Is the only def
,uoh or freedom that can be true to
umanity. true to logical truth
Now, l repeat the watchword of the
century has been "freedono
mas peen world-wide tendency
oWard this freedom which is the atti
uoe OF loving service. It is well known
Q every philosophical student of the
huercurrents of thought of our times
nat the latter part OF the last century
aw an exaggerated freedom that ran
VI INTO an exaltation of the rights OF
s INDIVIDUAL. Phflosophicalfy the
plrit or those days is called Individual
q 0VNfv