Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-06
PICTURES OF HUMAN NATURE

PICTURES OF HUMAN NATURE
II is OF peculiar interest at the close
Of this century to compare some OF the
portraits OF human nature, successfully
given by those most competent to draw
the characteristic features.
There Is one picture taken shortly be-
fore the deluge The author says Gen
G: 81. And God saw that the wicked
ness Of man was great in the earth,
and that every imagination Of the
thoughts Of his heart was only evil con-
tinually" The same observation was
made Immediately after the deluge.
Some centuries later, the inspired
poet on the throne OF Judah declared
that, "They are all gone aside, they ase
all together become filthy: there is none
that doeth good, no, not one" Ps. IA; 3.
And In the beginning OF our era Paul
the great Christian philosopher and
logician, applies this to the world OF
his time. and adds some touches Of
his own: There Is none righteous, no.
not one there is none that understand
eth, there is none that seeketh after
God They are all gone out OF the way
they are together become improbable;
there Is none that doeth good, no, not
one. Their throat is an open sepulchre;
with their tongues they have used de-
ceit; the poison Of asps is under their
lips: Whose mouth is full OF cursing
and bitterness; their feet are swift to
shed blood destruction and misery
are In their ways, and the way Of peace
have they not known" Rom, 3; 1911.
Such are the pictures Of human ma
ture. fallen and unredeemed, presented
by all inspired writer's. Are they In ac-
cord with truth? What is the conclu-
sion OF independent research?
A most interesting reply to this ques-
ton may be found in 1.-THE Map Of
Life, work In which the author. Mr.
Lecky, trayerses the entire domain Of
morals. Mr. Lecky speaks with au-
thorty, as one Of the most prominent
historians Of the century. He, too,
draws a picture Of human nature as he
sees It two thousand years, almost, az
ter the humiliatlng description Of the
Apostle Paul was penned The ethics
of the press, the bar politics, war; and
marriage pass review before Mr.. Lecky,
and he corroborates emphatically the
verdicts OF former ages.
In the Literary Digest we find a brief
reference to this important work. The
author remarks that the world, after
protesting Christianity for eighteen
hundred years Is an armed camp. The
preparations for war absorb the re-
sources of the nations, and knowledge
and inventions are largely employed in
perfecting instruments Of destruction.
Even the Efforts for peace are not
dictated by Humanitarian motives. 1t
is all selhshness. The financial en-
barrassnents Of the great nations; their
profound dlstrust Of one another; the
vast cost OF modern war the gigantic
commercial disasters It entails; the W
ter ruin that may follow defeat-these
are the real influences that restrain the
tiger passions and the ayarlclous GRAY.
ings Of mankind
In the business world, Mr.. Lecky finds
an abundance OF almost spontaneous
malevolence Crimes In the fields OF
finance. stock-jobblng, and speculation
are commonly committed by educated
persons, who are in the enjoymen. Of
the Injuries Of llfe--hattered and ia
yored by modern civilization, which
eagerly accords them an influence that
is malign and scandalous. And the
press is largely employed systematlcal-
~ persistently deliberately. In foster
ing class hatred, race hatred, interna-
lonal hatred-by falsehood or malicious
Some people are wont to boast Of the
moral progress the world has made. as
evidenced by the rules OF war that
prohibit assassination, the use OF poi.
soned missiles, and so on, but Mr..
Lecky reminds his readers that explo.
siye shells, concealed mines. torpedoes |
lmbuscades. starvation, deception by |
fabricated dispatches, the employment |
of spies and the display Of false signals |
are sull among the resources OF civil.
zed and christian" warfare.
In the legal field, the situation Is no
better Says Mr Lecky:
There is a kind Of mind that grows
20 enamored with the subtleties ana
.eehnlcalitles Of the law that Il Heights
n the unexpected and uninteniel re-
suits to which they may lead. have