The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-02-15
MR. GUERNSEY'S ADDRESS
TAPER ON 1.-THE UN-
 REST IRE PRES ENT 4GF,'
Read Before the Meeting of the New Haven Social Science Club on Thurs day Night-Disoassedb by several of the Gentlemen Present.

Gentlemen Present.
 At the regular meeting of the New
 Haven Social Science club held Thurs
 day night the principal address was
 made by Henry H. Guernsey on the
 timely and interesting topic The Un-
 rest of the Present Age" There was
 the usual attendance, and at the con
 clusion of the reading of the paper il
 was discussed by eX-Mayor Sargent anC
 others. The address in full was as fol
 lows:
 To thoughtful man the conditions of the times present interesting and some
 what baffling problems that either dis
 turb him with forebodings of coming
 disaster or encourage him with prom ised fulfllments of cherished ideas, as
 he considers them from his particular view point. That the times are filled with unrest is beyond gain-saying. Mans ever struggling for something be- yond his present position has reached an acute stage. He has reached up- ward and around, but the results have not brought the satisfaction and con- tentment anticipated. Skepticism dis belief and uncertainty are everywhere prevalent, and to a greater extent prop ably than ever before in the history or the world. Like the sea- storm shaken and dashing itself wildly to and fro, breaking here and there upon the rocks, now high above the level, now sinking far below the pillows crests so the thought of the day and so the spirit of unrest.
 The subject is so large and inclusive that in considering it we must bear in mind that it is only in it's broadest and most reaching aspects that we can talk of it as a whole Each nation, each state, each locality, offers pro- blems of it's own, and each man. influ- enced as he may be by his individual pursuits and surroundings, will find different solution for each separate con- dition in each separate locality. The commencement of this century presents a sharp contrast to that of the one just closed, and it is hard to realize that Tn a brief one hundred years such change could come sover mans feelings. Then man looked out with hope and satisfac- ton to a future he believed offered the fulfillment of his most cherished ideals, The general attainment of desires ana aspirations during the eighteenth centu- ry and the growing optimism ot the day formed the foundation upon which the people based a belief in the future amounting almost to the assurance It. self. They were satisfied with the achievements of the past and were hopeful of the outcome of the future. The commencement of modern thought and inventiveness stimulated all. So- cial, economic and religious ideas were reasonably well fixed, and the predomi- nant characteristic of the age was faith in the present and in the future.
 How different must be the picture as we turn-to the opening of the twentieth century. The past one hundred years have seen great advances in human af- fairs and progress Material gains sur passing anything ever known before have been made. New thoughts have come new social conditions, great dis coveries; the pleasures of life have been manifoldly increased; the remote cor ners of the earth have been brought | near; the forces of the unseen have been | harnessed to mans use. Wireless tele- | graphy of itself has opened up possibil- | ities that almost astound us. The pro- | blem of air navigation seems about to | be realized Electricity is being made mans universal servant. The transat- lantic voyage will shortly become but a four days outing.
 And yet in the face of all these great advances, humanity stands to-day dis and disappointed. Heighths IL. tnC but the realization has not brought the content and pleasure anticipated. The goal seems further away than ever, and the advances of the past only bewilder the mind with the possibilities hinted at for the future.
 And the unrest pervades all circles of society and of civilized nations. It is shown on the social side on the com nercial side, on the religious and even 1n the spiritual sides. And amidst all the confusion and conflicting problems man is groping he hardly knows for what On one side we are assured that correction of certain social problems will for all time quiet this feeling of uu- est: on another that the settling of great political and national problems will conduce to this result, and on still mother that a return to the religion of he earliest days will produce the de- ;ired condition. Science for science itself is largely | ! ing oe the past. It is now devoted to practical ends-or put more olLnt' y--to Every effort is made O produce something of a marketable ,alue. and the great achievements of he past have opened up to man pleas Ires that now of themselves form the Incentive to the requirement. of wealth or their enjoyment. To-day the indi- idual has more general knowledge long all lines than ever before. News t, apers and periodicals have spread sec- lar. scientific and religious thought roa dcast and man is more than ever efore d free thinker. Why then is he /. a dissatisfied? Was he better off when | he few did all the thinking for the < lany? Civilization, technical scientific civil- : ation based upon scientific knowledge, t nd secured by great political institu- lons has marked the progress of the = ast one hundred years. And yet midst it all men feel that even culture .. nd civili2at ion do not of themselves 4 lake man better State and religious = reedom have been secured, and the :.