Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-07-09
GEORGE BANCROFT.


To the Editor OF the LedgeE
MEXICO, Mo-, July al wish ever
lone Of your readers could read In full
Bancrofts address, delivered in Aug
ust 1885, before the Adelphi Societ,
OF Williams College. II may be founC
in the last number Of the CoHsmoneY
OF July B. 1t concludes as follows:
Reforms in society are only effect
ed through the masses OF the people
and through them have continually
taken place. New truths have beer
successfully developed and are be
looming the common property of thu
human family for its improvement.
This progress is advanced by every
sect precisely because each sect OBJ
tanned vitality, itself OF necessity em
bodied a truth; by every political party
for the conflicts OF party are the wal
Of ideas; by every nationality, for a
natien cannot exist as such until hu,
manity makes IL special trustee OF
some part OF its wealth for the ulti.
mate benefit Of all.
The irresistible tendency of the hu.
man rae is therefore to advancement,
for absolute power has never succeed.
ed and can never succeed ia suppress.
ing a single truth. An idea once ire.
yealed may lind admission into every
living breast and live there.
"Like God IL becomes immortal and
omnipresent. The movement of the
species is upward, irrisistably upward.
The individual is often lost; Provi.
dence dlsowns the race. Nc
principle nee promulgated has ever
been forgotten. No timely tramp
OF a despot's foot ever trod out an
idea. The world cannot ~retrograte;
the dark ages cannot return. Dynas-
ties perish, states are buried, nations
have been victims Of error, martyrs
for right; humanity has always been
on the advance, gaining maturity,
universally and power. Yes, truth
is immortal; 1t cannot be destroyed: ii
is inyincible; IL cannot long be re-
sisted. Not every great principle has
yet been generated, but when once
proclaimed and diffused it lives with
out end in the custody Of the race.
States may pass away, every Just
principle OF legislation which has
once been established will endure.
Philosophy has sometimes forgotten
God, a great people never did. The
skepticism OF the last century could
not uproot Christianity because it
lived in the hearts Of the millions. Do
you think infidelity is spreading
Christianity never lived Ia the hearts
OF so many millions as at this moment.
The former under which it is pro
fesSed may decay, for they like all
that is in the work OF mems hands
are subject to changes and chances OF
mortal being, but the spirit Of truth
Is inoorruptible; it may be developed,
illustrated, and applied: it can never
die, never a decline. No truth can
no truth can pass away: the
is undying though generations
disappear. Whenever moral truth
has struck into being, humanity claims
and guards the greatest bequest. Each
generation gathers imperishable chill
iren OF the past, and increases them
by new sons Of light alike, RADIANT
Immortality"
In these degenerate times how in
are such words as these from
% good and great a man as George
Bancroft. Let Christian patriots take
courage, for truth is mighty and will
Ultimately prevail. The poet has putt
he thought in these beautiful words:
Truth crushed 10 earth will rise f;
again: /;
The eternal yeas Of God are hers" L