Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-13
fES5iMisM or TIE PHI, Dir
Gloomy Views of Present cordit;o, :,
Society Not Justified.

For some time past there has TO-
manifested tendency by vasy.n
preachers In different sections 10 rnr s,ps
the country without shrift or arn.a3 s 81
the dennltion bow vows. One dseiIs IN
on the evils of divorce deStrovips W
family and wIecking society: another S,s
on the growing spirit Of commercially Up
and the wide prevalence of corrI,t,,in,
local politics and public life; SIN anns,t y
sees ruin and downfall in the rayages ' y
the demon drink. while others basn ~
pending dccadencc and disruption III CT .''
bath breaking, thcater going and a.
ing. Each one is sure that If tho evIi ~
is attacking could be done away vii, he
all would be we'll, and no two Who'll,
agree In the remedy which should M ~!
piled. Taken together. they have nrp-
duced the most dismal and disniri,in,
chorus which has been heard since th
, new century opened ~
! This ~ in general way faniJ;,r
ground for the cloth. though they haSa
been taking such subjects into the n,,I,i.
more frequently Of late, because. dol,lf
less, of the fact that The old tn,uln..irt
discussions and doctrines of heaven hal
and salvation by blood have ceased 10
draw or to be of any interest to tho me-
or woman Of average Intelligence.
Such discussions monopolizcd nost q,
the time and thought Of the preachers m
all sects a generation or two back IN.
they still found occasion to indulge per
pdically in very much the same pessimis.
tic walls as to existing conditions wncs
we-arc hearing from the clergy of IN
day
They held belief in regard to speo
ial providences which modern science has
greatly modified If not wholly DESTROYER
ana whenever an earthquake, a shin
wreck, a destructive s,orm or any unto
ward event happened, they always saw in
IT. and announced, the punishment Of
some sin fragrant in the community; and
fresh disasters were predicted and IN
voked for those who broke the law
whether divine or ecclesiastical Stlaciai
wrath was reserved and positively nfom'
iscd for all those who failed to ''belieye-
Absence of belief was a more heniuus Of
tense than absence Of morality: il was
more frequently and h"rcrly denounced
and was threatened with the most dire
full consequences The clerical pessimist
if not 50 frequent III his evIinuion Of d.
spair and forebodinE WAS still abroad in
those days. Tie h Of difference was that.
instead of being told as We are now. thai
W" are IN an alarming state when unless
corrected must entail serious conc,
Guences. the hearers of those DAYS were
shaken over q literal AMI fiery hell and
told they would be dropped in unless
they mended their ways.
We Of the independent laity have no
wish to criticize or check the efforts NJ
the pulpit or Of any good men to expose
and correct evils in society and lift II 10
higher level of charity. brotherhood and
personal character. On tho contrary We
would cooperate with them: but We do
not conceive that in order to do so II is
necessary to represent tile world as
preachers constantly do. aS going rapidly
down to irrctrievahlc ruin
Ii Is not true; the very opposite Is true
Never was there a time in all history
when the general conditions of humanity
were as favorable as they are today. Go
back to the days of Rome and follow the
story Of mankind down through the fear
full periods of intellectual darkness
moral cgradation. cruelty. oppression,
ceaSleSS devastating wars. religious per
Secution and almost universal slavery,
and compare them with What we find to-
day. The rights of man as such. then
hardly dreamed Of. are now conceded to
every one. The protection of the law and
justice. then for the few now belongs
to all; the prisoner and the insane treat
ed then worse than beasts are cared for:
woman. then n plaything or Il drudge is
mans equal: few then could read. now
none need lack an educa ion; and the pro
portion of poverty to the population has
greatly decreased. Then freedom Of opin-
ion was suppressed in the torture cham
Der and at the stake: now every man may
freely express his views
While wars have not ceased. they ares
less frequent and less protractcd and
cruel and men the world over are kindli-
err and more ready to recognize the duty
TO one another which a common brother
hood involves. Read the personal NOM
cirS and correspondence of any earlier.
period. and numerous persons will he
found who, taking up. as do the preach
erS of 'to,ltsss som" an rticaEp N'ESaEefs
society. insisted that the world was on
the brink of p prociricr and about to
fall in; that the end Of all things was att
hand. and that unless immediate attcn-
ton was paid to what they thought and
said all hope was gone. Go as far back
as You please and you will find the same
sort Of thing and you will find. too. that
in spite of such predictions. and right
along with them. the world has slowly
hut steadily grown better.
Gentlemen of the pulpit cheer up Get
a little more perspective and brush up
your history. 1t is not as bal as You be
lievp or think Won hcli"v". or think you
ought professionally to believe, or at least
think you must persuade other people TO
believe. 1t will help MS along great
deal more to convince us that We are on
the right road; that We hay" moved,
though ever SO little. and thai the thing
to do is to mend our pacr.-Archibald
Hopkins in New York Sun.