New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-30
RULES FOR RIGHT LIVING.
Need of Moral Instruction on Scientific
Princi pies Set Forth.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: No system of government can by itself make
q people great or good happy. Progress IN gov
eminent but follows progress OF a people This
basis OF all social development Is the development
Of the Individual A national ideal Is but the sum
OF Individual ideals. So, in any scheme OF ad-
vancement whether it contemplate a city. a ma
ton. the world It is the individual that
must be dealt with first.
Confucus by his personal teaching OF personal
conduct. without writing even a pamphlet. created
national ideals for empire OF many millions.
Jesus Christ with his doctrine OF brotherly love
among individuals effected a humanitarian revo-
luton in all the governments OF the western
world But long before the time OF Christ Con-
fuciGs self-knowedgs recognized as tho foun-
dalton OF all knowledge. All the great teachers OF
antiquity. like Aristotle, Socrates and Plato, taught
that personal right living is the foundation Of all
education. How to live right held TO be
even more necessary teaching than how to get a
living.
The wisdom OF such teaching is as evident to-day
it was three thousand years ago. Yet no gen
western world for two thousand years, save that
at ali is tauE&t In our public schools Indeed the
masses have come TO believe that there can be no
system morality without a religious fOunda-
ton. The is that the large and ever-ncTeas-
Ing class who do not recognize religious authority
are, 10 a greater or less extent, moral dereHcts.
Unhappy and restless. they drift about as they are
both to themselves and to society. Is It not ap-
palling that there are no recosnlzsd teachers 70
alone, and perpeNed by tho problems or IKE. may
for nliEhtenment2
The more education one possesses, the more dan
gerous hs IS himself and TO others, unless he DC
governed by a of moral responsibility, and
that sense comes only with what We term spirltu-
al knowledge. OF course. are all more or less
Influenced by beredity and environment put sucn
influence alone IS far from being q safe guide
Nine-teuths OF tho crimes committed are the re-
suit OF some sort OF ignorance and there are other
kinds OF Ignorance more potent to produce unhap-
plness and crime than Ignorance OF how TO earn
an easy living. The biggest eTnbeZzlers the most
cold blooded murderers and the most desperate sui
cides are oftentimes men and women OF high IN
telectual attachments. The most learned ars OFTEN
the most miserable. 49,,
would give moral instruction to all persons VINO
wish 70 govern their lives by reason alOnet Lons
ago Herbert Spencer said that II religion ana
science ever became recOnciled II would be upon
some common ground The aim OF the proposed
system would be accomplish by scientihc meth
DDS what the churches endeavor to do by religious
methods i would deal with HES problems In the
same rational way IN which men and women are
accustomed 10 handle their everyday AFFAIRS
1 would Ike hear from persons VINO FecoS-
niza the opportunities for doing good In the nsId
pointed out. CLEMENT lsCNAl = =
No Is west Elghty-second-st-. Nsw-York. March
J.