The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-24

which has made intelligent effort to !
exemplify it. If we ask in seriousness
what is wrong with society, then we
must take as society the masses, the
people, the great strong, broad
foundation upon which our nations
rest Nor must we be provincial Our
vision must extend to a society away
from the Union Jack or the Stars and
Stripes, as we'll as to the society exist
ing under these emblems Of the Anglo
Saxon race.
It would seem, in the first place, a
fair presumption to state as an estab-
lished fact that society was created for
a definite purpose. Even that very
foolish person, the atheist, is forced
to admit that humanity has some mis-
sion, that there is some plan behind
things. and that the human race was
not created or is not the result of that
hay something that is so often spoken
of as evolution" simply to drift rud-
derless on the sea of life. The very
fact that from all time humanity has
moved on toward civilization shows US
clearly that there is some definite
goal, that we have some destiny in
life, even if we have no destiny in
world to come. And we are shown,
too. that the destiny of society is to
advance. And society must advance
no matter who shall say it nay. 1t is
the word Of command; it is the word
of God. And man must work out his
own salvation. Do not mistake the
salvation. There is no alternative.
AS an individual he may fall; as an in
dividual he may suffer; as an indlvid-
uaI he may be vile, and sink lower
dregs of civilization; but as a race he
must advance. The individual may be
within his own control, to some ex-
tent. But the race is in the hand of
God, and cannot be checked in its up
ward march. So that not only has so
ciety advanced, but it must continue
to advance. Through blood and car
mage, through political and religious
upheavals, through personal pain, and
anger and suffering and misery the
race must improve it must march on
ward and upward to that standard of
perfection which in His Wisdom has
been fixed by the Great Father of So
ciety. And so what is wrong with this
we call society? Is it not fulfilling its
mission? Is it not advancing. How
arrogant for US to lay the way. Where
in lies our authority to correct the
method by which man shall work out
his own salvation. Which of US can
give the destiny of a gnat, or solve the
mystery of the butterfly? Outside Of
the propagation Of his race mans
power is confined purely to the de-
structive, and even then his power is
limited by natural law; he is the
vainest, most arrogant, most intelli-
gent, noblest and most beautiful ami
NAL of creation, so far as we can
know or can believe; he is given judg-
ment, discretion, hands to work with,
brains to direct a desire to actuate
the full equipment of an individual
machine; but he has not the power to
set aside the inexorable law that has
been set down for him-he must adj
vance; he must work out his own sal
walton.
Let US look with some Ienieney on
the puppets that fill the stage, and let
US think with humility of ourselves as
part and parcel Of the great cast of
life If we have retarded this great
scheme of advance, then we are sadly
to blame, then, indeed, is there some
thing wrong with society. But it is
Questionable If this be true. Indeed,
! it is Questionable if we have the pow
er even to retard. Let US look to our
social and moral laws as they have
been evolved We must admit that
man has framed ideals of life. And
we believe if those ideals were lived
our world would be 9, veritable para
disc. Is not the conception Of these
ideals a step onward from the sodden
/ sluggishness OF our earlier animal