Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-03
Close Sessions Of So
cia| Education Congress,
Education Of the Conscience .
General Topic Discussed.
The Addresses Full Of Interest
and Much Enjoyed.

Conscience" delivered before a large
audience at the Colonial Theater
brought to a close this evening the
three-days' session of the social Edu-
cation Congress. !
The speakers this evening were Rev.
William L. ]. Long of Stamford, Ct.
whose subject was Natures Message
to Moral Educators" President q.
Stanley Hall Of Clark University. Wor-
cester, who spoke on the conscience
from the Standpoint Of HEALTH and
Most Rev William II. OConnell. arch
bishop coadiutor Of Boston. whose ad-
dress was on 1.-THE Aspect of Con-
science" Professor James P. Munroe
presided as usual and opened the even
Ing by referring to the splendid series
of addresses which had been delivered
during the session CT the congress and
said that those tonight dealt with the
supreme purpose which was to raise
the youth to the knowledge of love and
obedience to the laws of God.
Rev. Mr.. Long, in dealing with "Na-
lures Message to Moral Educators
said that man seems to be the only
creature who Is immoral. He claimed.
however that the child was born Il
moral animal. The beastliness of ma
ture in man. he said. was shown in per
sonal uncleanliness. the envy and greed
aroused by the setting up of wealth
against poverty. gluttonly, drunken
ness and sexual vice. He said that you
would And none of these in the animal
kingdom except in men and monkeys.
Animal Instincts are good and PURE ana
&c /,
He described the struggle for individ-
ualism and said that the message OF
nature was mutual cooperation and
common brotherhood.
Separate God from human life and
what is there left? I need not answer
for YOU know history. Man is made by
God; therefore He is our father and
our Lord. Man is made for God; there
fore He IL our final end, our eternal re-
ward. The law of life is sometimes
complex To discern it clearly 1t needs
an added light from without. one
which can never be dimmed. one when
n ever shining, one which is ever sure
That is the light of Gods revelation de-
ciared to be intelligence by the living
voice of Divine authority.
s"To speak Of the perfect execution OF
the moral order without religion is TO
ignore mans true nature as it now e%-
lists. That Is the supreme error of those
who think that human motives and hu-
man aid alone are sufficient for the full
fllIment Of the entire moral law.
Neither the consideration OF health.
nor honor, nor the welfare or others.
nor the elevation of self, sinGly. OF al
together. will ever he found sufficient
at all times and in all :rcu for right
moral action. n" ono Of them, N"r
all Of them, can be urged, therefore. as
universal motives. At best they ar"
partial. temporary and insecure. Thcr''
is one great universal power when
never fails-thc thought of God.
1T Is of prime Importance. il - hh-
solutcly necessary that til" whole man
be developed for his whole life. Ana
how is this complete education to be
obtained? The church has solved this
problem On the one hand the lns,l-
tuition appointed by God to teach AL
men has recognized the fact that men
moral life must be provided fer that
his material welfare must be looked
after. She has always known that
man must he given oyer opportunity
for educational refinement and intel
lectua1 Advancement. This "'quirc-
ment the church has always recognized
and met. She it was that established
the great universities. She it was that
wrote bold characters the names of
Padua Paris, oxford and Cambridge
on the pays Of history.
"Thc highest intellectual achieve
ments have been the pro lucts IF the
training, of n ;h'irth. i:ut Win" 80
provides for the development &c mans
mental faculties and his temporal well
being she cquirs him with the means
Of acting Alright on the thought and
suggestions of the intclloc- and thus
fits him for tn" liz. ttrn;:,. TO III"
natural bca con of conscience. viii II Is
often dinmcl hy I:,ror:lnc.' and pas
sion. she adds the supernatural! light
Of faith. that H;r may discern the line
CT duty that lies before him. To weak
human hearts she brings tho figure Of
divine grace TO avoid the pitfalls and
to perform thar NhiCn cor$ci"nCe L.
lumined by faith marks out to us to
be done
Men are metals and therefore sub
5ect to human weakness but when tie
main line of action is straight toward
God. the line of life will have few
great reflections. 1t is the lack of re-
Hgion which stiles conscience. 1t is
1ndefiniteness and mere speculation in
religion which begets weakness of the
moral sight and oblivity of the moral
vision. OF the, church is neither in
dennite nor speculative. She speaks
with the perfect certainty of truth.
her principles and doctrines are clear.
concise and authoritative. They are
tne same for all. with this difference
alone, that intellectual development
only makes them all the more clear.
inat is what the great pasteur meant
wnen ne said I have acquired Just
enough science to have the faith of a
breton peasant; could live to acouire
more should hope to have the fairs