The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-09
ETHICAL
some Observations ON the Need % Il and .
PROPOSAL for state Nd

@B@@
To THE EDITOR or TIE SUN-Sir: ! desire
TO offer some additional remarks on state
ethical Institutions. concerning which i wrote
briefly In q letter printed In n sun on
November s. | do not aim to attack Chris
tianity. but. observing lts declipe. l INQUIRE
what has been its function in the past and
what means must be employed to perpetuste
it's teachings.
! The function OF religion is to formulas
precepts and urge them upon the individusi
with sufficient force to produce the motive
for righteousness Morality is the h@cog-
nition OF and the compliance with this fGnc-
ton. and ethics. or the science OF morals. "
systematized moral experience. Its prin-
ciples embrace all those conditions Of oharac-
ter and rules OF conduct which metnoolcSi
observation and experience show TO De con
ducive to the general welfare. A text book
on ethics must contain all the precepts IN the
Scriptures that are sound and those that nave
been accepted later. IL 10 not necessary 10
wait till there is agreement on every detall'
there can be many text books on ethics Just
az on any other science. The principles thus
established are the standard or morality
General and special rules OF d and the
limitations within which each ought TO De
practised must be defined.
Some may say that the world has been
practically free from religious control Tor
several decades and has not degenerated,
DuL Luib CldlIll RDOIeS ~ ldtb Nhht ~ ~"
majority of adults were reared under Chris
tian influence and to il owe much Of their
moral strength. A generation Ia now ma
turing that knows no God but its own VIII.
no heaven but material a~ffiuence, no hell but
the state prison. l unhesitatingly predict
hat unless an ethical code is formulated and
a general system of moral influence insugu-
rated there will he an asoeDdancy of brutality
and immortality that will require ages 10
overthrow.
This is a matter that concerns the general
welfare and it should be controlled by the
people Of the State. There ought to be a
system OF institutions through which the
whole moral energy of the people could be
expressed. quickened and directed. This
work. it would seem. could be most success
fully managed by the different States, and the
benefits to be derived from IL would justify
amending State Constitutions II necessary.
Organization and management could be very
similar to those Of public education, but should
be entirely separate.
The system here proposed would not usurp
the function OF any existing charitable, edu-
ostional or governmental institutions. IL
would aim rather at the moulding of character
and the inculcation Of principles from which
all good conduct issues.
4 department Of ethics should be estab-
lished In all the universities. To IL would
inevitably be attracted men and women OF
moral temperaments. both for training for
research work and popular lectures. There
would thus be founded a specialized ethical
scholarship thar would formulate, revise and
extend the ethical code,
But what inspiration, what comfort. what
restraints could such a system offer to the
individual? In the law and movement Of
civilization it could still point to y power
divine. and II could. as Christianity has done.
picture the two courses in life. one. the life
of the flesh. pursuing sensual pleasures.
achieving nothing of benefit to the race and
leading therefore TO eternal death; the other.
the life Of the spirit. rearing daily a structure
of thought and deed. that will live on in the
future Of our civilization with the achieve
ments not only OF the few illustrious but OF
the millions In every age whose labors have
contributed toward elevating mankind.
CYRUS II. E~SHLEMAS.
HARRISBURG. Pa. December Z.