The Newtown bee., 1906-04-06

such an economy and will persist until
it has annihilated itself or another |
evil. The pendulum always swings
too far-that is, it seems to, yet the
exaggeratiOn at both ends cOmpels at
tention and makes for moderation.
Europe often went from long faced as
ceticism to demoralizing 1icentious-
ness; and society learned at its own
expense that neither was good. The
weaklings have to die. Bankruptcy
and fire are blessings; they destroy
ought not to continue. Man is selfish,
he seeks his own betterment and in
being and acting on selfish basis he Is
altruistic. He wishes his property
protected, his rights respected, hence
his whole effort and influence though
emanating from small motive works
for the betterment of society. Thus
evil men compel justice, for that is ne
ceSsary to trade and the pursuit OF
happiness, and therefore all the forces
Of evil tend to abolish evil and to es-
U0UllSu ElxuOeOu6uSSSs ACCOEOlu& w
recent medical theories, the liquor
harmful results. Drunkards kill
themselves. hence natural selection Is
here operative to increase the sons Of
sober men. Drunkenness is its own
cure. Emerson may be criticised for
his extreme individualism, yet this
criticism
OvERLooKs EMERsON's SOCIALISM,.
He says, time and again, that only
what Is true of all is great in excell-
ence; and still more that the mass
does not progress regardless of individ-
ualS and vice versa. A man never ex-
cells without affecting for good the
whole race, nor can he rise without q
foundation which he has in common
with his time and nation. Perfection
in bulk is essential to perfection in
spots.
Emerson was more sane and hopeful
than preachers of his day, no matter
the creed-and we are inclined to feel
more optimistic than the average
preacher of to-day. The extreme lit
eralism of the first half of the nine
tenth century tended to upset and
make blessed. Belief in he'll of fire
made men forget that punishment is
meted out according to merit on earth.
And SO it is with reward. A man of
worth may be poor and unheralded by
position or fame. yet he has his re-
prevail of his conscience, In the approx
al of all truth, everywhere.
On first and casual reading of the
opening chapters Of the Law of Com
pensattOn," one may be tempted to
think that Emerson was prejudiced
against the preaching of his day. Per-
hapS he was in q measure prejudiced,
yet his attack was irresistibly exact
and wholesome. We shall let Emer-
son state his own case.
"Ever since I was boy, 1 have
wished to write q discourse on COM
pensation: for it seemed to me when
was ahead of theology and that people
knew more than preachers taught. "
(see note 13). In the next paragraph
we read, II was lately confirmed in
these desires by hearing q sermon at
church. The preacher, 9 man esteem
ed for his orthodoxy, unfOlded In the
ordinary manner the doctrine of the
Last Judgement. He assumed that
Judgement is not executed In this
world; that the wicked are successful;
that the good are miserable; and then
urged from reason and from Scripture
a Compensation to be made to both
parties in the next life" (see note 14).
And again "The fallacy lay In the Inn
successful, that Justice is not done
now. The blindness of the preacher
consisted in deferring to the base esti-
mate of the market of what c0nsti-
tutes manly success, instead of con-
fronting and convicting the world
from the truth; announcing the pres
ence of the soul, the omnfprescnce Of
the soul, and so establishing the
standard of good and i'll, of success
and falsehood. "(see note 15). Thus hav-
ing introduced his subject, Emerson
makes us to see that the Law of
Compensation is to be translated In
terms of the present tense.
THERE Is NO ESCAPING GOD.
Not only is he not deceived but also he
is not thwarted. He made laws and
these laws must be, are owed by all
men and things. Action and reaction
are to be seen In every manifestation
of life. Sinners are under law now
and must needs suffer the penalty of
infraction of law in every case. The
universe is a whole and cannot be
parted. Men have been trying Ito act
partially, W Sunue[, " appropriate:
for example, to crafty the senses; we
sever the pleasures of the senses from
the needs of the character" (see note
16). And still more, men fail to see
that in seeking only a part they lose
the whole. CAN things are moral. -"
(see note 17). Frenchmen and Ameri-
cans, as such, are dying out because
they do not, as races, reproduce them
selves. The race that does not live
up to its full privilege becomes ex-
tinct. Russia is trying to blot out in
dividuality and freedom, yet her ty-
ranny is creating its own cure. Thus
in all things and everywhere a great
Ieveling process is going on CONSTANT
ly. Nature, cities, nations, men, all
are under law. Action and reaction
never fail. Physical science is the by
pothesis of this truth, history the
proof Of 1t.
Especially do We zee in the individual