Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-22
Sunday Morning Talk
In Praise Of Tolerance.

One of the splendid things about the
times in which we live Is the growth and
the constant expression OF the spirit OF
tolerance. We no longer burn or hang
those whose opinions differ from our own
We do not demand that another person 8
intellectual or emotional life shall be run
into precisely the same mold in which we
have crystallized our own. We have be-
come Hospitality disposed-at least most
Of us haye-toward practices and customs
at which a former generation may have
locker askance.
A plumber of factors have combined
to bring about this happy status. Chief
among them Is the craving for liberty.
which has taken possession of hearts the
world over during the last half century.
Beneath all the great recent forward
movements of humanity we feel the
mighty pulsations of this spirit that
yearns for freedom, as the plant seeks
the light. And the man who claims lib
erty for himself must accord 1t to others.
Then, too, as knowledge has widened we
have also learned how much more Of
truth is yet to be discovered. AS a con-
sequence serious men, reverent in the face
of great unraveled mysteries. have not
been SO enemored OF the completeness of
their own view of the universe that they
are unwilling to hear patiently opposing
views which may contain at least the
germ Of truth.
age of tolerance has been the incontes-
table evidence furnished by facts. Our
age reveres facts and when it can be
shown that so-called heresy produces
desirable results you can't relegate that
particular view to the rear as unworthy
Of being tolerated for a moment I'm q
civilized community. Take 1t in the
region OF physical healing, for example.
The books on materia medica may say
this or that, but suddenly something
III IL.
cry, but at the same ,ime not hitherto
included in your therapeutics. But 1t
works. Chronic and even incurable cases
of illness yield to the new remedy. Right
before your eyes as before the eyes Of
the Pharisees 1900 years ago is the man
that was healed for his infirmity." Facts.
especially human facts. are stubborn
things. Now 1t does nut follow that all
the medical lore of the centuries is to
be thrown away in favor of this new
enough to admit that no one school Of
medicine has the monopoly OF the healing
art.
Especially true Is 1t in the realm Of
religion that modern developments con-
duce to the growth and practice of toler-
ance, though we are not always as toler-
ant as the circumstances warrant. For
1t cannot be denied that there are many
roads to virtue and that the heavenly
city has gates on more than one side.
mere again the IdCtS are 1nCONtTONcftIOlG
When the Salvation Army was started 1t
met with about the same reception in
England which the man who carried
the first umbrella on the streets of Lon
don. What possible good can result from
the beating of drums and all this TOM
foolery on the street," But 10. the years
go by and men are reclaimed from the
gutter women are delivered from the
shameful life. And with the facts be-
fore them England and America unite in
saying, Bravo. Gen. Booth
Yes. give the other man his chance
and his right. That is what tolerance
means. And this we ought always to
do not only in matters of medicine and
theology, but in those frequent and in
evitable differences of opinion with people
under our own roof and in the places
where we do our daily work. Provided
we know that the person who holds con-
rary views is sincere in holding them. is
open to new light and is trying to live
up 10 the light he already has. we can
bear with him and hope that some time
common ground may be found. And if
all maintained this attitude what a good
world ii would be-
THE PARSON.