The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-01-29
A Larger Dream.

What golden thoughts come to him
who keeps the windows of his soul
| open! have sometimes fancied that
these thoughts are winged things,
birds of the spirit that fly In through
our open windows and lodge In the
soul. One came to me but now.
Formulated, it is something as fol-
lows:
Herbert Spencer gave the world his
Synthetic Philosophy" OF Its kind
1t was about the most magnificent
thing ever conceived by a human
brain, the final statement of the ma
terialistic theory. Great as 1t was,
however, it suggests a work yet
greater.
What the world needs is a synthetic
spiritual philosophy, one that would
contain the central truths of all the
schools, new and old. and. after all.
the new schools are bpt the old in
modern guise. Such a system would
be an amplification and an application
Of the doctrines Of the Man Of Naza-
treth. 1t would work out In detail what
he gave in principle. 1t would state
these doctrines In present day terms
and bring them to bear on present day
problems. 1t would give the full mes
sage, the divine wisdom. the spiritual
concept Of things gathered from all the
ages. 1t would be to the higher or d.
vine mind in man what Spencer's work
H. to the lower or ems mind in. man.
. The world is coming to such a syn
thetic spiritual philosophy. and coming
most rapidly. The parts of the system
are ready. They are familiar. All they
require is to be correlated aud, given
full and clear statement. The whole
trend of the worlds thought and prog
ress has been toward such a cullmina-
ton.
We have spent enough time with pal
l~iatives. We need a divine remedy for
the Ills Of humanity. Given this, and
all other good things win follow. Let
a revolution take place in the con-
seriousness of man and outer institn-
tons will conform to the new ideals.
That alone will transform politics and
make q state of equal Justice and equal
a state in which the pub
lie good will he the supreme concern
Of each citizen.
A spiritual awakening is the uniyer-
sal solvent now demanded, aud moth
ing else will answer humanity's pur-
pose. We have progressed too far to
be satisfied longer with half measures.
From a spiritual awakening-I mean
one in the true and not the cant sense
flow pcace.> health, democracy.
brotherhood, enlightenment,
universal happiness and good will.
unity. the proof Of Immortality and
the overcoming Of the fear of death.
the reign Of love and pure reason, for
sll these are the children Of the spirit.
This would be the restoration of
original Christ!anity-old things made
new. 1t would be a new thought with
a new expression, Il new church n
a new state a new spirit and a, new
form, a new heaven and a new earth.
Do not deem this extravaganza. We
must see the ultimate goal before. we
take the first step i'll attaining. IT. We
must. have the whole plan Of the
building in mind before we cut the
first timber.
The movement to bring about these
things must be organized just as its
philosophy must be synthesized. To
accomplish anything in this world
there must be organization. The diff
between dead matter and liv-
Ing matter is that one is inorganic and
the other organic, The same differ
ence exists between chaos and cosmos. |
We must organize a spiritual cam
paign for the future We must start
right. We must place our foundations
upon the rock of truth.