The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-12-20
is THE WORLD GROWING BETTER
OR WORSE?

papers, can reach the conclusion that
the world is growing dangerously
and hopelessly worse, but to those
who make some pretentions to infor-
nation and erudition, we cannot for
the life of us understand how they
can be so wholly deceived.
\ bishop of the Methodist church
is reported to have recently said in n
sermon delivered in Savannah, Ca
that Rome in her worst days, never
harbored such conditions of vice as
are prevalent in our highest social
circles at the present time"
The good bishop, we are told, made
other criticisms equally as appalling
along other lines.
Some centuries after the decline
and fall Of the Roman empire" when
the world was supposed to have been
softened and elevated by the mellow
ing influence of the Christian relig-
ion. how did the pulpit itself stand as
compared with its standing today?
AS late as the seventeenth century
Thomas Darlington Macaulay tells us
that the English country squire, who
thought that it belonged to his dig
nifty and standing to have grace SAID
at his table by an ecclesiastic in full
canonicals, found means to reconcile
his dignity with economy. A young
Leyite-such then was the phrase
might be had for his board, a small
garrett and ten pounds a year; he
might not only perform his own pro-
fessional functions; might not only
be the most patient of butts and Of
listeners; might not only be always
ready in fine weather for bowls, and
in rainy weather for shovelbOard, but
might also save the expense of gard
ner or groom. He sometimes cuIried
he coach horses and thought nothing
of walking ten miles to deliver mes
sage to some other county squire OF
equal dignity and Importance. He
was permitted to dine with the fam
lily, but was expected to content him
self with the coarsest fare, and when
the sweetmeats and delicacies were
brought on he quilted his seat and
stood aloof until he was summoned to
return thanks for the repast, from the
greater part of which he had been
excluded.
Think of minister or a bishop OF
any denomination currying a horse
for his board or acting as mental in
any capacity for a country squire in
our day
How was it in the matter of com
mon education?
Not one person in five hundred
could have spelled his way through a
Psalm. Therefore, says the historian
it was not strange that Matthias and
Kniperdoling, apostles of lust, rob
berry and murder, were able for a time
TO rule great cities.
How was it in cases of ordinary
humanity? How did the intiiction OF
torture effect the populace?
If a supposed offender was put in
the pillory it were we'll if he escaped
with his life from the shower of
brickbats and paving stones; if he
were tied to the sarts tail the crowd
pressed around him imploring the
fiogging master to give it to him well
and TO make him howl, and the more
the unfortunate wretch writhed in ag-
ony the more the onlookers enjoyed
it,
Wife-beating among those occupy
ing high station was not uncommon.
Wings, supposed to be more humane
than tories. murmured because Stat
ford was suffered to die without see
ing his bowels burned before his face.
A man put to death for refusing to
DltdQ OF WOIudu DuIuSu DIT JuS STAKE
for coming spurious money excited
less sympathy than is now felt for an
Over-driven OK or a CALLED horse.
Multitudes assembled to see gladia-
tors hack each other to pieces with
deadly weapons, and shouts OF delight
rent the air when one of the combat
ants lost an eye or was otherwise mu-
tilated or dismembered Prisons
We're dark and foul. reeking in filth
and were seminaries of crime and
disease And on all this misery and
inhumanity society, without discrim-
ination, looked on with profound in
difference
How was it in matters of religion
The churches were so intolerant
towards one another, as we'll as to-
wards the benighted sinner, that fl
nally the world was convulsed in fu-
riOus warfare which for foreclosures
has left a fouler blot on the world 5
escutcheon than all the other TRACE
dies combined The most harha ri X