The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-06-24
ONLY FREE SOULS
CAN TRULY GROW
DR.. Charles Fleisc1er of Bos-
ton Delivers Sermon in Pull
pit of E. |. Goshen.
EMERSON is QUOTED
Unrest of Present Day Is
Taken as Favorable Sign
of Progress.
is QUOTED

the First Congregational church was occu-
pied at the regular Sunday service by
DR. Charles F'leischer OF Boston IN
stead Of selection from the Bible, ne
read the Introductory paragraph OF Ralpf
Waldo Emersons essay on Nature. His
theme was '"Thc Free Soul and he sale
in part:
Nearly century and half ago.
the American colonies proclaimed their
political Independence of the motner
country. Too long We have failed TO
recognize the spiritual implications ol
that act. Really, the revolutionary
fathers. In fighting Tor the potiucal
freedom of this land, achieved me
spiritual emancipation of mankind. :,
Always, revolutions not only spell
present demand. but they prefigure
the tendency of future developments
for. after all. revolution is only
sort OF surgical evolution. Therelore
we need mol be surprised nor asnan'ea
to discover that the average. OF us
individually. and our social institn,
tons generally, is and are far behln9
the level of that freedom proclaimed
In the sacred days Of lIl6.
Problem for Time.
Gradually. as the millions Of us
grow in freedom OF spirit we shail
prove the revolutionary character OF
the democratic doctrine, by demand
ing and achieving the democrauza-
tion of all Of our human interests
Thus, gradually, we shall work out
as people. all the spiritual implica-
tIons OF the ideal OF democracy TO
which we arc Gonsecrated: and VIC
shall become a really democratic peo-
pie.
our democratic evolution as a peo-
pie waits upon the individual achieve
ment OF the democratic spirit OF tree
dom and dignity and self-respect-
We cannot. as people, rise apov"
the average spiritual level. If most
of us are still subscrvient In spirit,
fearful and cowardly. we are nat
urally and deservedly tho victims, the
spols and the tools or whatsoever
social survival OF ancient autocracy.
aristocracy, monarchy and oligarchy
in our present civilization, Hierarchy
in religion, the boss In politics, the
plutoorat In industry. the charlatah
in philosophy-all OF these are posi-
bic and still so plentiful. because
most of us are still FAR from oeihg
free souls.
Signs Are Hopeful.
The unrest everywhere, the rebel
lIousnesH and revolution in the pollti-
cal, industrial and religious realms
these are hopeful symptoms, They
are the prsmonltory mutterlnss OF
that self respect and self -insistence
which are fitting to society OF free
souls. Let autocracy AN, and %nat ssis,Ms we
(whether that dares to show itself IN
politics or in industry or In rcnsloD
beware OF the on-rushing democratic
tide which will successfully sWoop
away every vestige OF the ancient
type Of social organization.
Our Roosevelts in politics. our Hay
woods in the labor realm, and our Tree
lances in the religious World-al OF OF
generally destructive type-may be
nniovely and unacceptable to the
tinid soul and to those who are sat
isfied with things as they, are. put
they are the syInbols Of existing dis
content and the precursors Of the bet
ter conditions which are to be when
/ wo are really a free people; that iss
| vast society OF free souls.
Purpose of Church.
That is what you. Ideally. are as
congregation. under the ministIauoa
| leader You need not dread your des-
tiny, but rather you may greet tho
| unseen with q cheer" In such ac-
| tivity, under such guidance, you are
| really a religious organization, doing
| the work which behts groups OF men
and women consciously dedicated to
| the development of the infinite possl-
OF ours. Indeed, as ] see IT,, no form
OF religious organization has the right.
in these practical days. TO exist on
nny other basis or for any other pur-
pose than TO develop human powers
Not only Is there no reason for the
race to fear the fullest expression OF
the freedom OF tho soul, but the. one
hope of humanity lies In that direc-
tIon without that self trust we
tend only towards cony entionaliza-
ton and crystallization Of and isno-
| BILE satisfaction with, whatever has
been thought and said and done ON
the other hand, with self-resepct and
with faith In human capacity. we tend
TO evolve progressively all our latent
powers, and TO be stimulated always
by that sublime discomfort which Is
chief among our human glories and
the suggestion of our Nnship with
the essence OF the universe.
So let us trust ourselves. and be-
Iieve ourselves capable Of great and
greater things, individually and as a
| people Let us dream dreams and
see visions and formulate Ideals,
knowing that the true history of man :
kind is not story OF migrauons and
a record OF wars but the living and
Inspiring registration of the progress
slve and continuous embodiment OF
the dreams and visions and Ideals OF