The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-10-31
SOCIALIZING THE INDIVIDUAL
An Interesting Paper on Mans Social Attitude
Read Before the Pierian Chautauqua Circle
PERFECTED SOCIETY
seems to me the most ex-
alted of all conceivable
BIZ L. J. W

U8M9H seems to me the most ex-
HSsMSGN alted of all conceivable
egYgy creations, as much more
glorious than the suns and systems
of the universe, as Godlike charac-
ter is more glorious than matter.
And the harmony of ten thousand
free wills perfectly attuned to one
perfect will, is as much nobler than
the beauty of a single soul, as the
full orchestra is nobler than the
shepherds pipe. Society was
not an after-thought, nor was it of
artificial origin. 1t began with the
first human pair, and without it
human history would have ended
with the first human being. Soci-
ETY. has life of its own, which is
vast. complex, and continuous, and
is constantly growing more vast
and more complex.
We are told that the human race
has existed between 100000 and
100000 years, and that it has
been conscious of its existence for
about 10000 years. The most it
has accomplished of any value to
it has been done within 1000 years
and its greatest work within 200
years.
In a word, relatively speaking,
man has only just begun to exist,
and is separated in two classes
namely the individual, and the
social class. To champion the in
dividual against society is like
championing rights against duties,
forgetting that each implies the
other. But there are multitudes
who are nursing the idea, that the
government, state and society are
naturally antagonistic to them.
And when they get into trouble of
any sort they blame society for
their downfall. They are sure to
make it known that society has not
only trampled all over the flower
garden of their hearts affections,
but have actually kicked the props
out from under their prospects in
life, and let them down with a
thud, with no other cushion than
this cold hard world to land upon.
They seem to forget that not one
of the great works of genius which
enrich all nations and all general.
ions, no triumph of literature, of
architecture, of painting, of inven-
tion, would have been possible
apart from society. Therefore
society can have no existence apart
from the individuals of whom it is
composed, and that the individual
can have no existence apart from
society which give to him his life,
and nourishes it through helpless
years.
/ cannot imagine an infinitely
good and wise creator who had not
a purpose worthy of His goodness,
His greatness and His wisdom. l
cannot imagine any higher or more
benevolent purpose for this world
then bringing all its moral creatures
into perfect harmony with the per-
feet will of this perfect being.
Because that will is benevolent, and
because it is made known to man in
revelation and in nature, mans
highest good can be realized only
through perfect obedience to the
laws thus made known. These
laws are not imposed on man from
without, but implanted in his nat
ure. Therefore, we must not think
of the individual as quite apart
from society, the state government
naturally antagonistic to him. He
is not only person, but a social
being and government. State and
society are rooted in his nature.
We must start from the pregnate
fact that each man is made an in
dividual and social being, and that
his whole humanity. with all of its
attributes, moral, religious, emot-
ional, mental, cultural and indust-