Year: 1870

large powers Of thought added . great faculty
| Of expression, looking to the enormous forces
now under the control of human brains, and to


the form and character those forces so con-


trolled were giving to modern times, and, from


his lofty intellectual standpoint, taking in the


wide horizon, used these words 81 see the


world rushing towards an immense unity,
although of the precise form and character Of


that unity prefer to be silent" We do not
saw and so spoke; for few men who know
how to think and how to view things
beyond the confines Of their own narrow
circle have not had similar visions and


experienced similar difficulties. We all feel


the onward rush we are all more or less con-


scious of the moulding, formative character of
the present; but not many Of us can speak
with confidence Of the great unity that is to
come forth from the womb of the now travail


ing centuries. De Maistre, perhaps, said all
that can be authoritatively said on the subject.


AT the same time we live in the present and


we have perfect right TO speculate on the
future. Most men whose judgments are of
any value are agreed that the disunion of the
human family is CURSE or a misfortune, and
that the reunion or union of the same would be


blessing. Rather, it is thought and said,


that the making one family of all nations


and families now on the earth is the
highest perfection that human nature can


aim at or hope to attain on this side of eter-
nifty. Whatever Babel was, most thinking


men are disposed to admit that the divided


and snb-divided condition Of the race is huge
calamity. What is it that so divides the race?


Eminently these four things-geographica


barriers, language, religion, politics. No


matter how these have become isolating


agents. the fact is patent to all, and unques-


toned. The perpetuation OF those four causes


of separation implies the perpetual division Of
the human family. On the other hand, the
extinction of those causes Of separation, or the
creation of conditions which will take from
those causes their peculiar power, will render
possible or rather necessary, the union or re-
union of the race. These are simple truths,
and not difficult of comprehension.


Is there anything in modern times, anything
in the great motive forces Of the present, that
threatens the extinction of those isolating
causes, or the robbing them oftheir force or the
neutralizing of their influence? If there is
anything, what is it1 We might answer this
question in many ways. The simplest way is
topoint to facts. Fifty or even thirty years
ago there were parishes in Europe more
widely assunder, so far as time was concerned,
than kingdoms and empires now are at their
extreme points Men not yet old remember
when it required two or three months to cross
the Atlantic. We all remember how far away
California was from New York when the
golden nuggets tempted the restless spirits Of
ten days distant from Europe and as nearly
as possible seven days from San Francisco.
Between us and Europe and between us and
the Pacific coast the geographical barriers
have practically ceased to exist. We have
annihilated distance, and we have made
short work of time; and we say much
when we add that we do both with
ease and comfort. This, however, is not all.
Steam has done much, but electricity has done
more. There is not man in New York who
can spare ten dollars who has not the power or
privilege OF instantaneously talking with his
friend or friends in London, Paris, Berlin or
St. Petersburg. A less sum gives a similar
privilege between New York and San Fran
cisco. These agents are working revolutions
on all ranks and classes Of people in all lands
NJ. toL II oVta OFo fhoa
agents, has become mightier than courts and
cabinets mightier than priests and politicians
mightier than blood stained conquerors and
their armed hosts. National rivalry has not
ceased, nor will it soon cease; but interests
have become more potent than sentiments;
and in proportion as interests have ruled
so have we risen above the petty
barriers of natonalities. The purse
is the master of the man, and the
gold ring is the monarch of the hour. The
spirit of the age demands fair play and no
favor, and this spirit, which is levelling 10 the
last degree, is quite as hard on language and
religion and politics as it is on national boun-
daries. All over the civilized world the de-
mand for common language grows All
over, out Of New York, politics ceases to pay.
The Ecumenical Council reflects the religious
trouble of the hour. Christ, but no Pope,
or rather no infallible Pope, is the cry of
those who wish well to Christianity and who
regard it as the best of all beliefs. The State
Church is dead in Great Britain, although it
may seem to live; for the fate of the Irish
Church establishment is an unmistakabIe
index of the enlightened and growing senti-
ment of the age.


Or all the nationalities, or rather OF
all the great Powers which are con-
trolling the present and shaping the future,
we have no choice, but single out two. The
one is the parent; the other is the child but