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470 &t}e 3Leatiet+ [Saturday,
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[In this department, as all otinioks, ho...
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There is no learned man but will confess...
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RELIGION". July 29, 1850. Sir,,—I define...
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UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE. July 24, 1850. Sir,—...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Social Reform. Epistol2e Obscurorum Viro...
with the stars ! " How , indeed , fear a man whose attention was occupied with things so remote ? They feasted and made merry , leaving the star-gazer in peace . Their merriment was rudely silenced . They were in the port of Tarentum , famous for its slave market , and the merchants awaiting the arrival of a cargo precipitated themselves among the thoughtless revellers , and , loading them with chains , sold them to the highest bidders . From that day forward the most practical of these men always revered the star-gazers ! which the vessel of
Religion is the helm guides the state , and every wise politician will closely scrutinize the pretensions of the helmsman . I do not mean by this that every politician is bound to become a theologian , but I mean that every man must recognize the absolute importance of religion , and see that his leaders are really occupying themselves about it . AugusteComtehas shown—what at first appears the wildest of paradoxes—that the state of the science of astronomy , which seems to have no sort of influence upon our social condition , is an accurate index of our social state—that the
evolution of society is determined by the evolution of scientific progress—that abstract science and society are , in fact , correlates . But of course it was never supposed necessary for every citizen to have mastered all the problems of science : enough if the teachers have done so for him . So in the political world it is not necessary that every elector should be a theologian ; it is only necessary that he should see the leaders of his party are not overlooking the fundamental importance of Religion .
Wherever the social theorist casts his sounding line he finds Religion : in Politics , in Morals , in Art , in Education , everywhere he finds Religion an Impulse or an Obstacle . The Church presides over the three typical events of every life : Birth , Marriage , Death : it stands beside us at the cradle , at the altar , and at the grave , and its influences ramify through every turn and winding of our career . Can you pretend not to " trouble your head" with such a vital element as that ? You may rebel against this Church or that , but you cannot get rid of the " great fact" itself . Widely as we differ , Masson , on some points we are agreed
on that . On this subject of " Churches and Religion , " which is analogous to " Governments and Nationalities , " not more identical in the one case than the other , let us remember that although the two ideas have been sedulously confounded , until a rejection of any peculiar form of ecclesiastical polity comes by most people to be regarded as a rejection of Religion itself , in the same way as to object to existing institutions is construed into a desire for wild and lawless riot , nevertheless the two ideas denote two distinct things , and the distinction is this : Religion is to Churches what gold is to guineas , the
pure ingots of ore , not yet furnished with the official stamp which will give them currency . I admit the necessity of churches . I deny that they give value to the gold . They only make the gold a legal tender . They give it the sanction of office . They very often—in these later days terribly often —substitute electrotyped copper in the place of gold , declaring that the official stamp guarantees the purity of the metal ! This more-or-less-unconscious ** smashing" has increased so much that now the officers of the Royal Mint are loudly denouncing each other ' s malpractices , and it appears that even among the chiefs there is vehement dispute as to what is * gold and what electro-copper !
By Religion , then , T do not mean the Church , for 1 believe the Church itself is in need of reforms us radical as any other portion of that remnant of feudalism we call the British Constitution . In the Lender more than one call has been made for the New Reformation , —or Church of the Future . Let no one idly deem it the vision of a few enthusiasts . It has become the practical , though often unconscious aim of energetic thinkers , who see plainly enough the truth of what MacchiavelliJong njro declared , " 1 will never believe in a change of
government until I see a change of religion ; " who see that if the ardent aspirations after Social Reform , which now so profoundly move leading men , are ever to become realized in an enduring form , they must ; bo based upon a Faith shared in common , a conviction binding men together , not a Creed oiHcially thrust upon them . The New Reformation will start from a fuller
development of Luther's great principle . He founded Protestantism on the liberty of private judgment this liberty has scattered religion into sects . Us iveakneNS lies in its restrictions ; it i . s not absolute freedom * as persecution clearly shows . The New
Reformation must make that liberty absolute , giving to every soul the sacred pr ivilege of its own convictions , and by the illimitability of freedom in opinion making the unity of sentiment all the stronger . A church is the temple wherein a nation may worship . To secure the greatest effectiveness for this church should it not be based upon that which is permanent in man rather than upon that which is shifting ? To ask the question is to answer it . Inasmuch , therefore , as the religious sentiment in man is universal , enduring , and his religious opinions , or theories , are necessarily wavering and changeable ( a twofold demonstration afforded by all history ) , the Church of the Future should endeavour to found itself on what man has in common ( sentiment ) , admitting all possible varieties—or heresies —in matters of opinion . In the great Mart of the world we see the Jew jostling the Christian , the Catholic planning with the Protestant , the Atheist and the Methodist in mercantile harmony ; bufc what is found to work well in the Mart is thought impossible in the Temple . Is it impossible ? We want a new Church because the Church of England , to all intents and purposes , is dead ; dead , I . say , because it can no longer throw off life as from a vital source , no longer animate or adapt itself to new forms , but stands immovable upon tradition and formulas . If it still exhibit some signs of life , they are but the lingerings , so to speak , of ancient force , as the earth is warm for some hours after the setting of the sun . G . H . Leaves .
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[In This Department, As All Otinioks, Ho...
[ In this department , as all otinioks , however extreme . ARE ALLOWED AN EXPRESSION , THE EDITOR NECESSARILY HOLDS HIMSELF RESPONSIBLE FOB NONE . ]
There Is No Learned Man But Will Confess...
There is no learned man but will confess he hath much profited bv reading controversies , his senses awakened , and his judgment sharpened . If , then , it be profitable for him . to read , why should it not ,. at least , be tolerable for his adversary to write . —Milton .
Religion". July 29, 1850. Sir,,—I Define...
RELIGION" . July 29 , 1850 . Sir ,, —I define religion to be the bond which connects man with God , and unites men in the recognition of a common nature , of a common destiny , and a common faith . The fundamental doctrine of religion is belief—belief in the wisdom and goodness of the Divine Government . If we refuse to believe in . the beautiful order of the universe—if we deny that it exists for the well-being of its children , action becomes irrational , sentiment vanity , truth delusion , and virtue a shadow . 1 imagine that there are no persons of intelligence who can accept conclusions so monstrous . 13 ut the form which this belief in a principle of order will assume is that of faith in God—in a Being whom we cannot know , and whom we cannot define . If I am asked to prove the existence of a Being infinite in power , wisdom , and goodness , I am forced to concede that no logical proof is possible ; for logic is conversant only with phenomena ^ and the Highest Being is not a phenomenon . 3 iut , if I cannot demonstrate the existence of God , I can yet give reasons for my belief in that existence . I find them in the limited and referring characters of nature ; in the inadequacy of all sensuous existence to explain itself ; in the omnipresence of a Wisdom , an Energy , and a Beauty which transcends all thought ; in , I will not sav the contrivances , but the correspondences and
suitabilities of Nature ; in the proved fact that all knowledge is a knowledge of sensation , and that we are compelled to believe in something that produces sensation , and thus are at oneo carried out of and beyond the region of sensible phenomena , and forced to " admit that there is a higher life than that which is known to us . But the impelling motive for faith is derived from the constitution of humanity . The inference of our reason is approved by our conscience , by our affection , by our imagination . Faith in God is necessary to the welfare ot man—faith in a Being who is the reality of bis ideal of holiness , whom he can rcavd with ondloss lovo nnd wonder , and to whom lie can rofer the- involuntary worship which his heart lifts above . Faith in such a Being consoles (
elevates , satisfies man . Without this faith man . would feel miserable , terrified , « md perplexed . I do not venture to dogmatize on the nature of this Highest Being . All language is symbolical , and , when I call Him Spirit , Mind , God , Creator , Providence , I am conscious that I am not uttering articulate speech ; that I am only endeavouring to express my imperfect conception of Him in the least in appropriate terms that language can afford . Let us not suppose that we know God . We cannot know Him . We can only believe in Him , as the awful and lonely Life of the World , dimly revealed to us in the majesty , the wisdom , the beneficence which shine through His rich and inexhaustible nature .
In the first great poem , which proposed the enigma that has so often been asked ( the Hebrew Tragedy of Job ) , the conclusion arrived at is that God the Perfect is unsearchable , and that faith in Him , submission to Him , and a healthy practical piety is the only solution that we are likely to get to our riddle . And precisely that which an unwise curiosity would penetrate is what , in the judgment of the Hebrew poet , is necessary to the idea of Divinity . It is that ** bright light" on which we cannot look ; that " fearful splendour" which we cannot approach . There remains only for men belief in Him , loving reverence for Him , and loyal obedience to his ordinances . Hoping to address you again on this subject , I am , Sir , faithfully yours , M . O .
Universal Suffrage. July 24, 1850. Sir,—...
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE . July 24 , 1850 . Sir , —It is with no desire to have the last word that I write again upon this subject , but the wish to convince a conscientious opponent . If you think sufficient has been said , I shall bow contentedly to your decision . I have little fear of the judgment your readers will come to upon the question at issue . My position is , that those who deny the right of the suffrage must , in justice , allow the right to be governed by the highest intellect in the country . The highest intellect is to be found from one extreme of society to the other . Who is to judge ?—who is to seek it out?—who can?—but those who see it ,
those who surround it , those among whom it lives , was born , fostered , and has grown to maturity— the People . Thus , to be just , the legislators must be chosen from among the whole People , and the whole People must choose them . My position must be allowed , or the opponents of Universal Suffrage must be honest , and confess that they are not so much afraid of the ignorance as of the intelligence it might produce ; that there is a class privileged to govern by some authority superior to humanity , supported upon earth by brute force . They must allow the justice of Revolution .
Mr . Gurney ' s principal objection to Universal Suffrage is , that ' a division of power is inconsistent with it . " I am by no means certain that a division of power would render a Government any the less fallible , as Mr . Gurney seems to suppose . He has not attempted to show that it would . However , I see no reason why a division of power cannot exist with Universal Suffrage ( if it is necessary that it should exist ) ; it exists in America , in many of the states , — a Senate , a House of Assembly , Public Opinion . Mr . Gurney speaks of the Suffrage as •« being merely a privilege . " It is ; but ought it to be a privilege ? I ask him , who grants this privilege , and what right have any to grant it ? How has it been obtained , how is it retained ? Need I refer him to history ; to
the gradual emancipation of the masses from the thraldom of brutal despotism ; to the many fearful struggles ; to the immolation of many noble men that have aided to bring about the present state of liberty and security that Mr . Gurney so much admires ? We may have arrived at that point at which he thinks we ought to stand still . I see too much pettifogging in the Government , too much ignorance and want among the people , too little principle , and have so small a hope that any one will or can remedy these evils but the People , that I advocate their enfranchisement . I must march steadily forward in hopes of arriving at that " golden year" depicted by our great poet and wise politician ,
" When wealth no more shall rest in mounded heaps . " Hath he not said , " Men—my brothers , men—the workers , ever reaping- something That which they have done but earnest of the things that they Till the war-drum throb no longer , mid the battle-fl » g » aie furled , . In the Parliament of Man , the federation of the world . . There the common sensa of most shall hold a frt-tlul realm hi
And the kindly earth shall slumber , lapt in universal law" ? Mr . Gurney seems afraid that , under Universal Suffrage , public opinion would be too soon formed . Can lie be so ignorant of human nature as not to know that the majority is , and alwuys has been , a slave to routine , clinging to the past or the present , having a huge dislike to change , and but dim ami filmy eyes for the future , —that years will always ho absorbed before the mnjority of a nation , numerically great like ouih , can bo imbued with new theories and mado to act upon them ? Would we become better ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 10, 1850, page 14, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_10081850/page/14/
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