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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1879)
122 UTILITY AND I'llOMUiSS. VOL. VIII in glowing terms of the churnctcr of the ago, while another sec in it little less than evil. One person is denounced as a ruth less image breaker; another is charged with fogyism and intolerance. These sharply drawn lines tell us that the oppos. ing forces arc yet but imperfectly blended. So long as this is true, we may expect to sec one man cany new ideas to an extreme, while another recoils from all radical views. If the former should be checked in his destructive work, th'i latter cau only bring his conservatism into disre pute by shunning a fair isssue with the new ideas constantly springing up. We may not always appeal to hisloiy as the arbitor to decide what ought now to be. Theories have arisen that have little historic precedent in their favor. Many of these will force their way into general acceptance, despite all opposition. The phases of modern life have assumed an optimism which asserts the rapid ap proach to an ideal of future perfection. At this, we can scarcely wonder. It is a necessary consequence of our modes of thought. An ideal is be3t conceived when placed at a distance But the man of to-day has acquired a distaste for what is ancient. He is thus compelled to place in the future the ideal which his imagina tion runs riot in building. But in the path of its realization, lie two stern facts: human nature and the duration of life. The former is imperfect and must remain so. If men were perfect, progress could not exist. If all classes were superlatively happy and prosperous, little incentive to exertion 01 virtue would remain. Man is a creature of ideas, and though these are ever changing, an inexorable law limits their sphere of action. The shortness of life also limits our attainments. If the Held of our knowledge is constantly widening, the soil becomes shallow to the individual in an equal ratio achievements, great as they are, men are at least brought to a keen realization of its limits. If a deep undercurrent of reaction docs not then set in, men are at least seized with doubt and discontent, and awake to the futility of trying to solve every problem suggested to them. All our inquiries pertain either to the natural or to the supernatural. In those which deal with the former, we see the most noticeable elements of change. They have given shape to what may be called a secular materialism. Since the sudden impetus which industry has re ceived seems without bounds, every one is engrossed in the putsuil of gain. If equality promotes ' this result, science lends it new strength. The American promptly avails himself of the countless aids of science, so far as they bear direct ly on the purpose which he has in view. The popular estimation of science thus depends on its practical results. If this is a misfortune, it is none the less unavoida able. It is of little use to deride the age for practicality. The desire of gain is an essential clement of human nature, and when its incentives to action are multi plied, we may expect to sec the standard of utility applied indiscriminately to all things. This practical manner of viewii.g oh jects is thus extended to the domain of supernatural. Here, we arc constantly reminded of the destructive spirit of mod. era skepticism. The peculiar nature of this element is a movement of the age, no less inevitable than the republican reac tion in Europe. Since all Americans stand on a common ground of political equality, the individual is disinclined to take the opinion of any one for granted. Science, again, enables him to solve with ease dilllculties that not long since were insurmountable. This has caused the idea that nothing is beyond the reach of the understanding. Our incredulity of the Ii this wav. nrourcss i n...,iiiin...i I supernatural bus become almost instino- CJ "" -"WWiV,l, , - , Despite the momentum given it by favor, ' "',, wc are !! ..lger ,1,,ol,I11ed ,t0 able circumstances and ,lsii.. i, ...... ",."".UI "" uinumy , .w.,v w WWVU11U UUlllillllLV.
