UNIVERSITY COURIER.
8
He had no vices though many foibles. His character was spirited, genial and most kindly. We learn from his life that, however much we may loose, there is still some gain, and that even through the iron gratings of the prison cell, the bright stars may be seen.
LIBERALISM IN AMERICA.
The American people are apt to flatter themselves that their customs, their institutions are just a little bit better than those of other countries. We are apt to pique ourselves on the latitude that is given to expression and the freedom that is given to opinion. But underlying all our professions of democracy there still lies the fragment of aristocracy. We manifest, indeed, a disposition to venture into new realms of thought, to question the tangibility of many notions which we find in our minds and to a very large extent to doubt and express doubts contrary to fixed authority. Our tentative efforts to fathom the mysteries of the mind are so conducted as not to clash, however, with authorities of long standing.
But when to these efforts one applies the name of Liberalism there is a certain feeling of abhorrence that takes hold of the mind. It seems strange that our greatest thinkers refuse to accept the name of Liberal. True Liberalism is in bad oder in this country, yet it has many adherants. Extremes are to be avoided in every principal we advocate. Liberalism if carried to the extreme leads to licence, religious enthusiasm carries us into bigotry. Reason must guide and shape all institutions, and upon reason is true Liberalism based. Liberalism which the most scrupulous might embrace without any compunctions of conscience. Liberalism can then be defined as freedom from narrowness in thought and action; always governed by that intangible something called reason.
Aristotle said that the human race would progress, that education would be more widely diffused and the people more intelligent and consequently reason would have more to do with shaping the will than authority. This, indeed, elevates mankind to a higher, broader and nobler plain. It makes man a suveran of his own individuality. And truely the condition of the mind which Aristotle believed would come is fast permeating the characters of men. We see in every department of human knowledge more independence of thought. Men seem to take a broader view of life and to enjoy it more intensely. Man has instinctively come to recognize this higher power. Just as deep as humanity in man is so is that essential element which makes him everywhere a worshipper of a higher power than himself and above the ordinary human creature. When he is forced into a belief he goes at it blindly. But let man once grasp an idea, a principle from the free exercise of his own reasoning powers and it will take a deeper and stronger hold of his mind. His reason leads him to take one step at a time, making sure of every step. Liberalism may, therefore, exist in religion as well as out of religion. And it is no Liberalism that attacks a man for his religious views. Liberalism is essentially freedom of thought.
The Roman Catholic Church some six or eight centuries ago kept the people in ignorance, feeling that in the then exacting state of society they could be better managed, but the church forgot that the minds of men were growing out of the darkness of the middle ages.
The church felt that the more ignorant the people are the more religious will they be, and also more tractable. The first shafts of Liberalism were of course directed against the condition and management of the church. And the result was that although persecuted they grew in power and influence. Men, to-day, among Liberalists, fail to discriminate clearly between the changed condition of affairs, and feel consequently that the efforts of Liberals must be directed against the church.
Among the Liberalists of to-day we recognize the deist, the atheist, the infidel, the spiritualist and a great variety of quacks. Men do not care especially to enroll themselves under the banner of such a motely crowd and take the mistaken idea that they ought to antagonize the whole thing. The escutcheon of Liberalism is broad and embraces many varieties; all, however, enjoying the privilege of Liberality. Under this banner every one may stand who has an opinion of his own. Nor should one be ashamed to identify himself with principles which he would not deny to himself.
Truly, Liberalism antagonizes the church because it fails to see that the church has made any advancement. And what is more, it is only a small number of Liberalists who do oppose the doctrines of the church. And can that be called Liberalism that does not give man the right of religious belief if he wishes it? Can that be called Liberalism that does not allow man to use his own reason in deciding any question? Liberalism is indeed on no side.
Liberalism may be carried to such wild extremes as to defeat its own purpose; so soon as it steps over certain bounds it ceases to be Liberalism. The wild fanaticism of the French was not Liberalism. But Liberalism is in harmony with all progress and with all philanthropic objects which are designed to raise the human family to higher conceptions of the great laws of nature and the perception of truth, and by virtue of these facts it is not to be forgotten or ignored. It does not take the place of any religion. It does not presume to call itself perfect and infallable. Here in America more than any other country, the home of free principles, the birth place and almost of free government, ought Liberality be fostered and encouraged.
ELOQUENCE.
We hear the expression quite frequently, "He is a very eloquent man," applied to a great many individuals, and if we were to take the expression in its literal sense we would imagine that many Ciceros were among us. History shows very few masters in eloquence and a great many indifferently eloquent men. As in eloquence so in music. We hear many pianos rattling today when such a thing was rare fifty years ago. Nearly every one can play and nearly every one who does play is called a good player. But Mozarts, Beethovens and Handels do not appear.
It is said that a dramatic age produces great dramatists; that the age of Shakespeare was eminently dramatic. We may therefore look for great musicians in this age, and also some conspicuous examples of eloquence. But a careful examination of the powers reputed to some men, in this direction, will not disclose the eloquence which every one would recognize as the genuine. We find men moved to eloquence in an assembly, in a parlor. This is easily moved and not deep. Others are moved to eloquence in our county