beacon lights of history-iii-2-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



demoralized。



On　America　itself　the　demoralization　was　even　more　marked。　　There

never　was　such　a　state　of　moral　degradation　in　any　Christian

country　as　in　South　America。　　Three　centuries　have　passed；　and　the

low　state　of　morals　continues。　　Contrast　Mexico　and　Peru　with　the

United　States；　morally　and　intellectually。　　What　seeds　of　vice　did

not　the　Spaniards　plant！　　How　the　old　natives　melted　away！



And　then；　to　add　to　the　moral　evils　attending　colonization；　was　the

introduction　of　African　slaves；　especially　in　the　West　Indies　and

the　Southern　States　of　North　America。　　Christendom　seems　to　have

lost　the　sense　of　morality。　　Slavery　more　than　counterbalances　all

other　advantages　together。　　It　was　the　stain　of　the　seventeenth　and

eighteenth　centuries。　　Not　merely　slaves；　but　the　slave…trade；

increase　the　horrors　of　the　frightful　picture。　　America　became

associated；　in　the　minds　of　Europeans；　with　gold…hunting；　slavery；

and　cruelty　to　Indians。　　Better　that　the　country　had　remained

undiscovered　than　that　such　vices　and　miseries　should　be　introduced

into　the　most　fertile　parts　of　the　New　World。



I　cannot　see　that　civilization　gained　anything；　morally；　by　the

discovery　of　America；　until　the　new　settlers　were　animated　by　other

motives　than　a　desire　for　sudden　wealth。　　When　the　country　became

colonized　by　men　who　sought　liberty　to　worship　God；men　of　lofty

purposes；　willing　to　undergo　sufferings　and　danger　in　order　to

plant　the　seeds　of　a　higher　civilization；then　there　arose　new

forms　of　social　and　political　life。　　Such　men　were　those　who

colonized　New　England。　　And；　say　what　you　will；　in　spite　of　all　the

disagreeable　sides　of　the　Puritan　character；　it　was　the　Puritans

who　gave　a　new　impulse　to　civilization　in　the　New　World。　　They

founded　schools　and　colleges　and　churches。　　They　introduced　a　new

form　of　political　life　by　their　town…meetings；　in　which　liberty　was

nurtured；　and　all　local　improvements　were　regulated。　　It　was　the

autonomy　of　towns　on　which　the　political　structure　of　new　England

rested。　　In　them　was　born　that　true　representative　government　which

has　gradually　spread　towards　the　West。　　The　colonies　were　embryo

States；States　afterwards　to　be　bound　together　by　a　stronger　tie

than　that　of　a　league。　　The　New　England　States；　after　the　war　of

independence；　were　the　defenders　and　advocates　of　a　federal　and

central　power。　　An　entirely　new　political　organization　was

gradually　formed；　resting　equally　on　such　pillars　as　independent

townships　and　independent　States；　and　these　represented　by

delegates　in　a　national　centre。



So　we　believe　America　was　discovered；　not　so　much　to　furnish　a

field　for　indefinite　material　expansion；　with　European　arts　and

fashions；which　would　simply　assimilate　America　to　the　Old　World；

with　all　its　dangers　and　vices　and　follies；but　to　introduce　new

forms　of　government；　new　social　institutions；　new　customs　and

manners；　new　experiments　in　liberty；　new　religious　organizations；

new　modes　to　ameliorate　the　necessary　evils　of　life。　　It　was

discovered　that　men　might　labor　and　enjoy　the　fruits　of　industry　in

a　new　mode；　unfettered　by　the　restraints　which　the　institutions　of

Europe　imposed。　　America　is　a　new　field　in　which　to　try　experiments

in　government　and　social　life；　which　cannot　be　tried　in　the　older

nations　without　sweeping　and　dangerous　revolutions；　and　new

institutions　have　arisen　which　are　our　pride　and　boast；　and　which

are　the　wonder　and　admiration　of　Europe。　　America　is　the　only

country　under　the　sun　in　which　there　is　self…government；a

government　which　purely　represents　the　wishes　of　the　people；　where

universal　suffrage　is　not　a　mockery。　　And　if　America　has　a　destiny

to　fulfil　for　other　nations；　she　must　give　them　something　more

valuable　than　reaping　machines；　palace　cars；　and　horse　railroads。

She　must　give；　not　only　machinery　to　abridge　labor；　but

institutions　and　ideas　to　expand　the　mind　and　elevate　the　soul；

something　by　which　the　poor　can　rise　and　assert　their　rights。

Unless　something　is　developed　here　which　cannot　be　developed　in

other　countries；　in　the　way　of　new　spiritual　and　intellectual

forces；　which　have　a　conservative　influence；　then　I　cannot　see　how

America　can　long　continue　to　be　the　home　and　refuge　of　the　poor　and

miserable　of　other　lands。　　A　new　and　better　spirit　must　vivify

schools　and　colleges　and　philanthropic　enterprises　than　that　which

has　prevailed　in　older　nations。　　Unless　something　new　is　born　here

which　has　a　peculiar　power　to　save；　wherein　will　America　ultimately

differ　from　other　parts　of　Christendom？　　We　must　have　schools　in

which　the　heart　as　well　as　the　brain　is　educated；　and　newspapers

which　aspire　to　something　higher　than　to　fan　prejudices　and　appeal

to　perverted　tastes。　　Our　hope　is　not　in　books　which　teach

infidelity　under　the　name　of　science；　nor　in　pulpits　which　cannot

be　sustained　without　sensational　oratory；　nor　in　journals　which

trade　on　the　religious　sentiments　of　the　people；　nor　in　Sabbath…

school　books　which　are　an　insult　to　the　human　understanding；　nor　in

colleges　which　fit　youth　merely　for　making　money；　nor　in　schools　of

technology　to　give　an　impulse　to　material　interests；　nor　in

legislatures　controlled　by　monopolists；　nor　in　judges　elected　by

demagogues；　nor　in　philanthropic　societies　to　ventilate　unpractical

theories。　　These　will　neither　renovate　nor　conserve　what　is　most

precious　in　life。　　Unless　a　nation　grows　morally　as　well　as

materially；　there　is　something　wrong　at　the　core　of　society。　　As　I

have　said；　no　material　expansion　will　avail；　if　society　becomes

rotten　at　the　core。　　America　is　a　glorious　boon　to　civilization；

but　only　as　she　fulfils　a　new　mission　in　history；not　to　become

more　potent　in　material　forces；　but　in　those　spiritual　agencies

which　prevent　corruption　and　decay。　　An　infidel　professor；　calling

himself　a　savant；　may　tell　you　that　there　is　nothing　certain　or

great　but　in　the　direction　of　science　to　utilities；　even　as　he　may

glory　in　a　philosophy　which　ignores　a　creator　and　takes　cognizance

only　of　a　creation。



As　I　survey　the　growing　and　enormous　moral　evils　which　degrade

society；　here　as　everywhere；　in　spite　of　Bunker　Hills　and　Plymouth

Rocks；　and　all　the　windy　declamations　of　politicians　and

philanthropists；　and　all　the　advance　in　useful　mechanisms；　I　am

sometimes　tempted　to　propound　inquiries　which　suggest　the　old；

mournful　story　of　the　decline　and　ruin　of　States　and　Empires。　　I

ask　myself；　Why　should　America　be　an　exception　to　the　uniform　fate

of　nations；　as　history　has　demonstrated？　　Why　should　not　good

institutions　be　perverted　here；　as　in　all　other　countries　and　ages

of　the　world？　　Where　has　civilization　shown　any　striking　triumphs；

except　in　inventions　to　abridge　the　labors　of　mankind　and　make　men

comfortable　and　rich？　　Is　there　nothing　before　us；　then；　but　the

triumphs　of　material　life；　to　end　as　mournfully　as　the　materialism

of　antiquity？　　If　so；　then　Christianity　is　a　most　dismal　failure；

is　a　defeated　power；　like　all　other　forms　of　religion　which　failed

to　save。　　But　is　it　a　failure？　　Are　we　really　swinging　back　to

Paganism？　　Is　the　time　to　be　hailed　when　all　religions　will　be

considered　by　the　philosopher　as　equally　false　and　equally　useful？

Is　there　nothing　more　cheerful　for　us　to　contemplate　than　what　the

old　Pagan　philosophy　holds　out；man　destined　to　live　like　brutes

or　butterflies；　and　pass　away　into　the　infinity　of　time　and　space；

like　inert　matter；　decomposed；　absorbed；　and　entering　into　new　and

everlasting　combinations？　　Is　America　to　become　like　Europe　and

Asia　in　all　essential　elements　of　life？　　Has　she　no　other　mission

than　to　add　to　perishable　glories？　　Is　she　to　teach　the　world

nothing　new　in　education　and　philanthropy　and　government？　　Are　all

her　struggles　in　behalf　of　liberty　in　vain？



We　all　know　that　Christianity　is　the　only　hope　of　the　world。　　The

question　is；　whether　America　is　or　is　not　more　favorable　for　its

healthy　developments　and　applica