Show s MODERN HERESIES V- V The most marked characteristic of modern thought is its extreme boldness x its it's lack of reverence for long cherished tl traditions a its fearless skepticism which t subjects to the most crucial tests principles ples pies that for ages have remained It would not be far wrong to say r that until the last f few w decades decade there has been even in the most intelligent Communities communities communities com Com- nothing worthy the na name e of free thought and free expression Time and again tyrannies have been overthrown only to be supplemented by others scarcely less les absolute Catholic tyranny gives place to protestant bigotry the rule of the monarch succumbs to that of popular prejudice It is a mistake to suppose that the rule of of superstition ended when the power was broken or that political tyranny tyranny tyranny tyr tyr- anny ceased with the birth of Americas America's independence or or the fall of of the French monarchy These are all indications s merely of the spirit of freedom that is moving humanity whose force has been felt through all the centuries of the worlds world's progress but whose growth is even yet not perfect Although heretics are no longer burned at the stake nor openly persecuted except except except ex ex- in rare instances sanctioned by law yet we find whole communities in their hearts as intolerant as those who in times past waged the atrocious religious wars the record of which is such a blot upon the pages of the worlds world's history Prejudice is ever ready to cry Halt t to progress s. s Conventionalism hemmed in by tradition and unable to penetrate to the light of the new day makes of its prison walls a a- a rampart to ward off the assaults of the new new thought not being aware that this seeming foe will prove its liberator Though many do not seem to realize it as yet the human mind has cast off all fetters that is mind as represented by bythe bythe bythe the leaders of modern thought Never before has there been such an awakening s such ch a repudiation of authority coupled with such determination to sift out all i error such a letting letting- in of the light upon upon old world darkness Old sits in j his obscure corner and by his flickering 4 p candle flame pours over his Aristotle o or his Greek classics whining pitifully if perchance a ray of the rapidly-growing rapidly light penetrates to his retreat and falls upon his blinking eyes But his feeble protest is vain The spirit of heresy heres v is abroad in inthe inthe inthe the land Its motto is Onward its its g f once powerful persecutors though perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps retaining all their time old-time hatred for newly-discovered newly truth have lost most of their power Even their appeal to popular prejudice will soon be wholly vain for formen formen formen men ai are e that the power of prejudice prejudice prejudice pre pre- judice is terrible only in man that man that it must soon give way before the advance of in in- in Into the strongholds of all systems of philosophy science and religion these modern n heresies penetrate Plato and Aristotle gave way to Descartes and Kant these in tui turn n to Spencer and Mill 1 In religion theology and dogmatism to toe e yield to natural ethics and altruism never was anything but a benefit benefit benefit bene bene- fit to mankind and this is why we vance faster now than ever now before now that the world is full of heretics and inc intolerance intolerance intolerance in in- c tolerance is well neigh powerless It is the age of the young the strong the fear fear- less There is not less veneration for age but much less respect for fossilized ideas Y The old idea that a mans man's thought was of little value until his physical being began to decline seems ridiculous to us knowing knowing know know- i ing as we do that mental activity goes hand in hand with physical vigor Hence we can readily understand that they who are in the prime of life with keen perceptions perceptions perceptions per per- and strength to do and courage to dare are the ones to roll on the wheel of progress and in them we place our trust k and our hope for the future |