The Ultimate Triumph of Just Principles

by I. H. Bates

The progress of truth is slow but real. Time was when the nature and relations of man, and the means for his development were less understood than now; when the intellectual and moral were very much under the control of passion; when there was no Bible, no good government, no enlightened civilization. Now in different parts of the world we find nations comparatively enlightened, wealthy and moral; wholesome governments, free peoples and happy homes. We find nations not only increasing in vigor and greatness but engaged in enlightening those around them by the encouragement of manufactures and commerce, learning and morality.

Civilization has reached its present position by struggling through many fluctuations. The organizations of society have sometimes been broken up and the strongest governments overthrown; but history shows that after each succeeding revolution the institutions of society have been reorganized on a firmer basis. Egypt attained a respectable elevation in learning and civilization and fell. After her, Greece reached a loftier eminence, and in like manner passed away. Then followed Rome with a civilization more solid and comprehensive but not strong enough to save her from the fate of her predecessors. Out of the chaos which followed the destruction of the Roman Empire has been evolved slowly and with many a death-struggle between right and wrong, between liberty and tyranny, a civilization which takes a firmer hold on the nature of man and which strikes its roots deeper in truth, a civilization which, having outlived the wreck of nations, still acts with all the energy of youth.

The cause of these changes lies back of political parties and men and monarchs. These may be its instruments, but the cause itself is unseen, acting on the intellectual and moral nature of man. The term "principle" best defines it.

Of principles, there are two classes: just and unjust. Growing out of the former are liberty and civilization and whatever makes a true and noble manhood; out of the latter, oppression, ignorance and whatever degrades the human character. Wherever they meet, whether in a conflict between different nations or different parts of the same nation, one or the other must peaceably yield, or the strife must be settled in blood or, what is still worse, a disgraceful compromise. The last has been the mode in our own country until this glorious day. The various forms of contention, from the petty lawsuit up to the shock of armies, are only so many struggles for existence and influence between great and opposing principles—only parts of that sublime battle between right and wrong. Men being the voluntary representatives of these opposing principles, that will finally prevail which is most congenial to his nature, and just principles being more congenial, must at length come off victorious.

The highest degree of civilization is the greatest development of man. Man being made for happiness, where the means to secure it are the most abundant, there development is greatest. These means are wealth, knowledge and morality—wealth being a means to secure the other two as well as the physical comforts of life. The type of civilization in any age or nation embodies its ideas of justice—these being a part of its morality. With justice and benevolence to guide, wealth, knowledge, and morality act reciprocally—the increase of one causing an increase of the others. For example, as wealth increases, additional means are furnished for the spread of knowledge and morality. These three things are not only the means of civilization, they are its measure; as they increase it increases, as they are lacking misery abounds. Their amount has never been so great as today. Modern civilization is the highest the world has ever enjoyed, and just principles are more fully embodied.

The appliances for securing the highest state of civilization were never so ample as now. We have the results of science and art combined, in all the infinite variety of improvements which inventive genius has produced: the increase of schools and colleges; the press, the pulpit, and best of all, the Bible for every man, woman and child. We have a broader field of civil and religious liberty, and to labor in it an increased number of good men—scholars, philanthropists, statesmen, Christian teachers and ministers—who are not hirelings, but dare be bold and fearless advocates of truth as applied to human relations and human duty. These are some of the present means for spreading just principles and leading man on to the highest state of development. When these were fewer there was no progress; a more rapid progress, but a fiercer a strife is before us. For the final consummation no time can be set. The perfection of civil institutions is not hot-house development—it is the work of ages.

The signs of the times demonstrate the power of the undercurrents of principle in society. Tempests violently agitate the surface of the ocean and threaten destruction to its floating treasure; soon quiet follows, while the influence of its deeper currents is constant and all-pervading. So in the great human sea on which floats the ship of state exist vast undercurrents driven on by the power of truth, whose force is also constant and vigorous, and acting with the whirlpools and tempests of madness and ambition which so often disturb its surface will cause the craft not made of the genuine stuff to go down or render it unseaworthy. This is ominous of evil to the timid and superficial; but of good to the brave and thoughtful who understand the causes at work, for they know that truth is invincible.

The great transformations that have been going on in various civil and religious organizations of Europe, and the fierce conflict for the establishment of freedom and the overthrow of tyranny and intolerance have fixed the attention of every enlightened country.

An unquenchable love of liberty led Hungary to strike a determined blow at the despotism which oppressed her; though overpowered—not conquered, she will yet see a more propitious time to avenge her blood and achieve her independence.

Italy, with millions of hearts throbbing for liberty, counting the gain more than the loss, placed her manly sons and her treasure on the altar, and with Garibaldi for the leader, bravely fought her way through the minions of oppression to civil and religious freedom.

Forty millions of emancipated Russian serfs today give proof of the genial influence of just principles on the heart of the Russian bear.

The warfare of great principles is going on in our own country. The logic of words is becoming effectual in the logic of the sword. Charleston's guns did more to arouse the nation than all the political speeches of the last twenty years. The oligarchy have already acknowledged, by their acts, that slavery and freedom cannot exist in the same government. The verdict of battle will be, "slavery shall die." We make for ourselves other issues—we may fight only for separate and selfish interests; but interests involve principles: what is begun for an interest ends in developing a principle. "A man's heart deviseth his way; but the Lord directeth his steps."

History shows that the continued practice of injustice by a government will cause its destruction. We have no reason to suppose that the God of justice will make us an exception and suffer the injustice of making man-property to go unrebuked. Slavery or the Government must die.

Few great evils have ever been peaceably reformed—national sins must be expiated in blood.

Amphictyons: you celebrate today your fourth anniversary. The year that is past has been to you one of the earnest labor. No year in your history has chronicled so many features of interest, to yourselves as a society, or to the world at large. You have been preparing yourselves to act more efficiently in the cause of right. Your lot has fallen upon pregnant times. The cause of truth lacks zealous workers who are trained to strike. Students more than any other class of men belong to their country. It needs scholars, needs ministers, needs statesmen, needs soldiers, now. And most of all, it needs brave and Christian men who know how to use the ballot-box or wield the sword. These men and the influences that make such men must come out of the colleges. Though dark and threatening clouds hang over our country today, let us act with a firm assurance for the future; for the God of heaven is pledged for the ultimate triumph of justice and right.