224 THE WHENCE AND THE WHITHER OF MAN 



A family, race, or nation starts out fresh in its 

 youthful physical and mental vigor and strict obedi- 

 ence to moral law and in its faith in God. For these 

 reasons it survives in the struggle for existence. It 

 grows in extent and power, in intelligence and wealth. 

 But with this increase in wealth and power comes a 

 deadening of the mind to the claims of moral law, and 

 an idolatrous worship of material prosperity. The 

 new generation looks upon the stern morality and in- 

 dustry and self-control of its ancestors as straight- 

 laced and narrow. Morality may not be unfashion- 

 able, but any stern rebuke of immorality is not 

 conventional. Strong moral earnestness and whole- 

 souled loyalty to truth are not in good form. Wealth 

 and social position become the chief ends of men's 

 efforts, and, to buy these, unselfishness and truth and 

 self-respect are bartered away. Luxury, enervation, 

 and effeminacy are rife, and snobbery follows close 

 behind them. The ancestral vigor, the insight to 

 recognize great moral principles, and the power to 

 gladly hazard all in their defence have disappeared 

 in a mist of indifference, which beclouds the eyes 



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and benumbs all the powers. The race of giants is 

 dwindling into dwarfs. They say, when the time 

 comes, we will rouse ourselves and be like our fathers. 

 And the crisis comes, but they are not equal to it. 

 The nation has long enough cumbered the ground, it 

 has already died by suicide and must now give place 

 to a race and civilization which has some aim in, and 

 hence right to, existence, and which is of some use to 

 itself and others. If we would learn by observation, 

 and not by sad experience, we must remember that 

 man is above all, and must be a religious being con- 



