PROGRESS GROWS JOLLY.
In passing near the tables Gerlach overheard conversations which
revealed to him unmistakably the communistic aspirations and tendencies
prevailing among the lower orders, their fiendish hatred of religion
and the clergy, their corruption and appalling ignorance. On every hand
he perceived symptoms of an alarmingly unhealthy condition of society.
He heard blasphemies uttered against the Divinity which almost caused
his blood to run cold; sacred things were scoffed at in terms so coarse
and with an animus so plainly satanical that his hair rose on his head.
It was clear to him that the firmest supports, the only true
foundations of the social order, were tottering--rotted away by an
incurable corruption.
In Gerlach's life, also, as in that of many other men, there had been a
period of mental struggle and of doubt. He, too, had at one time
himself face to face with questions the solution of which involved the
whole aim of his existence. During this period of mental unrest, he had
thought and studied much about faith and science, but not with a silly
parade of superficial scepticism. He had resolutely engaged in the soul
struggle, and had tried to end it for once and all. Supported by a good
early training and a disposition naturally noble, instructed and guided
by books of solid learning, he had come out from that crisis stronger
in faith and more correct in his views of human science. The scenes
which he was witnessing reminded him vividly of that turning-point in
his life; they were to him an additional proof that man's dignity
disappears as soon as he refuses to follow the divine guidance of
religion. Grave in mood, he returned to the table around which were
gathered the chieftains. The marks of respect shown to the millionaire
were numerous and flattering. Even the bluff Sand exerted himself
unusually in paying his respects to the wealthy landholder, and
Erdblatt, whose embarrassed financial condition enabled him beyond them
all to appreciate the worth of money, filled a glass with his own hand,
and reached it to Mr. Conrad with the deference of an accomplished
butler, Gerlach was pleased to speak in terms of praise of the
nut-brown beverage, which greatly tickled Belladonna, the fat brewer.
Naturally enough, the conversation turned upon the subject of the
celebration.
"I confess I am not quite clear respecting the purpose of your city in
the matter of schools," said Mr. Conrad. "How do you intend to arrange
the school system?"
"In such a way as to make it accord with the requirements of the times
and the progressive spirit of civilization," answered Hans Shund. "An
end must be put to priest rule in the schools. The establishment of
common schools will be a decided step towards this object. For a while,
of course, the priests will be allowed to visit the schools at
specified times, but their influence and control in school matters will
be greatly restricted. Education will be withdrawn from the church's
supervision, and after a few years we hope to reach the point when the
school-rooms will be closed altogether against the priests. There is
not a man of culture but will agree that children should not be
required to learn things which are out of date, and the import of which
must only excite smiles of compassion."
"Whom do you intend to put in the place of the clergy?" inquired Mr.
Conrad.
"We intend to impart useful information and a moral sense in harmony
with the spirit of the age," replied Hans Shund.
"It seems to me the elementary branches have been very competently
taught heretofore in our schools, consequently I do not see the need of
a change on this head," said Gerlach. "But you have not understood my
question, I mean, who are to fill the office of instructors in morals
and in religion?"
The chieftains looked puzzled, for such a question they had not
expected to hear from the wealthiest man of the country.
"You see, Mr. Gerlach," said Sand bluntly, "religion must be done away
with entirely. We haven't any use for such trash. Children ought to
spend their time in learning something more sensible than the
catechism."
"I am not disposed to believe that what you have just uttered is a
correct expression of the general opinion of this community on the
subject of the school question," returned the millionaire with some
warmth. "It is impossible to bring up youth morally without religion.
You are a housebuilder, Mr. Sand. What would you think of the man who
would expect you to build him a house without a foundation--a castle in
the air?"
"Why, I would regard him as nothing less than a fool," cried Sand.
"The case is identically the same with moral education. Morality is an
edifice which a man must spend his life in laboring at. Religion is the
groundwork of this edifice. Moral training without religion is an
impossibility. It would be just as possible to build a house in the
air, as to train up a child morally without a religious belief, without
being convinced of the existence of a holy and just God."
"Facts prove the contrary," maintained Hans Shund. "Millions of persons
are moral who have no religious belief."
"That's an egregious mistake, sir," opposed the landholder. "The
repudiation of a Supreme Being and the violent extinction of the idea
of the Divinity in the breast are of themselves grave offences against
moral conscience. I grant you that, in the eyes of the public,
thousands of men pass for moral who have no faith in religion. But
public opinion is anything but a criterion of certainty when the moral
worth of a man is to be determined. A man's interior is a region which
cannot be viewed by the eye of the public. You know yourselves that
there are men who pass for honorable, moral, pure men, whose private
habits are exceedingly filthy and corrupt."
Hans Shund's color turned a palish yellow; the eyes of the chieftains
sank.
"Besides, gentleman, it would be labor lost to try to educate youth
independently of religion. Man is by his very nature a religious being.
It is useless to attempt to educate the young without a knowledge of
God and of revealed religion; to be able to do so you would previously
have to pluck out of their own breasts the sense of right and wrong,
and out of their souls the idea of God, which are innate in both. Were
the attempt made, however, believe me, gentlemen, the yearning after
God, alive in the human breast, would soon impel the generation brought
up independently of religion to seek after false gods. For this very
reason we know of no people in history that did not recognize and
worship some divinity, were it but a tree or a stone, that served them
for an object of adoration. In my opinion, it would be far more
indicative of genuine progress to adhere to the God of Christians, who
is incontestably holy, just, omnipotent, and kind, whilst to return to
the sacred oaks of ancient Germany or to adopt the fetichism of
uncivilized tribes would be a most monstrous reaction, the most
degrading barbarism."
The chieftains looked nonplussed. Earnest thinking and investigation
upon subjects pertaining to religion were not customary among the
disciples of progress. They looked upon religion as something so common
and trivial that anybody was free to argue upon and condemn it with a
few flippant or smart sayings; But the millionaire was now disclosing
views so new and vast, that their weak vision was completely dazzled,
and their steps upon the unknown domain became unsteady.
Mr. Seicht, observing the embarrassment of the leaders, felt it his
duty to hasten to their relief. His polemical weapons were drawn from
the armory of bureaucracy.
"The progressive development of humanity," said Mr. Seicht, "has
revealed an admirable substitute for all religious ideas. A state well
organized can exist splendidly without any religion. Nay, I do not
hesitate to maintain that religion is a drawback to the development of
the modern state, and that, therefore, the state should have nothing
whatever to do with religion. An invisible world should not exert an
influence upon a state--the wants of the times are the only rule to be
consulted."
"What do you understand by a state, sir?" asked the millionaire.
"A state," replied the official, "is a union of men whose public life
is regulated by laws which every individual is bound to observe."
"You speak of laws; upon what basis are these laws founded?"
"Upon the basis of humanity, morality, liberty, and right," answered
the official glibly.
"And what do you consider moral and just?"
"Whatever accords with the civilization of the age."
A faint smile passed over the severe features of Mr. Conrad.
"I was watching the procession," spoke he. "I have seen the religious
feelings of a large number of citizens publicly ridiculed and grossly
insulted. Was that moral? Was it just? You are determined to oust God
and religion from the schools; yet there are thousands in the country
who desire and endeavor to secure a religious education for their
children. Is it moral and just to utterly disregard the wishes of these
thousands? Does it accord with a profession of humanity and freedom to
put constraint on the consciences of fellow-citizens?"
"The persons of whom you speak are a minority in the state, and the
minority is obliged to yield to the will of the majority," answered
Seicht.
"It follows, then, that the basis of morality and justice is superior
numbers?"
"Yes, it is! In a state, it appertains to the majority to determine and
regulate everything."
"Gentlemen," spoke Gerlach with great seriousness, "as I was a moment
ago strolling over this place, I overheard language at several tables,
which was unmistakably communistic. Laborers and factory men were
maintaining that wealth is unequally distributed; that, whilst a small
number are immensely rich, a much greater number are poor and
destitute; that progress will have to advance to a point when an equal
division of property must be made. Now, the poor and the laboring
population are in the majority. Should they vote for a partition,
should they demand from us what hitherto we have regarded as
exclusively our own, we, gentlemen, will in consistency be forced to
accept the decree of the majority as perfectly moral and just--will we
not?"
There was profound silence.
"I, for my part, should most emphatically protest against such a ruling
of the majority," declared Greifmann.
"Your protest would be contrary to morals and equity; for, according to
Mr. Seicht, only what the majority wills is moral and just," returned
the landowner. "And, in mentioning partition of property, I hinted at a
red monster which is not any longer a mere goblin, but a thing of real
flesh and bone. We are on the verge of a fearful social revolution
which threatens to break up society. If there is no holy and just God;
if he has not revealed himself, and man is not obliged to submit to his
will; if the only basis of right and of morals is the wish of the
majority, this terrible social revolution must be moral and just, for
the majority wills it and carries it out."
"Of course, there must be a limit," said the official feebly.
"The demands of the majority must be reasonable."
"What do you understand by reasonable, sir?"
"I call reasonable whatever accords with the sense of right, with sound
thinking, with moral ideas."
"Sense of right--moral ideas? I beg you to observe that these notions
differ vastly from the sole authority of numbers. You have trespassed
upon God's kingdom in giving your explanation, for ideas are
supersensible; they are the thought of God himself. And the sense of
right was not implanted in the human breast by the word of a majority;
it was placed there by the Creator of man."
The official was driven to the wall. The chieftains thoughtfully stared
at their beer-pots.
"It is clear that the will of the majority alone cannot be accepted as
the basis of a state," said Schwefel. "The life of society cannot be
put at the mercy of the rude and fickle masses. There must be a moral
order, willed and regulated by a supreme ruler, and binding upon every
man. This is plain."
"I agree with you, sir," said the millionaire. "Let us continue
building on Christian principles. As everybody knows, our civilization
has sprung from Christianity. If we tear down the altars and destroy
the seats from which lessons of Christian morality are taught,
confusion must inevitably follow. And I, gentlemen, have too exalted an
opinion of the German nation, of its earnest and religious spirit, to
believe that it can be ever induced to fall away completely from God
and his holy law. Infidelity is an unhealthy tendency of our times; it
is a pernicious superstition which sound sense and noble feeling will
ultimately triumph over. We will do well to continue advancing in
science, art, refinement, and industry, in true liberty and the right
understanding of truth; we will thus be making real progress, such
progress as I am proud to call myself a partisan of."
The chieftains maintained silence. Some nodded assent. Hans Shund gave
an angry bite to his pipe-stem, and puffed a heavy cloud of smoke
across the table.
"I have confidence in the enlightenment and good sense of our people,"
said he. "You have called modern progress 'a pernicious superstition
and an unhealthy tendency of the times,' Mr. Gerlach," turning towards
the millionaire with a bow. "I regret this view of yours."
"Which I have substantiated and proved," interrupted Gerlach.
"True, sir! Your proofs have been striking, and I do not feel myself
competent to refute them. But I can point you to something more
powerful than argument. Look at this scene; see these happy people
meeting and enjoying one another's society in most admirable harmony
and order. Is not this spectacle a beautiful illustration and
vindication of the moral spirit of progress?"
"These people are jubilant from the effect of beer, why shouldn't they
be? But, sir, a profound observer does not 'suffer himself to be
deceived by mere appearances.'"
An uproar and commotion at a distance interrupted the millionaire. At
the same instant a policeman approached out of breath.
"Your honor, the factorymen and the laborers are attacking one
another!"
"What are you raising such alarm for," said Hans Shund gruffly. "It is
only a small squabble, such as will occur everywhere in a crowd."
"I ask your honor's pardon: it is not a small squabble, it is a bloody
battle."
"Well, part the wranglers."
"We cannot manage them; there are too many of them. Shall I apply for
military?"
"Hell and thunder--military!" cried Hans Shund, getting on his feet.
"Are you in your senses?"
"Several men have already been carried off badly wounded," reported the
policeman further. "You have no idea how serious the affray is, and it
is getting more and more so; the friends of both sides are rushing in
to aid their own party. The police force is not a match for them."
Women, screaming and in tears, were rushing in every direction. The
bands had ceased playing, and noise and confusion resounded from the
scene of action. Louise ran to take her brother's arm in consternation.
The wives and daughters of the chieftains huddled round their natural
protectors.
"Hurry away and report this at the military post," was Seicht's order
to the policeman. "The feud is getting alarming. One moment!"
Tearing a leaf from a memorandum book, he wrote a short note, which he
sent by the messenger.
"Off to the post--be expeditious!"
Louise hastened with her brother and Gerlach senior to their carriage,
and her feeling of security returned only when the noise of the combat
had died away in the distance.
The next day the town papers contained the following notice: "The
beautiful celebration of yesterday, which, on account of its object,
will be long remembered by the citizens of this community, was
unfortunately interrupted by a serious conflict between the laborers
and factorymen. A great many were wounded during the _melee_, of whom
five have since died, and it required the interference of an armed
force to separate the combatants."