--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Herrick, John L. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 12 number: 12 published: 1909-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'John L. Herrick, "Are We Drifting or Going Headlong to Destruction?," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 12 (October 1909): 986–987.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12012unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera12012unse start_page: 986 end_page: 987 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12012unse publication_year: 1909 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1909, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Are We Drifting or Going Headlong to Destruction? ARE WE DRIFTING, OR 'GOING HEADLONG TO DESTRUCTION? BY PRESIDENT JOHN L. HERRICK OF THE WESTERN STATES MISSION. In considering a theme for a little talk forming a part of the Independence Day exercises at Denver, on the 5th of July last, these words came prominently to my mind, ' 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and among these are, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." In reviewing the thoughts in the text, and elaborating on the lives of some of the illustrious patriots who were instrumental in writing the inspired Declaration of Independence, as well as those who have ever been ready to maintain and uphold its sanctity, the conviction irresistibly grew upon me that we have serious need to- day, (in the light of recent disclosures purporting to emanate from the great colleges of this country), to regard the famous docu- ment with jealous admiration, and view with feelings of alarm, the well-nigh revolutionary sentiment that is almost daily being brought to bear upon, at least, a considerable number of the 229,000 students who are attending, in the aggregate, 493 higher institu- tions of learning, from one end of this land to the other, that the Declaration of Independence is but a "work in spectacular rhetoric," and citing Democracy as a failure. Spectacular rhetoric, indeed! As well say the battles fought and the blood spilled by the Revolutionary fathers, was in a false cause, when, as a matter of fact, all enlightened peoples have acknowledged their efforts to have been guided by a divine Provi- dence. If such teaching is not minimizing to a degree the gener- ally accepted theory that God himself had a hand in forming the destinies of this land; hurling defiance at and scorning the idea ARE WE DRIFTING? 987 of a government by the people, then, what is it, pray? And if such be the case, is it not requisite and timely that steps be taken, or better still, that individual effort be constantly on the alert, to counteract such dogmas? Not content with attacking the divine aspect of the forming of the fundamental principles of this most favored land, but now comes the almost unbelievable teaching from no less distinguished an educator than Prof. Wm. G. Sumner, of Yale, that "ethical (or moral) notions are mere figments of speculation," and "unrealities that ought to be discarded altogether." Fancy the far-reaching effect of such a doctrine, coming as it does from so high a source. Imagine, if you will, the consequences of our abandoning, or lessening even, the moral code in this country. For is it not strik- ingly apparent that in far too many localities, altogether, the moral status is at the present time not over exact at best, and to reduce its effectiveness would at least be most disastrous, since the moral standard of a nation is generally conceived to be a supreme test of its greatness and effectiveness, as a potent factor for good or ill. But not to be outdone by the so-called advanced (and erratic) ideas of men professing the "higher education," affecting the re- ligious and political aspect of the nation, there are those who stand ready to insiduously, or may be openly, attack the sanctity of the underlying principles of the home, by asserting, as does a prominent professor of Columbia, "it is not right to set up a tech- nical legal relationship, as morally superior to the spontaneous preference of man or woman." And this, too, from an equally noted professor of the University of Chicago, "there can be, and are holier alliances without the marriage bond than within it." Think of it! America! Divinely inspired, divinely protected by the laws of eternal justice and equality; the haven of refuge for of the the down- trodden and oppressed of all nations, boasting purity of its homes, now to countenance a system of marital re- lationship that would undoubtedly bring untold degradation and misery to its people It is unbelievable, and is fervently hoped ! that such despicable theories may not only not be given credence, but effectually frowned down by the American people. Here we have three of the most vital and fundamental prin-