Lyman
Abbott was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, on 18th December, 1835.
He graduated from New York University (1853) and worked as a lawyer
before studying theology. Ordained in 1860 he served as a pastor and
edited the Illustrated Christian Union
(1870-76), The Christian
Union (1876-93), where he replaced Henry
Ward Beecher, and The Outlook (1893-1922).
After the death of Beecher in 1890 he replaced him as the pastor of
the Plymouth Congregational Church in Brooklyn. Abbott took a keen
interest in social problems and wrote several books including Christianity
and Social Problems (1897), The
Rights of Man (1901), The Spirit
of Democracy (1910) and America
in the Making (1911). Lyman
Abbott died in New York City on
22nd October, 1922.
(1)
Lyman Abbott, The Cause and Cure of Anarchism (Outlook,
22nd February, 1902)
Anarchism is defined by E. V. Zenker as: "the perfect, unfettered
self-government of the individual, and consequently the absence of
any kind of external government." It rests upon the doctrine
that no man has a right to control by force the action of any other
man. Anarchism is defended on historic grounds: the evils are recited
which have been wrought in human history by the employment of force
compelling obedience by one will to another will, as they are seen
in political and religious despotism and in the subjugation of women.
Anarchism is defended on religious grounds. Jesus Christ is cited
as the first of anarchists; for did he not say, "Resist not evil:
if one take away thy coat, give him thy cloak also; and if one smite
thee upon the one cheek, turn to him the other also? What is this,
we are asked, but a denial of the right to use force even in defense
of one's simplest and plainest rights?
Socialism, which is curiously confounded by the indiscriminating with
anarchism, is its exact opposite. Anarchy is the doctrine that there
should be no government control; socialism is the doctrine that the
government should control everything.
The place in which to attack anarchism is where the offences grow
which alone make anarchism possible. Let us secure the just, speedy,
and impartial administration of law; let us elect legislators who
seek honestly to conform human legislation to the divine laws of the
social order, without fear or favour. The way to counteract hostility
to law is to make laws which deserve to be respected.
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