Word: disrespectful
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1880-1889
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Many men, especially those new to our old and honored college customs, were disgusted at not having a holiday on Monday last. The reason for this seeming disrespect to the memory of the Father of his Country is easily explained. It is simply a natural consequence of that conservatism illustrated by compulsory prayers and the rising bell. When the college was founded there was no necessity for such a celebration, owing to the unfortunate fact that Washington was yet unknown. Therefore, as it became the custom not to observe the day, it has not been, and probably never will...
...give our hearty support to the petition which is to be circulated asking for the abolition of compulsory prayers. In taking this stand we are not influenced by disrespect for the system of daily prayer, nor by dissatisfaction with the manner in which they are conducted. We simply hold that compulsion in any religious observance renders the effect nugatory, and at the same time tends to prevent that spontaneity of motive for a religious life which alone is productive of good. The discussion in regard to compulsory prayers that has been carried on in the papers...
...think that Harvard "is a hot-bed of incipient nihilism, scepticism, lying and irreligion." What I do say and think is this. Compulsory prayers are a positive injury to the religious sentiment of the college. They are a mockery of religion held continually before our eyes. They create disrespect for religion and furnish the readiest and most fertile subject for the expression of that disrespect. I do not say that irreligion is any more prevalent at Harvard than elsewhere, but I do believe that compulsory prayers are responsible for some of the irreligion that does exist...
Common people relish definiteness in a constitution, and the more rigid it is the better it is suited to the democratic mind, and by being rigid avoids two democratic dangers, disrespect for a minority and for fixed rules. Is there a progress from rigidity to flexibility ? The time comes in a democracy when the people are completely masters, and do not value restrictions. The tendency to rigidity will therefore stop, and a larger authority be given the executive. A rigid constitution is an absolute necessity in a federation ; but a semi-international compact of England and her colonies had better...
...Well, then, I fine you one dollar for disrespect.' Taking out a two dollar note, the student said, with the utmost sang froid, If you will change this, I will pay you on the spot.' 'I fine you another dollar,' said the professor, emphatically, 'for repeated disrespect.' 'Then 'tis just the change, sir,' said the student, coolly...