Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-06-18


a the iamily circle embracing that is the
circle Of remoter kindred beyond that
ut longer or shorter distances, sweeps a
round the social circle. Then comes the
circle Of religions fraternity then The po-
itlcal circle then the broad circle of hu-
man brotherhood, embracing family, kin
dred, society, the church, the state and the
world and still more broadly sweeping,
runs the golden chain that oncloses each
soul in the universe within the sphere of
relation to oil created intellgences. These
are an natural circles-or circles dependent
on natural law for their definition. Family
and kindred are based in natural affection,
growing ont Of identity of blood Society
Is based Ia natural affinity and similarity
and sympathy of position and pursuit
The church is formed by sympathy of re-
ligious belief the state by common po-
ltical creed and common institutions and
so on to the utmost boundary of relation
ship. From each minor circle all outside
Of It are shut out yet, as the circles en-
large al come upon a common level In
, the State, we are fellow citizens in the
church, We are Christian brethren Tn oil
our higher and more majestic relations, the
hands Of mankind are Joined. We sit at
the communion table, we bow to the same
law and the same Lord, we cast an equal
ballot.
Now, as to the matter of duty with re-
lation to these circles no mar should de-
spise the circle in which he finds himself,
but should seek to elevate and make it bet
ter. There are positions of power and
usefulness in each circle, worthy of any
mans ambition while the entrance to an
other circle, nominally higher, under the
patronage Of its central, controlling ele-
ment, is disgrace to any man. A man
voluntarily disgraced; and man who seeks
for respectabiity in a social position into
which he does not naturally fall, shows him
self to be lacking both in sense and self-re-
spect.
Nothing but popular change in the
standard of respectablity can ever max
the first social classes in this country what
they should be and that change, sooner
or later, will as surely come at the redemp-
tIon of the world to the highest type of
Christian manhood shall come. When
manhood becomes the leading object of hu-
manity, then the books of heraldry, and
ers Of wealth, will cease to furnish pass.
ports to rcspectabilty. Until that period |
shall arrive, wealth and blood and intellect |
ual attainment, without the slightest refer
ence to morality, as standards of character
and life, will hold the social sway of the |
world. And this is right 1t is as God !
made it, and would have it. 1t is the re-
suit Of the operation as Que of his irrever-
sible laws. 1t is the popular penalty of a
popular sin. To hasten the arrival of that
period, it should be the aim of every man,
laboring faithfully and diligently where
God has placed him, to elevate the stand
ard Of respectabiity to the place where
God would have it, Whenever the great
popular voice practically declares that Chris
tian manhood is the chief good, Christian
manhood will take his position at the head
Of the social life of this country, and of
the social life of this country and of the
world. Then, if man be not admitted to
it, it viii simply be because he is not good
enough for like will come together with
like, by a natural law.
j would not say there is no Christian
manhood in the aristocracy of this country.
/ believe there is-that there is as much
there as anywhere l simply say that
Christian manhood and womanhood are not
credentials which Of themselves secure high
social recognition. They achieve their po-
sition by circumstance, and not by charac-
fer for the successful stock gambler and
the libertine stand side by side with them,
upon an equal footing. That this fact
should not be, is very evident that this
fact is, is chargeable upon all classes alike;
and they have no just cause of quarrel with
it, SO long as they manifest no disposition
to change it, by instituting another stand
ard.