Morning journal and courier., 1884-06-30
The Aim of the Nation.

The Aim of the Nation.
 Rev. c. W. Park on the Teachings of
 Our Past History and the Duties of
 the Present HOur-ManhOOd Declared
 to be the Nations PurpOSe.
 The near advent of our national suniyer- sary suggested to the Rev. 0. w. Park, of the Howard Avenue church, a sermon on the steps of national development. He preached to @ good sized congregation yes- terday morning on that subject, and selected his text from the twenty-eighth verse of the fourth chapter of Mark: "For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade. then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.'' He said Everything that lives has before it some definite end, one clear object ia view, to which all it's forces are made sub servient The corn springs up from the ground & blade and continues to increase until the full ear of corn is produced. In national life the same is true as in plant life. Every stage of nations history is more or less imaged forth at every step of the ma tion's progress It carries along the germs from which at last shall blossom forth the full flower of development The near ap- proach of our national anniversary calls to mind the question, What is the object of this national life? What is to be the final out come of our nations history? The germ of the perfected life is in us now. What is the end to be ? What shall we become?
 The steps of our national development have been but few. Movements in the prog ress of nation are always slow. Years are but as an hour in an individuals life. The American nation has only had time to take a step or two in it's course. Yet our nation was born with history. In Anglo Saxon soil there had been growing up a plant ol popular right secured by popular govern ment. The notion that men have rights was the heritage of our nation at it's birth. It was founded upon principle of universal application, that all men are created equal. No rebellion ever had such cause as this. The true ground of freedom had never been understood before. The Greeks were free, the Romans were free, tke Jews were free But they did not understand what freedom was. It was to them something that was ex- tended to only favored few. Above the Greeks and Romans stood the signers of the Declar ation of Independence.
 But as usual the theory was in advance of the DfaCt1C6. Men kuOW WAAG tue Is, but do not do it. So we had to read the Declaration of Independence with a mental reservation. When we pronounced in loud voice the theory that all men are created free and equal, we added under our breath, except negroes. Thomas Jefferson affirmed that all men have certain inalienable rights, and the Supreme court of the United States declared that the negro had no rights which we were bound to respect. But it was not long before the nation began to revolt against slavery, and finally the civil war was the natural outcome These two steps are great advances in our national development. What is the goal then, towards which we are tending? I an- swer in a word. manhood. Our life work is to develop perfect manhood. What loftier aim than this can 8 nation choose, what bet ter thing can a patriot hope for? This goal is still unattained.
 One obstacle to this development is the growth of monopolies. Along with this is the unequal distribution of wealth and the amassing of vast fortunes by some. Society is divided into two classes, one 8 wealthy, luxurious class, the other poor. Each class has it's vices which are fatal to manhood. Men seek to know not what mans charac- ter is, but what he is worth. These mo- nopolies bring the entiEe community into bondage. When man goes to buy some or dinary articles, when he wants to telegraph to his wife, he is obliged to pay tax to some monopoly.
 If should tell you that the nations man. hood is threatened by another foe, that of intemperance, would only say what is in your mind already. But I must emphasize the terrible curse of alcohol It is national curse It saps the very foundation of manli- ness. Among the questions of the day none is more important than this one of intemper- ance. We must rely less upon legislation and more upon moral influences.
 The danger of party domination is a ser ious one It has been found that parties furnish the most convenient way of furnish ingsself- government.
 When party is successful it's troubles have begun. It then becomes corrupt. All sorts of adventurers and self seekers come into it. We have seen too much corruption not to know that there is 8 tendency to corruption among us. We submit to party control too easily A party is political conscience when rightly used It is the means of our own ser vitude if it controls us. No caucus or con- vention can perform for us the duty of our consciences. The surest way to escape party domination is to fall back upon our own manhood. wish to hold up the ideal of a true and conscientious manhood. We should ask, Does the nomination com mend itself to my intelligence and judgment? If so vote for it. If not, vote against it. There is now no brighter sign of tke times that can be found than the spread of independent voting. The people are thinking for them selves.
 The ideal of the nation must be the ideal of it's individuals. The nation is as are it's citizens. But as think of the many dan gers that beset us I remember that the power by which our nation can accomplish it's work is in Jesus Christ. The life that is in Christ must flow into the life which the nation has.