Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-03-13

The Rev. Mr.. Lees sermon at the Congre-
gational church last Sunday evening, on the
rather unusual topic given above, was plain
statement of the motive or principle which
should rule the voter in his action on town
affairs. The text from Pauls words, "Look
not every man on his own things, but every
man also on the things of Others" indicated
the general thought of the discourse-that
no man has a right in his action in town af-
fairs to be governed by considerations of
probable effect on his own pocket or his
merely individual interests, but that he is
bound to think of what will best advance the
welfare of the whole community.
In opening his subject the preacher laid
down the law which governs, or should gov.
ern, every man in public place in our nation
al affairs. Every Senator and every Repre-
sentative in Congress is bound to act not for
his own state, or his own section, but for the
whole country. Illustrations were given of
strong men in both parties who had refused
to resign when asked to do so by indignant
legislatures, on the broad ground that they
had been sent to Congress to legislate for the
whole country and were amensble TO no sim
gle state or section. Our civil-service re-
form law is founded on the broad princi-
pie that the official owes his duty to the peo-
pie or the country as a whole, and not to
his party that his office is not private per.
quisite but a trust committed to him for
faithful fulflment.
From this point Mr. Lee brought his dis
course down to definite local application and
proved himself u close observer of commun-
ity affairs. Being asked three times within
few minutes after the adjournment of our
late Brattleboro March meeting what he
thought of Vermont town meeting" he
had been obliged to reply that he was amazed
at the narrow range of motives and low Or
der of considerations which governed Take
the railroad question, for instance,-not as
arguing it's merits from the pulpit even for q
moment-but purely as an illustration. The
real question about railroad in its relations to
community is not one of dollars and cents
The moral, the educational effect of such an
enterprise is the important, the ultimate con-
sideration. The Pacific railroads and the net
work of great railways which centre at Chica-
go, have wrought their real effect, not in their
commercial results, wonderful as these have
been, but in their moral, educational and
illuminating effects on the territory through
which they have passed.
In every religious conference which the
speaker had attended since he came to Yer
mont, the one vital and never-failing theme
had been how to save the churches in the
hill towns from decay. At a late conference
held at Dummerston a notable feature had
been the very encouraging report made
from the church in Jamaica, showing
its recent quickening and growth in
numbers, strength and activity. Going over
to the man who read this gratifying repor t.,
after he had finished, the speaker asked him
how much the narrow-guage railroad had had
to do with the change, "More than 1 can tell''
was the reply. The real question for Brattle-
boro to consider in relation to the Whining
ton railroad is the moral and educational and
up-building effect which the road would have
on the hill towns through which it would
pass.
Take the town system of schools as another
illustration. Almost the whole discussion
hinged on question of dollars and cents
without rising to a broad consideration of
what would best advance the educational in
terests of the whole town. This village dis,
trict, the speaker said, had no right to shut
itself up in corporation by itself, if by
throwing down it's corporation lines it could
help the children in the remote districts to
better educational advantages. There is no
true self-interest which does not look after
the interests Of ones neighbor. He must be
looked after because you've got TO live with
him." The law Of Jesus, Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as myself" is the only law to
govern in our town affairs.
The discourse in short, laid down the
broad, general principle that, as the man