Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-09-16


IL his sermon Yesterday mornine a.
the Presbyterian Church 50 ssThe Penee
aud Prosperity OF the Community = Rnv
Robert II. Williams said: Il Is Al eaev
thing TO deplore our short comines alner
some dreadful thing has occurred. and 10
be eloquent concerning the Indebtedness
OF population after that population has
been stirred by some great disorder.
do not profess to be gifted with any
prophetic foresight, but feel that Il ID
time 70 speak some plain, and honest
words that may lead US TO be waichful 81
our higher interests az community.
we md the sinking Of the tone Of pub.
nc sentiment. growing insensibility to
moral and religious motives, 8 boldness on
the part Of crime, caution IN those
whose duty Il Is to suppress crime, q
growing increase Of the Influence of evil
and precocily Of vice that do not indl
cate that the forces for good are to have
an easy advance In their work.
NOW we can promote the peace and
prosperity Of the city where we dwell BY
being good citizens ourselves Every man
should know what privileges he has as q
citizen, and what is required Of him as
citizen.
We should also encourage all that Is
good In our fellow man, and discourage
all that Is evil. The good Is not half
enough appreciated. The evilis not half
enough despied. We ought 70 recognize
the good qualities even Of enemies.
We ought also TO encourage enterprises
that elevate the people. Employment Ii
one OF these. The question of employ
ment Is one OF the greatest OF the age.
In ID uRo Cd
present time. After speaking Of the num-
Der who have no employment. and are a
burden uron the community, and the
evils that follow idleness, he referred to
the great Influence of the Public Schools.
Schools, he said. assist In elevating peo-
pie. Every man who has the interest of
the community at heart Is interested in
the number aud efficiency of schools. No
community can lie thrifty and moral
without good schools. We should insist
that they shall be managed by capable
men, and that the teachers shall be moral
and able TO reach and maintain q high
standard OF scholarships. Our interests
as parents are too great 70 be entrusted to
any others. So important Ia this subject
OF education, that we ought to be In favor
Of requiring teachers TO reach q high
standard intellectually and morally, and
OF compelling parents to send their chill
dren certain length Of time to school, as
is the case in some parts of our land.
he also referred to tie influence OF the
press, In instructing and moulding public
sentiment.
Prayer, too, he said, Is mighty agen-
cy In the promotion Of peace anu pros
perity. The Jews, when Ia Babylon,
were directed to pray for the city, which
held them as captives. If it was their
duty to pray for the prosperity of that
city, surely 1t Is our duty TO pray for the
place where we dwell.
some may say we are not guardians Of
the public morals. But we are all entrus
ted with the care Of the community, and
are in measure responsible for the acts
IL the people.
Others say, we have so little influence
that we can do nothing to prevent evil.
But we all have some influence. Our
words have weight with some, our ex-
ample with others. The weakest, OBJ
scurest man has some influence which he
ought 10 use for good.