Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-04-05

friendship. Why shall not the
preacher IN the pulpit stand on such
broad grounds Of humanity - to
speak IN tones Of love 10 every hu.
man being, instead Of saying: Such
and such are bad men, only fit for
the hottest kind Of a bell theology
can invent, aud I stand here as a
vice-regent OF the Almighty TO have
him put there and kept therei Bring
this same tbeologian face tn face
with what be Is pleased to term the
b ID man; let him walk and talK
with this criminal or that Outcast;
90 with them tO their homes and
trace their lives 10 the sOurce-was
It not with God? Are you to stand
guard 10 the kingdom? Who can
estimate the power Of the influences
and environments that contribute
10 make men and women what they
are? Not 20 skillful to cover their
faults as we; not 80 successful IN
overcoming their weakness ss we
are, perhaps; but every whit as
noble and perhaps as honest.
The plain question then resolves
itself into this:-What right have
we TO place ourselves out Of the
way Of exerting our influence for
good upon any and every human
being? We are taught that we all
do exert an influence in this world,
small tho it may be. We a:e
taught that we are TO use this in
huence for the right, for the good
Of others, for the uplifting and
ennobllng Of mankind. II this is
sound teaching then we must not
allow ourselves 10 get out Of the
bonds Of brotherly, kindly, warm
hearted interest liz mankind about
us. As well might the teacher In
school drive every day few more
from the school house, and
at the same time expect to be able
10 educate them all. The man who in
his calling alienates a number here
and number there soon loses his
for all good work. So far
as we are able In our work, we
should seek 10 do good to those we
are able 10 benefit most, and GER
talnly that cannot he those who are
standing on our own plane Of intel
lIgence, in our own social rank, and
blessed alike ia every respect as we
are. Yet we are not 10 lose our In
6uence. with even these. But we can
not do them the good we can others
who 30 much more need u friendly
hand and kindly interest taken
IN them.
The other Sunday we heard a
speaker lay down ~ a rule of life
that we were only TO seek the true,
the good and the beautiful. A very
good rule 10 follow, surely. But Is
10 all there Is TO this life?
1t Is very nice to seek only the
good, the true, and the beautiful.
But II Is not in those that the prob
lem oflife Is 10 be found. The good
needs not us; II needs not to be
made better; the true will live and
prosper, and triumph over all crush
ngs; II needs no help TO get straight
any more than the plumb line does;
.he beautiful Is perfect; we can do
i no good by seeking II, much tho
{ may benefit US. If we only seek
,ho good, the true and the beautiful |
we seek only our own benefit, and |
% seek only our own benefit Is the |
supreme selfishness that now curses
he world. The worlds greatest re-
ormers did not c0nfine themselves
% seeking only the pure, the clean
md the good elements of society.
A successful life work must be
based on broader grounds. II we
10 only good TO benefit ourselves, II
We are only kind and loving to
hose who are kind and loving to
IL, we are no better than the
'harisee. Let us In our life work
emain In touch with the poorest
nd humblest Of Gods creatures.
lot no life be 30 degraded or 10
allen In the scale OF social estlma-
lon but that we can extend itR
warm and friendly helping hand,
DING even to the dungeon and the
rothel aud saying TO those there,
on are not beyond the reach of
uman sympathy aud not out Of
ouch OF human fellowship.