Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-30
NATIONAL INTEGRITY.
THE PROBLEMS PRESENTED BY OUR
POLITICAL FREEDOM.
Rev. C. p. AIassey's Discourse on the
Coming Anniversary of the Coun-
try's Birthday.

Coming Anniversary of the Coun-
try's Birthday.
Yesterday, before the Unitarian Society
Rev. c. P. Massey took for his text Psalm.
cxlvii., 20: GOD hath not dealt so witt
any people" and in the course of his re
marks said: What would impress upor
you is that, although so much of mystery
and sublimity and lofty purpose and higf
enthusiasm seem SO completely absen
from our national life that we still live il
an age that calls for sacrifice and high en-
deayor in the performance of our duty t.
our country and to our God. 1t is Difficult
to understand this fully. Everythins
seems so commonplace and vulgar now IL
comparison with what we find upon thu
pages of history. The element of poetr,
and romance has seemingly departed from
| our country's annals.
What are these common interests Of
to-day-the adjustment of the relation.
between classes, financial problems, the
lnroads OF vice, the aspects presented BY
the coming of alien hordes to harbor in
this fair land. compared in dignity anG
majesty and heroic suggestion to the voy.
age of the Mayfower, the struggle fol
existence at Salem, the defense of Bunker
Hill, the endurance at Valley Forge, the
surrender at Yorktown, the rising of the
nascent commonwealth, attended by the
prayers and hopes of reverent, sanguine
people?
We are living ir an age of vast material
progress and material standards are erected
everywhere. The earnestness which char.
acterizes the peoples life is almost alto.
gether in the line of the acquisition OF
material means and power. Ali this is in.
evitable, the condition of our progress, the
new aspect of the problem of liberty.
But it is incumbent upon some of us who
yet believe that it is by intellectual and
moral standards that all things have really
to be measured, to stop and reflect what
can be done to give to our national life a
loftier suggestion, to find in this material.
izing of our existence reason for en-.
deavoring to incorporate into it something
of sublime significance. Men talk con-
temptuously and yet approviDgly of the
ethics of trade. They say each one goes
into the market at his personal risk; to get
all one can. to pay as little as one can, is
thC PiCf law We SApcCt SuulNOCd-
ton, adulteration, fraud, and our only care
is to look out for them. Men of high ideals
and sensitive natures are barred from
trade, and upright conscience is an obstacle
to success in almost every vocation.
And SO the age is characterized by selfish
ness, and frivolity and low ambitions, and
what we want to do is to give to i, as speed.
lily as possible an aspect of sublimity, to
understand that while these vast strides OF
progress are making in outward directions,
another progress should be making in in
ward directions too; that while the king
dom OF this world is building in mighty
cities and magnificent industries, the King
dom of Heaven should be also building in
our hearts. The past cannot instruct us so
greatly here. Its problems are not our
problems; but in the high purpose that met
them so unfinchingly, in that integrity OF
character that measured all things by
moral uses, and recognized the Seal of the
Eternal upon every event and in every
activity, these should still command oul
attention and excite our emulation.
We term our age an intellectual one-we
boast of the facilities afforded for the &C.
QUESTION of higher education by an ever
increasing number, that our young men
avail themselves of these advantages moi
simply as preparation for the learned
professions, but for an active life in
many and various vocations. And yet
speaking generally, never was the
public taste in intellectual things SC
vitiated, never was the literature of the
people SO barren of influence for the pres.
ervation of the highest good. 1t is true We
do not actually mean to put these low esti
mates upon things, as one writes of them
Custom does it tor me, gives me nc
power therefrom, and runs me into debt tC
boot. We spend our incomes for paint anC
paper, for a hundred trihes, know moi
what, and not for the things of man
Our expense is almost all for conformity
1t is for cake that we run in debt; it i.
not the intellect, not the heart, not beauty
not worship that costs SO much"
And do we not all recognize the Justice
of this indictment? No one of US wants tc
be excluded from the society OF his fel
lows, and yet the vanity of that society
we contemn. With whet trepi6ation VT
invite to an entertainment for which ne
pleasure is provided that shall not com,
spontaneously from mutual intercourse
the friction of intelligent thought. Some
thing is required of each of us, therefore
| to raise the standard here, from us wht
possess the power of thought, who believ,
| in moral purposes. who maintain churches
and who are at least inditferently inter
ested in the progress OF education anC
reform.
We are witnessing passing phase in on
nations progress. There is at present
preponderance OF material over moral in
terest, but out of these vast strides of ma
| terial progress problems are presente,
which call earnestly for solution for tn,
we'll being of the people. What we are
| therefore, caleb upon TO do, is to still try
| to see the sublimity of moral issues in al
the agitations that are forced upon our at
| tention. The heroism that is now Gale,
| for is all the greater, because there is 81
little that brings into play its more attract
i've qualities. 1t is not adventure that nov
| invites. There are no oceans to cross tina
new continents can be dedicated to free
dom. There are no armies to lead AM
even craftsmanship deals with the mos
prosaic of facts, and eloquence has departe,
| from its utterances. But all this con
fessed, there is still love of country +
be cherished, there is still demanded be
lief in God in His purpose and providence
| there is still sentiment of patriotism L
be cultivated that shall recognize our coun
| try and its institutions as the special mean
through which the problems of civilization
are being worked out to important uses.
| But when l speak of selhshness and friv
olity as characterizing the life of the ma
ton, do not understand me as passing al
indiseriminating judgment upon the times
There is much iIothem which calls for on
| applause. Amid all the brutalizing ten
deDcies.of material progress, there prevail
a kindly sentiment, gentle urbanity,
tender charity which bloom as exotics il
the bleak and barren landscape which sur
rounds. Through all that goes to make III
our distinctive lite of selfshness and am
bition these tender sentiments intrude, ant
the man who will unscrupulously defraut
his neighbor in business transaction will
| frequently stop to share with him por
| ton of his peif These are the redeemin,
| characteristics of the age, the ascertainet
ends to which civilization is tending, tn
kindlier heart, the broader sympathy, tn
larger and more embracing charity. Gu
intellects are hard, but our hearts are soft
We do not scruple to cheat and plumber
but we do not do it in the old brutal way
We are philanthropists, for all our self
seeking, ana human suffering touches
responsive chord.
This is all that keeps the people from
flying at each others throats. Never di,
passion run so high, never were things ten
stoned to such vibrating key. To pre-
serve, then, this better sentiment as pi in
ciple and an enthusiasm, and not as an i'm
pulse and taste, is our simple duty; L
hold it as religion, to cultivate il uu6e
God as the means Of difiusing His kingdom
in the State and in the hearts or men.
| nau xva pnt bava fail, tbat ont If al