Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-11-28

n N-fSSN1fts i3S
sled 8. the Free Bspssss church to observe
Thsnkssivirg according 20. the reconmen-
dsfion a he Governor. There vss ex-
Eesliess rsins By the choir OF the church.
assisted by two or three members OF other
choirs d The city. The preliminary e1sr-
eisss IN the pulris we're condusssd BY Rev.
Msssrs. Ross, Gnfa,. williamson. Wynan
and Leland Of The city churches Ths srf-
msn vas preached BIZ the Rev. c. T. Pen
ney D. D., pastor Of he church. His
suhjse. vas one most pertinent 10 the occa-
sion ard vss ,dairzbIy treated His tub
jecs vss:
Moral Culture in Citizenship.
Text, Acts "a: 2s. "Ard Paul sxid.
Bat vas frse-oorn.T
The Apostles civil position vss not
matter Of i.dIEefenoe TO him. Though
occupied With the highest themes ard
,ask., a. tha business Of bis life, yet, when
occasion required il, No man vas ever more
promps in shosiag the estimate which be
placed On his political privileges.
Citizenship. like every gift. is to be con-
seerassd by TIE tpIrit Of religion, Is to be
held u5dsr moral restraints. and is to be
dedicated TO the very cause Of God.
We must educ i.e men TO Christian ideas
Of tie duties Of eitzsnship. AT present
society and the State are almost re-
xsfded ny men as @mstning Sc. up
ror GU. beneh'. without erjoinis 9
corresponding duiss and obligations.
We are spt to feel that the State is
| in The nature Of car which We use for cur
own purposes. If il Feeds psschirg or
rebuilding that is the company's concern,
and lot ours. We pay our fare, and txke
tran sportAfion, and that 10 sit. Ard men
| think the State 10 set up % mode Of con-
| veyisg them through life; that paying their
tsxes is paying thei, passage. We pay our
| bills 20 the State, and then consult our COM
| fort, thinking thas there are no interests
beyond our own that we are oouad TO serve,
| But the State 10 Gods ordnance, and the
man that is bern into the State 10 born into
GODS ordinance. The mere fact Of laws and
| IL s,i.utions, which are but elasps and bands
| and instruments, does not change the
fact that the State means men. And
| God puts US into the midst of cur
fellow men, giving no liberty TO any one TO
denude himself Of those benevolencss and
srext du.ies which every man owes to his
brother man everywhere. We are bound
y the performance Of our great duties to
the State, il by nothing else, by the las
| Thou shalt love thy neighbor Is ihvself
Il coutras. with this, the selfish attitude
| cs men was sho~n who are Yesdy to obtain
every thing possible of protection and i'm
| munity and privilege and benefit without
| a.. -, - alSrf or
who reyzyds the teaching that honesty and
| honor ID nt bic conduct Is due to the State
| o. n romantic sentirien'shsn.
| First: Every man owes himself TO the
State ond all has poieeT 10 be held according
TO The iau of Gospel JeHeroieaee TOR the
public good IL is Sd objrc that should BE-
| set before everyone, the development IN
himself Of = chs' acter for integrity and truth
and honor aud usefulness, for the sake OF
the state and nation to which he belongs.
The story and po~er Of national life does
not consist in obvious things. Material
veal b does not make nation rich II ID
the power of man TO produce thst wealth
| Military power does not necessarily make q
nation strong, but the power Of citizenship
to e nera.s military power. Ii is The living
force and not the products Of 'hst force
that gives strength, not so much what the
hand does, as what the hand has in it, the
reserved force to do, that makes the state
strong. In short, it is the wisdom. the
virtue, the power 81 d efficiency of the indi'
vidusl citzans tina. makes the state sttong
This is the peculiar Christisn idea which
teaches TO care TO. indyidusls of
society, begiuniog at the bottom
where the masses are. Christianity,
regards men IS dangerous proportion as
they are undeveloped, and I'll fs,ir proportion
as they are powerful. provided the power
| il that which cones through Intelligence
and Christian viz n. The difference be-
tween the American and European idea of
society was here noted. We hold that the
masses Of men, being thoroughly educated
s,e the most Trustworthy ones, aud the
easiest to govern; that the welfare Of civic
! life, and the framework Of society sre
safer in the hands of the common people
| than in the hands OF the most select, re-
feed and intelligent CLASSES. I. is not easy
10 understand the strength that comes 10 the
state from giving each ore of it's citizen.
| to it g well-deveioped man. The fret and
| nobiest step that q Chrisis, man can take
| is to present himself to the state a
true, yrtuous ard patriotic citizen.
| A virtuous man, with q virtuous
house ,ld-sha, is, of itself, noblsr than
the gift Of the Greeks, when they used to
carve their images in marble aud cold and
present them to the temples and common
| wealth.
| Second. Christian citizenship requires
that ererY man should hold has profession,
his trade, his aeocatton. trh0terer, II is, for
! me pubiic as seH as his ora good
| The benefit which sccTues ones self in
his csilfog !. ,ined 10 The economy of each
! /, III beae Ii. conferred on others In all
| lawful calEugs in society the benefit of the
actor ard community are commensurate,
benevolent ard self interest working to-
scther 10 restrain and help each ether
! Vs-inns svncsticns were then noted. The
profession OF medicine, law, teaching, the
| merchant, ms chanic, etc, these are ser
wants If the pu0l.c, not less becsuse
| they srs servants Of their own intefet's.
1hesa callings are benefit to the State.
adding to its wealth, power, resources ard
convenience.
Fifty followed they are means and oppor-
| tuniiies by which men exhibit the sterling
quslities Of truth and fidelity and benevo-
lerce. Why should they be held so as to
re present N MS worst faculties and not
his better ones?
The moral duty of citizens does not stop
| here. He should make the honor ard
purity OF the community where he dwells 8
personsl duty. He should secure better
administration OF law and gee that the civil
or organization is conduct wisely and Is full
| of power for good,
II Is the business of every citizen to Sc
cure the public welfare in political m ,tters.
| This can only be done By public sentiment,