St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-09
ON CITIZENSHIP.
Some Of Rev, William WiIkin-
sons Ideas on That Subject.

sumo OF rev. w lillian MIlEIn-
sons Ideas on That Subject.
In his sermon yesterday morning at
ST. Andrews, Rev. William Wilkinson
said:
Some people have very peculiar and
absurd ideas about the duties good
man owes TO his city and to his state.
They think that the lawmaking. and
law administration ought to be left to
whom they are pleased. with an I'M
consciousness of Self-esteem which
would desire the most severe cOnSidera-
ton. If the persons who show it knew it
to term. The worlds people, and they
have so far succeeded in getting their
view popular that many men of great
ability and spOtless integrity will not
take part in politics. The whole tone
OF public life is Lowered, degraded
and has fallen into decay. 1t
Is most serious matter that
this is the fact. 1t bodies i'll
for this great nation. Respect for law
can only come out of respect for law
makers. From the deep conviction in
the public mind that those who made
the law ala it, not in the interest Of any
one man, class or party, but for the
common good Of all the people. of what
riches or Of poverty, Nothing less than
this will do, and with this abiding
knowledge in the masses of the
people, single policeman will be as
strong as an army: law will be-
come power and its effect apparent
in every department of public life and
morals. The men who brand with in
fanny all politics say they are vile and
the like: and those VINO take no Part in
them. who stay at home at election
times, VINO do not take Office. who have
perfect ideals OF how all things ought TO
be. but act as though they thought the
world belonged to Satan. are not the
men TO sit down and see the state and
nation managed by other men Ill silence.
Rather they are those vino speak in the
strongest words Of condemnation Wnen
It's results are not what they desire.
The trouble IS we have not. and shall
not. have TO do with perfect state.
There IS whole world of difference be-
tween what IS desirable andwhat is pTac-
teal, between the ideal and the possible.
1t is the duty OF every man VINO hOnOTs
truth. courage and noble purpose when
he sees men responsible for goyernment
try TO Improve as far and fast as they
can the public life, even though they
stop shOr OF the perfect standard. to
cheer OF the efforts, and yet point out
higher possible grounds and pOssibili-
ties. When honest effort IS despiSed.
blamed and reFiied.it discourages those
who make it. and because all is at once
demanded and cannot be granted. and
part is despiSed. great reforms are set
back for years. When we come TO look
at the sad evils which tester in the
body polite with clear, true vision.
it will be manifest 10 US that tile
cure IS not to be found in any simple
process Of law making. which is the out
come OF mere agitation, but in radical
change IN the heart Of man. which Will
show itself in all the affairs Of life. A
pure minded man will keep honest,
sober, true. Industrious: his taste will
grow by cultivation in art, IN literature.
science. III ali which has TO do with his
heart as applied to his sympathy; his
head as applied TO his knowledge, and
his hand as 1t affects his life. The
greater number OF such men you have.
the purer will be the life OF the city and
the state. So in beginning as Christ did
with man as unit. and changing him.
the gospel of the grace of
God is great reformer. and
benefactOr of the life that now is. and
the world in which we are, by our
41ahCI . SOiAAldtius " cultivate. " OlGSS
ii and to keep it till he comes.
"These truths are sound and funda-
mental ana no man can see their fartn-
est results: time cannot declare them,
even eternity will not fully show them.
They are the flower and fruit of the
gospel. If the world could be made to
see this. it would clear up many dark
and doubtful things as men reckon and
change the whole aspect and nature OF
our living because it would so rapidly
increase all the good ana effect the bad
in two ways, by leSsening the number and
transferring them to the side of the pure
this is common place of every day OBJ
seTvatiOn, in everyday life. If you know
what 4 man loves most you can tell with
almost absolutely which SHE he will
take on any question. This it is which
holds together more than any thing.
Once reetify by grace the unruly heart
of man. and as truly as water runs
downward or sparks fly upward. so
surely viii all his surroundings change.