The Globe-republican., 1893-09-08
"lOVE: SERVE"

The Motto Which Inspired the Life of
One of England's Noblemen.
Two ragged urchins were wandering
down a great London street. Attract
ed by picture store. they stopped.
Suddenly one pale face frightened. and
pointing at life-sized portrait. the
child said:
''See, Jim. see."
WHAT"
''Why, there! That's our EARL"
The street boy had recognized the
picture of Anthony Ashley, the seventh
earl of Shaftesbury, who was better
known to the poor of London than the
chief of police.
Lord Shaftesbury was one of En-
glands noblemen. He held a high
title by right OF worth. as well as by
right of birth. Love: Serve" has
been the motto of his family since the
days of the Plantagenets. Such a
legend would mean but little to most
ancient lines. but it inspired or in
terpreted Lord Shaftesbury's life. A
touching story is told of the way in
which he was led to dedicate himself to
philanthropic efforts.
When he was boy in Harrow, the
great fitting school, he was startled on
the street by hearing the noise of
shouting and coarse singing Five
drunken men came staggering toward
him, carrying a coffin. Keeling in their
intoxication. they let the coffin drop
with oaths just before him. The boy
stood Mortified at the sight.
''Can this be allowed" he exclaimed,
simply because this man was poor and
friendless?" The horrible incident SO
impressed him that he resolved to de-
vote his life to defending the helpless.
He used to say: People talk of the
divine right of kings: but no one has
divine right to anything except his
souls salvation"
When he entered the house of com
mons, at the age of twenty-five. he be-
gan his public service by attacking the
old lunacy laws. At that time Siberia
would have been Heaven to parish lu-
natics. They were chained in dark.
damp cells. and made to obey by con-
slant applications of the lash, and by
other cruel punishments.
When, after much opposition, Lord
Shaftesbury's bill was seconded, he
wrote in his diary: And SO. by Gods
blessing. my first effort has been made
for the advancement of human happi-
ness"
Next he attacked the terrible system
of farming out paupers- The country
used to be secured. and children were
purchased from poorhouses and from
parents, and sold until their twenty
first year. to work in mills and facto-
ries- Here. too, strangely enough, he
had a storm of opposition. and might
have failed had not Charles Dickens
come to his rescue by writing his IA
nous ''Oliver Twist"
Then this true nobleman took up the
cause of the chimney-sweeps Children
of six and seven years, and boys even
of four. were employed, subject to cruel
risks. as chimney-sweeps. Their suf-
ferings were often pitiable. Year after
year his bill for their relief was refused
by the house, and called in commons
''the pitiful cant of pseudo-philant nitro
py." But Lord Shaftesbury did not de-
spair. At last lad was suffoca ted in
a flue in Stafordshire. and this gave
force TO his appeals, and the bill was
passed.
Then this nobleman worked success
sively for seamstresses and shoeblacks,
and in favor of ragged schools and
flower missions, and in every kind of
and beautiful philanthropy
that he could touch. At dinner which |
be gave to the thieves OF London. one
Of his criminal guests got up, and CRATE !
fully assured him that his house would
be forever safe. and concluded by say
ing:
friends that bells on the shutters and
little dogs are the two things that we |
burglars dread"
Prince and pauper We'd in doing
honor to this rare man when he died. !
A laboring man, standing with bare
head in Westminster abbey, with a |
ragged bit of Grape under his arm. was
overheard to say in a choking voice:
''Our earfs gone. God Almighty |
knows he loved us, and we loved him. |
We sha'n't see his likes again.
The world is as full of misery as !
ever. It needs more true noblemen
who make the spirit of the beautiful !.
Serve" the ruling pas
sion of a consecrated life. - Youths I