The Portland daily press., 1896-02-10
AT ST. PAUL's.
Rev. Mr. Shepherd Tells About the Mission
of Civic League Last Evening.

On Sunday evening, the Rev. Mr..
Shepherd, by invitation of the Civic
League, preached discourse en- "Ciyic
Pride. y
He began by saying that the three
cities of ancient time noted for civic
pride were Athens. Rome and Jerusalem.
Athens could boast of the Pantheon;
Rome could point with pride to the
Coloseums but the glory of Jerusalem
was the temple Of God. The pride the
jew felt in Jerusalem, was the out
growth of his religion. This is dearly
and beautifully expressed in Psalms
XLVIIL. They were to walk about
Zion, tell the towers thereof, mark we'll
her bulwarks, because Zion was historic
place. In this age there is no need to call
attention to civic pride as an essential
element of prosperity to city. Plu-
tarch credits Eurepides with the state
ment "that the first requisite of happi-
ness is that a man be born in famous
CITY," Every city may be famous for the
cultivation of the civic virtues. We may
be sure these virtues exist where there is
recognition of the obligation to care for
and watch over the moral health Of the
community.
A CITY may possess many valuable
thugs, but the most valuable thing of
all is man. Anxiety for the prosperity
of our city Is laudabls. but if 1t Goes not
include the welfare Of man it is worth
less. There certainly are unnatural con-
dltlons OF society whore crime and virtue
keep pace with virtue and happiness
Society must devise means to reach the
fountain of evil before the ever increasing
stream of vice can be checked and dried
up.
Our practical politician tells US this is
impossible, it is labor thrown away. We
may believe it or not, but the condition
of any city depends on the action of it's
law abiding citizens. All the signs of
the times point to wider spread of in
telligence, morality and religion.
The great advance made in the temper
ance reform is proof of this. Only fifty
years ago the judge on the bench, the
physician in the sickroom and the
minister in the pulpit looked upon strong
drink as necessity. Now all this is
changed. We shall cultivate the civic
virtues II we cherish respectsfor authority
to suit every body in the administration
of civic affairs. The general good must
be considered before the individual. Lack
of respect for law is the first step toward
Its evasion by fraud, and its overthrow
by violence.
1t is quite as important to do ones
duty as it is to insist on ones rights
sit Is true the people make the laws,
but it must be done constitutionally.
1t may be asked. what difference will
1t make if the prohibition law is not en-
forced? 1t destroys respect for all law.
Let officers show the same laxity in the
enforcement of all law and Portland
would become very paradise of orimi-
nails.
help secure good government by and for
the people, and not by the professional
politicians. He is the man who proposes
to get all he can out of politics and
possesses seven principles, five loaves and
Two small fishes. Good government de-
ponds on respect for authority and respect
for liberty. The symbol of authority is
law. The symbol of liberty is obedience
TO law, because law Is only the opinion of
the people freely expressed at the polls.
- speak as fool, or what in politics
amounts to the same thiug:--a minis
ter. When l saw that the object of the
league ought to commend itself to all
good citizens. l cannot see what Gle IN
streets, an efficient fire and police depart-
.~ASNNo AANO w w WIN RolluiC5. Cttl Sb6
why Democratic President shall succeed
Republican. But why thers should be
a complete turnover at every change in a
municipal election, / cannot for the life
Of me see. OF course, speak as fool.
We pray regularly ''for the President and
those in authority but in this country
prayers without votes are worthless. 1t
seems to me that the Civic League is fol-
lowing the Prophets advice. Strengthen
ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble
knees" In these modern times this
weakness Is apt to Affect an officials
backbone. An officer with weak hands
feeble knees and no backbone is pitable
oblent. ST. Paul says: "and make START
paths for your feet, lest that which is
lame be turned out of the way" but let
1T rather BIZ healed. believe in such or
CARNATIONS as the league, on the general
principle that an ounce of prevention is
better than pound of cure. ofiicials
will be more likely to make strait paths
for their feet, If they know that once in
a while these paths are matter of public
scrutiny, and are tested by the ordinary