The record-union., 1896-11-26

greater than anywhere else. And they
are, for nowhere else do the people SO
generally own their own farms and
homes as here. The great landlord, with
his wide domains upon which are
grouped the huts of his tenants, is not
an American picture.
Nowhere is education so possible to
all the children and youth as here. And
not only is an elementary education fur
nished, but free normal or university
education. 1t only requires little pluck
and energy for any Industrious boy or
girl to get a complete education in this
country and the drones do not get it
anywhere. Nos only have we our great
and excellent free schools of the day
but OF the night SO that the child who
must work by day may acquire knowl-
edge after the work of the day is
done. And then manual training
schools richly endowed, are springing
up in many places, affording special
training.
Our system of government has tended
to develop the individual. The man
had to be personally self-reliant WIN
penetrated the forests when the India n
and the wild beast abounded, that he
might clear off the timber and carve
out a farm. The same spirit was nee
essary to traverse the wide and desert
plains and Chamber the lofty ranges of
mountains in reaching and opening up
this f&irest part of all our fair land,
our own Pacific Coast. And then eyery
citizen, as he comes into fuller con-
ception of citizenship, recognizes him
self as an integral factor in the Gov
ernment. He realizes that the Govern
ment is not altogether in the White
House. nor in the great Capital of the
Nation, but in himself just as verify
as there. AS man awakes to the
consciousness of this fact its effects
upon MN ought TO be, and as a rule are
happy. AS man has a pride in hls
own property, he has in his own Gov
ernment. In the expression of govern
mental opinion this protection of the
individual has reached its elimination.
IN most of our States in the Australian
ballot, and as a result men vote as in
dlvduals and not lin blocks of five"
Tor consideration. AS result We
nave the triumph of much purer elec-
tions.
Another reason for profound graft
tude, during this time especially set
apart for gratitude, is the degree to
winch the humane or kindly spirit has
been developed in this country. We
read in the Gospels. Jesus took him by
the hand and lifted him up" He was
helping a PROSTATE helpless boy. That
picture represents the spirit widely
manifest in this country and more
widely than elsewhere according to
Bryce in his American Common
wealth. He says: In works of ac-
tive beneficence no country has sur
passed, perhaps none has euualed the
United States" ITO help others is
better recognized as a duty than in
Europe" Nowhere is money so read
lly given for any public purpose; No
"here, L suspect, are there so many
acts OF private kindness done"
Have you ever run over in your mind
all the organized forms in which th;a
kindly spirit manifests itself? To begin
with there are ali the churches which,
are standing in the attitude of Jesus
as he stood holding the hand of the
helpless boy, to lift him up. They takr
every week and lead them into the
Sabbath-schools to teach them all those
noble principles upon which must he
built the successful life. They are lift
ing them up. And they are clothing
the needy, feeding the hungry and in
every way helping the unfortunate
Then come the Salvation ARMY. the
Y NJ. c. A, the Y. w. c. A. the w. c
L. o., the Kings Daughters and all the
lodges and orders which are so much
given TO humane work. But beyond all
the organized forms of kindness are
the ten thousand times ten thousand
private benefactions, to those who need
We sometimes look with troubled
hearts upon the religious condition in
our country, and well we may when we
see how many are Indifferent to God
and all that He commands, but il is a
comfort to find that bad as it is. it is
better than in the lands across the sea.
which have so much advantage of us in
experience.
1t was thought by many in the old
countries that the church would nor
succeed so well in the United States
because not supported by the Govern
ment. They thought men would no:
give so literally when left to do So
voluntarily, but this has proved to pe
a mistake The germ, essential prin-
clple, OF Christ'S system of religion
is the missionary or helpful spirit. We
have just seen how this has been de-
Veloped in this country. There is a
striking illustration in Dr. Strong's
New Era" to which / am Indebted for
much valuable information. showing
the liberality under our voluntary sys-
TEN as compared with the church in
Germany under the governmental sys-
TEN. lie says that in the year when
the Congregational Church in this coun-
try averaged 81 81 per member for
missions, the membership of the Ger
man Governmental Church averaged
three-fourths Of one cent per member.
As sample Of the religious liberality
charact teristic of this country it is re-
freShing 10 read that just at this time
when we have been going through such
times of financial depression that more
than one million dollars have been
given to Princeton University in honor
of its one hundred and fiftieth anniver-
sary
But we are further assured that there
IS more interest manifested in religious
things in this country than in EUROPE
Let me quote again from the Amer
can commonWealth:" The influence
OF Christianity seems to be. if we look
not merely TO the numbers. but also to
the intelligence of the persons innu-
encad, greater and more widespread in
the United States than in any part Of
western continental Europe. and +
think greater than in England" These
are ches ring words and should encour
ase US to hopeful views of the future