Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-06-29
Y.P. s. C.E. COLUMN.

The thirteenth semi annual conven
tlon OF the Orleans County Union Of
christian Endeavor convened at the
Congrega tional church, Bloomington,
tuesday and Wednesday, June Is and
II. Tuesday evening, Rev. J.C.Lang-
ford Of Coventry gave an address
on s'The Blessed Life.u Wednesday
morning there was a sunrise prayer
meeting, led by Miss Hartig Of Troy.
At $3.50, Rev. j. K. Fuller extended by
hearty words Brownington's welcome
to the convention, which was respond
ed to by the president, John r. Aiken
of Newport. The general subject of
| the convention was "Good Citizen
ship" The address by M. Winslow
Farman of Westfeld on "What is
| Good Citizenshipo' was OF a high or
der, Mr.. Farman said in part:
Preliminary to the inquiry of our
subject, there i another inquiry to
be considered what is the nation?
The national principle holds the ma
ton to be an organism, and therefore
of necessity a unit, not an aggrega-
ton Of parts. It accepts the postulate
of Aristotle, stMan by Nature is Po-
litical Being" accordingly when
merged in the nation, man is in his
product of of human continuance. It
is Divine institution, having it's or
igin in the Divine will. The nation is
not merely an organism, but also is a
moral organism, therefore it has per-
sonality. The condition of PERSONAL
ty is freedom; the basis Of PERSONAL
ty is self determination. The life of
the nation is recognized to be sacred;
therefore the preservation of that life
is recognized to be sacred duty.
The elements of the nation rest in the
individuals composing it.
Now, then, what is good citizenship?
Good citizenship consists in the adj
equate apprehension of the duties
and the privileges coming to the
individual by virtue of the relation
of the duties and the exercise of
the privileges. This relationship
is not like that existing between one
stone and all the other stones of the
heap. 1t is rather like the relation
ship existing between section of liv
ing tissue and the human body to
which it belongs. It is the body in
a sense the citizen is the nation. 1t |
is the duty of the nation to preserve, |
improve, perpetuate and make the |
most possible of itself The interests
of the individual and the nation can
not conflict, but are an aid to each
other. That the interests of both may
be conservated, that the Divine will
may be carried out on earth, it is es-
sential that the quality of citizenship
be maintained and improved. The
qualifications requisite to good citi-
zenship are an intelligent, conscien
5ious personality. First, personality.
Every man should be independent of
every other man. He is the equal of
every other man. His rights as citi-
zen are to be recognized and respect
I'd by every other citizen, while on
MS part he is to recognize and re-
spect the rights of every other citizen
n return. He chooses his own voca-
ion, residence and religious creed.
He should also cast his ballot as free
nan, without fear Or intimidation
rom any other man, or from any
clique, corporation or party. He is
for his vote to himself, to
he nation and to God; therefore he
should have the right to vote as he .
0leases, and the vote should be hon. ]
sstly counted and fairly credited to
he person or measure which it sup
ports.
Second: Intelligence. Every indie !
pendent citizen should be an intelli- ,
,ent citizen. He should vote intelli-
gently. II he does not vote intelli- !
gently he can not vote wisely; if he !
loes not vote wisely it will be but the
nerest chance if the ship of state es- +
apes being wrecked on the rock
,cylla or swallowed up by the whirl- t
,ool Charyodis. One of our great
hangers arises from the ignorance of 9
he immigration classes, and from the
of many of our native born I
itizens. Every child should be re-
Luired, yea, compelled to acquire an I
ducation to some extent. He should
'e taught not only reading and writ t
ng, and arithmetic, but also the rudi- +
nents of political economy and civil
government, also he should be in d
tructed in the principles of patriot
SIN and morality. The ignorant man i
viii be dwarfed and defOrmed and