The times., 1898-03-05
CITIZENSHIP IN AMERICA.
DIR. George Corey Delivers an Int r.

DIR. George Corey Delivers an Inter-
esting Lecture on the Theme.
Dr. George II. Corey delivered a very
interesting lecture at the Metropolitan
Methodist Episcopal Church last night on
Citizenship in America" handling the
subject with that broad view which
characterizes his utterances and dealing
with the questions of the hour in direct
manner, advocating reforms that should
begin at the foundation of the structure
upon which the republic is based-the
right Of suffrage, its protection and puri-
tication. He said:
"A worthy citizenship is the foundation
of national greatness. Nations are or
dained for specific purposes and are en-
dowed with special gifts for the fulfill
ment of those purposes. The special
mission of America is 20 elaborate n
faultless civil policy and exemphfy it in
the beneGcent permanence of free insti-
tutions, and thus secure the political edu-
cation Of mannd. Is it not to exalt and
magnify the individual. secure his intel
ligonce and virtue. and to protect his
natural rights by the sanction of civil
government and the application of moral
| law? In Judea civilization was moral,
/ in Greece beautiful and in Rome irwin
/ ciblc. These three factors. power, beau
/ ~, virtue. are clearly interviewer with
our history and Institutions as witnesses
of past struggles and basSes Of future.
elaboratenesS in the work of civilization.
Il insist. therefore. that while we boast
! OF our freedom and our intelligence. that
Sc must add religion as an essential iac-
/ tor in American citizenship. First of al
! II Is required OF a worthy citizenship that
| II have an intelligent apprehension of The
/ principles which the Government organ
/ izes and of the ideas which it represents.
| There are such things as American
1 ideas, distinctive, peculiar, national, not
/ that they were first discovered here but
| because more than anywhere else they
! lay at the base of the institutions and
( are working out the laws and policies of
| our people. The root idea is that man is
! the most sacred trust of God 10 the
world; that man is above nature. above
| institutions and governments and by vir-
| tue of his original affiliation to the Eter-
J nal Father is superior to all created
! things. All institutions, all days all ordi
! nances all usages. come TO minister 10
| him. and God alone is his master. There
! fore he TO be thoroughly enlarged, thor
| oughly empowered by development and
| then thorouhly trusted. This is an
American idea. outside the National Capt.
| tai, for no American ideas are operative
| here. We live under the veriest despot-
| ism on the globe. because the Govern
| ment is unwilling TO trust the citizens OF
the Capital City. Outside of the capital
| we stand in contrast with the world in
holding and teaching it that men. hav-
| ing been once thoroughly educated. are
to be absolutely trusted.
Every citizen should seek to under
stand the Government under which he
| lives In America, which is a
| limited democracy where the ma
| jority rule, knowledge is Indispensable
| We are driven TO the ballot box once a
| year I'm gangs by self-constituted leaders
| who mean 10 dictate the votes and take
| the offices. We blindly follow some party
| candidates. our hero for the hour, who.
! though he may be much wiser than we
are. is not endowed with a vicarious
knowledge that can atone for our igno-
| rance
DR.. Corey closed with a fine peroration.
picturing the American people with an
ideal Government conducted according TO
the letter and spirit of the Constitution.