The record-union., 1899-11-19

is sudden movement spontaneously
participated in by the whole people
This is great and misleading error.
The world is made up of a family of
nations. The nation is composed Of
multitude of families and the family
consists OF a number of individuals. The
unit of society is the individual. All
onward ond upward movements must
therefore begin with the individual AS
are the individuals, SO is the nation. As
are the nations, so is the world.
What, think you, would be the con-
dition of the world if all individuals
led pure and righteous lives? How
near at hand, think you, would be the
messianic age, if all men loved their
neighbors as themselves and faithfully
rendeavored to observe the golden rule?
How far off, thing you, would be the
day when universal peace would pre-
vail if all men would cultivate patience
and forbearance, if they would love the
right instead of exercising their might,
If they would seek out the good rather
than the evil in others, if they would
give each other credit for good inten-
tons and do their fullest share to bring
enlightenment where ignorance pre-
walls, to supplant tears with joy, sorrow
with happiness, want with plenty, de-
spair with hope? How near at hand,
think you, would be the day of the uni
versal brotherhood of man. if we thor
oughly respected each others opinions
and tried to win over the sinner to the
ways of righteousness through love
rather than through his fears, if we
,a;f tod he &Al low
for the oppressed?
In the language of a modern writer,
Let US join hands together and make
the good times real We each of US
can, in our limited way, become per
sonal messiah and hasten the day of
universal peace and good fellowship
by perfect obedience to the moral law
and by an earnest desire to make the
world about US brighter and more
cheerful, by encouraging virtue and
well-doing, and guiding into the perfect
way, the morally blind and the erring.
Unlike the selfish, who think only OF
saving their own souls, and in so dong
are no more commendable than are
those who think of saving only their
own dollars, let us strive rather to De
of service to Others by lending help
ing hand to the fallen brother, by offer
ing an encouraging word to the mis-
guided sister, no matter what their
color or creed, no matter what their
race or BELIEF.
If we but devote ourselves to the lid
ing of others, we ourselves are not
likely to suffer, and the messanic PEE
riod is thus more likely to be brought
nearer to our own time and day.
The belief in a pfNsonal Messiah serv-
ed its purpose we'll 1t brought hope
where there might have been despair;
it filled the heart with faith that 9TH
wise would have become hopeless; it
lent courage to the faltefing and gave
strength to the oppressed, the perse-
cuted and n-trodden.
The belief in a messianic age, in an
ideal state of society, in universal
brotherhood and in an era of universal
peace, will achieve still higher and
greater good. 1t must enlist the earn
est, hearty and sincere efforts of all
lovers of humanity into one harmon
iouS united effort, to tear away the
barriers of prejudice and intolerance
which still exist between man and man;
to break down the Chinese walls of
tradition and superstition which have
kept men apart, and which have tend
ed to cultivate and to bring out mans
lowest and basest, instead of his high
est and noblest qualities.
The belief in Messianic age must
tend to fill the hearts and minds of
men with the thought that there is but
one heavenly father and that ali hui
man beings-whatever their color,
whatever their creed-are equally near
and dear to him, and that, in the king
dom of God, only he shall be recognized
who looks upon all men as his brothers
and upon himself as a personal Messiah
sent to teach and to preach the doe
trine of a messianic age, of universal
peace, of the fatherhood of God and
the brotherhood of man.