The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-12-21
w. CT. U. COLUMN,
CONDUCTED BY MRS. \. L. HOBBS.


Mans chief end in existence Is
the formation Of character, but
there can be no character without y
close touch with God, and hence
our old catechism answer can never
become obsolete. We can still and
with renewed earnestness and cour-
age teach our youth that "man's
chief eLd is to serve God and en-
Joy Him forever.
An ideal state will come only
when We have ideal men, women
and children. Legislation will not
produce such individuals, but il
will make mighty contributions
toward the possibility Of such pro-
duction. 1t has been the habit Of .
goodlt number Of amiabls and fire.
quently godly people to decry the
attempted Legislation OF men and
women into goodness. The trouble
with such has been and is their
short sly hit. dness, their inability to
see more than one side OF the truth
at one time. The most earnest ad-
vocate Of reform has hardly claim
ed to be able to change men OF evil
habit and thought into men Of no.
BILE instincts aud modes OF life and
thought by meie legislative enact
ment. Their only claim is that
legislation can be most potent al
ly to the inner moral foroee, which
must operate in every soul in order
that it may grow into the perfect
soul
The writer does not belong to
that school who take from man all
for his moral being,
and attribute everything to environ
ment aud heredity. Nor on the
other hand can he, in the light Of
experience and scientific stiga-
and discovery, throw aside with
the claims OF the advo-
Gates Of such teaching. There in
here's in man that which has within
itself the germs Of the most magni-
ticent ma hood. Frequently it is
strong enough to break through all
barriers Of heredity and envi.ln-
ment, and flower into the ideal man
or woman. But it comes la con
tact with its environment for veal
or woe. Jesus recognized this and
the situation in those
quite often quoted and frequently
misunderstood words, mo man
liveth or dieth unto hlmselt."
We are bound up together 10 the
bundle OF life. Germs Of habit are
planted in the embryonic soul from
oti er souls. This is heredity. We
must not surrender the field OF en-
de- vor for saving our people a. in
dividuals, and as a race, ~ that
school Of thought which by placing
the whole weight Of reformation up
IN the individual, postpones the
to some hlzy and it,
definite future. Nor on the other
hand should earnest, enthu' iastic
workers for the salvation OF men
fall unde, the sway Of that school
Of thought which coddles the indi-
vidual into believing that he Is but .
victim Of circumstances, that socie-
ty (the genus name for environ
ment aud heredity) is responsible
for his shortcomings. Society has
sins enough OF its own for which TO
atone, without being charged with
your personal failures and nine
The sansst thought provides for
both the internal work of grace and
the external work Of improving the
environment.
"WiLe is a mocker." [ntempeP-
ance causes the souls abdicatjon Of
It's real distinguishing charaoteris-
tics. He who allows any drug,
such as alcohol, to enthrone itself
in ms mind gives over his real man
hood to a usurper. He becomes
for the time whatever it chooses tv
make Of him, and it matters not ~
far as the principle is concerned
whether It makes him the brillian
and debonnaile member Of elegant
society or the murderer. Down ali
the rungs Of the ladder from the
brilliant society leader to the muv-
ierer, through Stiffness, sensuality
and crime. the objectionable sin L
the surrender Of self-hood. Grant
ed that the osurpcr often transmits
the dull, phlsgmauc, commonplace
intellect into q pleasant and COM
panionable soul, the sin is none the
less. The greatness Of soul con.
sists 10 the expression Of it's higher
self. "Know thyself," ITO your
self be true" are the v atchwolds oil
the growing soul.
Once poverty was unknown ip
this, fair land. No man reveled il
eHpess and no man wallowed in the
mife OF stolid want. Tie awful ex