Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-31

as a nation if we ever follow b lead
sof men who seek not to smother, but
to in1ame the wild beast qualities OF
the human heart. In social and nduS-
trial no less than in political reform we
can do healthy work, work fit for a free
country, fit for self-governing democ-
racy, only by treading in the footsteps
of Washington and Franklin and Ad-
ans and Patrick Henry and not in the
steps of Marat and Robespierre.
The Relations.
so far what have had to say has
dealt mainly with our relations with
one another in what may be called the
service of the State. But the basis OF
good citizenship is in the home. A
man must be a good son, husband and
father-a woman a good daughter, vile
and mother, first and foremost. There
must be no Sinking of duties in big
things or in little things. The man
who will not work hard for his wife
and his little ones; the woman who
shrinks from bearing and rearing many
healthy children; these have no place
among the men and women who are
striving upward and onward. OF course
the family is the foundation of all
the things in the State. Sins against
pure and healthy family life are those
which of all others are sure in the end
to be visited most heavily upon the
nation in which they take place. we
must beware, moreover, not merely OF
the great sins, but of the lesser ones
which. when taken together, cause
such an appalling aggregate of misery
and wrong. The drunkard, the leWd
liver. the coward, the liar, the dishon-
est man. the man who is brutal to or
neglectful Of parents, wife or children
of all of these the shrift should be
short when we speak of decent citizen
ship. Every ounce OF effort for good
in your associations is part of the
ceaseless war against the traits winch
produce such men. But IN addltlon
to condemning the grosser forms or
evil we must not forget to condemn
also the evils of bad temper, lack OF
gentleness, nagging and whining fret
fitness. lack of consideration for 9TH
ers-the evils of selfishness in all It's
myriad forms. Each man or woman
must remember his or her duty to all
around. and especially to those closest
and nearest, and such remembrance
is the best possible p~reparative to do
ing duty for the State as a whole.
Requisites for Success.
eve ask that these Associations, and
the men and women who take part in
them. practice the Christian doctrines
which are preached from every true
pulpit. The Decalogue and the Golden
Rule must stand as the foundation OF
a..a--w o,,o1oc1f,l affnrt m ihnftpr either
our social or our political life. "Fear
the Lord and walk in his ways, and
Let each man love his nelghbor as
himself"-when we practice these two
p~recepts, the reign of social and civic
righteousness will he close at hand.
Christianity teaches not only tina each
of us must so live as to save his W
soul, but that each must also strive to
do his whole duty by his neighbor. We
cannot live up to these teachings as
we should; for in the presence OF in
finite might and infinite wisdom the
strength of the strongest man is but
weakness, and the keenest of mortal
eyes see but dimly. but each of US
can at least strive, as light and
strength are given him, toward the
ideal. Effort along any n line will
not suffice. We must not only be good
but strong. We must not only be
high-minded but brave-hearted. We
must think loftily and we must also
work hard. 1t is not written in the
Holy Book that we must merely be
harmless as doves. 1t is also written
that we must be wise as serpents. Craft
unaccompanied by conscience makes
the crafty man a social wild beast who
preys on tLe community and must be
hunted out of it. Gentleness and sweet
ness unbacked by strength and high
resolve are almost impotent for good.
The true Christian is the true citizen,
lofty of purpose, resolute in ~endeavor,
ready for a hero's deeds but never look
ing down on his task because it is cast
in the day of small things; scornful of
baseness, awake to his own duties as
we'll as to his rights, following the
higher law with reverence, and in this
world doing all that in him lies, so that
when death he may feel that
mankind is in some degree better be-
cause he has lived"