The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-24

anarchist, an enemy OF society as well
as his own destroyer, although he may
hold up his soft and effeminate hands
against the anarchy that threatens to
break forth from the passion of the hui
man deeps beneath. a man may sober
ly consider if he is not yielding to an
archie temptation when he asserts his
independence in utter disregard Of the
customs, the manners, the institutions
of society. 1t is not the righs of man
to run his own life like a reckless auto
mobile.
There are also direct denials OF the
right of man before the face of the
Most High. One may result from the
lack of chivalry. The higher sense of
honor, the regard of the strong for the
weakest, Valor in defending the least
imperilled virtue-do we need some
touch of chiyalry in our industrial civ
ilfzauon? Our children need to read
Spencer's Fairy Queen. Gladstone said
in the same passage already quoted:
LET US respect the ancient manners.
and remember that, if the true soul of
chivalry has died among us, with it all
that is good in society has died" An
other denial of the worth Of the indi-
vidual is the social parasite. DR.. Smyth
described some parasites, in the organic
world, and scored as a social parasite
the degenerate son of the man who
earned his wealth by honest productive
work, the man who simply absorbs, who
does not put his talents, his wealth, his
powers, to human use; who is mere
digestive sac, sucking the life juices Of
the body polite.
Another and menacing denial OF the
individual and his right before the Most
High upon which DR.. Smyth dWelt is
the denial of the right of a man to
work, or the shutting of the door of OPP
portunity before man, the abridgment
of his liberty to work as much as he
can, and by OVerwork, if he chooses, or
by the utmost diligence, to rise as high
as he may. The beginnings of a condi-
tion of things which put in jeopardy
this right of the individual to avail
himself of the opportunity of work are
to be resisted. There is touch of pa
thos in the cry of non-union miner S
child to his playmates, Il will be John
Mitchell's man, only let me play"
There would be something more than
pathos-there would be something
which we do not like to contemplate
should it come to pass in this free land
should 1t be the case even in our own
city-that a man must call out to his
fellows, Il will be anybody's man, only
let me work. l do not need to reason
with you concerning this first truth of
the right of a man before God to free
labor. But public sentiment, that broad,
deep stream which bears upon it all the
riches of our civilization, is ltse't in its
strong flowing the result of many little
rills, and upland brooks, and far-away
springs. We have something to do in
our individual sentiments, and our pri-
vate relations with men, in maintaining
unimpaifed this right of a man to work,
1t would be better that the additions to
our homes we plan should remain I'M
built, our houses implanted, our city, if
need be, left for nights without light,
We ourselves put to much inconven-
fence, or our profits diminished, rather
than that we should consent to any de-
NAL or abridgment of this right of a
man before the Most High to do with
his might whatsoever work which his
hands find to do. I would especially
exhort men in positions of trust, direc-
tors Of corporations, manufacturers and
employers of labor, to guard and to
maintain with chivalric honor, and even
at great cost, the rights of free labor
in New Haven.
DR.. Smyth spoke, in conclusion, of
the largest Christian assertion of indi-
viduality. Where in all history do we
find the most kingly assertion Of the
right of the individual man? I will
read it to you from the gospel: PLATE
therefore said unto him. Art thou a
king then? Jesus answered, Thoy say
est that 1 am king. To this end have
l been born, and to this end am come
into the world that I should bear wit
ness unto the truth. Behold the man,
| in the sublime assertion of his right be-
| fore the Most High in the judgment
hall of a worlds hate and wrong! Be
hold the man in the most kingly asser-
ton of himself in the same act by which
he gives himself upon the cross a. ram
som for us all!