The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-10-15
GOOD OITIZEgsRIP.
Reports 10 Christian endsNors by Rev. A,
7. G. Apple and Hen. n. N. Hineklef.

When we remember that the fundS-
mental principles for which the church
of Christ stands today include good
citizenship as one of the christian
virtues. it can be said that every meet
ing of every Christian Endeayor
Society has been a meeting for good
citzenship. The late President Nc
Kinley once said at one of the Chris
tian Eudeavor conventions: "When
you are serving man by helping him
to be better aud nobler, you are serv-
ing your country" and SO since purer
and better service 10 our fellow man
is one Of the prime endeavors of our
Society, its work must therefore al
ways tend 10 produce higher and purer
ideals OF civic duty.
There are a few facts confronting
US al present which indicate condi-
ton of public sentiment and trend
of current events that give cause for
profound rejoicing and good courage
TO US all:
I. There is coming to be deep
er and more general realization that
there are duties OF citizenship and
that these are most important part
OF the duties of the christian in their
broadest scope.
:. 1t is being shown that the world
Of politics is not hopelessly corrupt, or
that it becomes so, only when incor-
ruptible men withdraw from the field
and refuse or neglect their manifest
duty.
). 1t is coming to be seen more
clearly that citizenship means more
than politics merely; that there is such
thing as what We might call .pnbHe
housekeeping which has the seeing
after the general cleanliness, santa
ton, and good order of the commun-
ity: that there is the vast and compli-
Gated machinery OF the business uorLd
reaching out even as far as relations
Of capital and labor, and other ques-
tions that enter within the realm Of
the purely ethical; that there is in this
public household also the nuySey.y and
the six room in which interests OF
education, care Of the sick, insane,
and infrm are looked after. So that
to be 4 good citizen preeminently
means to have knowledge, and heart,
ard willingness covering any or all the
varied avenues OF practical philan-
thropy.
!. Another source Of encourage
ment lies in the fact that of the chris
tan manhood of him whose mortal
remains the nation has laid 10 rest in
the vault in Canton; and also of that
other man upon whom the mantle of
responsibility fell when our erst while
President laid down his life. martyr
to the cause of good citizenship. The
fact thai VIM. Mckinley was, and
Theodore Roosevelt is communi-
cant member of the Christian church;
that in their company can be includ-
ed also the Justices of the Supreme
Court, and very many others in re.
sponsible stations; that the strength
and purity OF manhood OF these is the
result OF their christian profession, this
is enough to dispose once for all OF
the superficial plea that the religion
OF Jesus Christ is losing its hold on
American manhood.
(. The universal revulsion OF
horror at the diabollc deed OF an
archy that struck down our President
and especially the quickness with
which the public conscience recogniz-
ed the spirit of anarchy in Our midst
in all forms of disobedience, insub-
ordination, and lawlessness from the
truant school boy all the way to the
murderous bomb thrower, show that
our calamity so far as We can under
stand it is being read aright and its
lessons along lines of good citizenship
are being taken to heart.
Suggestions for furthering the cause
of good citizenship might be classed
under the heads of l. Reading. ii.
Study. III. Action.
I. AS to the first we would suggest:
Read carefully the Christian Endeav-
or WOrlG Amongst a host OF other
good things its "Little Studies IN