The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-25
DUTIES OF
A GOOD
CITIZEN.
Set Forth in Interesting Sermon
by Father Blessing at the
Cathedral Last Evening.

Rev. FIR Blessing was the speaker az
the regular evening lecture at the Ca
thedral last evening and the subject OF
his discourse was Good Citizenship A
very large congregation listened to the
interesting lecture, which was In part as
follows:
Every adult male bears a two-fold re-
lationship 10 the government-the rela-
tionship of citizen and subject AS
citizen, his virtue, his loyalty. and as a
subject. his duty his obedience Inc
right OF citizenship entails upon him re-
sponsibilities because he, In manner
participates In the administration OF the
government.
BY the Constitution the governmental
power is held in trust by the chief execu-
tive and all subordinate officials to be
exercised only for the public and common
good No prejudice Of race or creed or
tradition should sway his Judgment. Tor
he. in a measure, is responsible for the
man whom he helps TO elect IL corrup-
ton enters into public places and aoides
there, the citizen body is responsible; ana
corruption In high places argues either
Incidence lack OF intelligence or selfish
ness In the body polite.
Every citizen should be loyal TO the
principles upon which government Is
founded. This loyalty is the virtue OF the
citizen. Loyalty TO the institutions of the
nation follows from loyalty to the prinoi-
Piles. Yet defamation IL not loyalty but
cant We are not asked to hold that all
our institutions are the best but We
should strive as Intelligent citizens 10
make them best
Each citizen before the nation Is cred
tied with intelligence and judgment, and
this intelligence and judgment should
manifest itself by openness to convio-
tion of the defects OF our institutions and
in the true desire TO remedy them. The
public and the common good Is the pur-
pose OF our government, and every citi-
zen should stand manfully against the
person or persons who would distort the
governmental power into an instrument
for the accomplishment OF selfish ends
The penalties attached to the infringe
.nent should not be the motive OF obe-
dicnce. IL has a binding power In con-
sslu nee. Antagonism TO the law, either
individual or corporate. Is a menace to
tho welfare OF the nation.
We respect a law not because Of the
benefits which II confers upon us per-
sonally. because a true citizen as will
ingly obeys a law against his private In
tercsts as for them. In order that a cti-
zen may have due appreciation OF his
resi- ,nsibilities and duties It Is neces-
sary to eradicate selfshness. Public
spirit and a sense OF justice are the
hopes OF this nation. The public spirit
and the sense Of Justice have their source
In Christianity. for this nation Is but a
development OF Christian principles. It's
progress must depend upon It's adherence
TO Christian principles. Inhdelity will un-
derminc the nation in destroying the al
legiance OF its citizens to God.
Every Christian citizen inspired with
tho knowledge Of his duties TO both God
and man will be inspired with loyalty
toward this nation. He will look upon
government as an instrument for the ex-
preston OF the divine power. He will
look upon the laws as guiding principles.
Ho Will strive TO place In Offices OF trust
men upright. just and careful. The more
Christian a man Is. tho truer citizen he
becomes