The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-04
BALLOT is SACRED
SAID REV. A. NJ. WILLIAMS IN Dis
CUssING MANS CIVIC WORTH.
CHARACTER OF THE NATION
SOON RANKS ACCORDING TO THE
CHARACTER OF ITS VOTERS.

The Ballot n Sacred Endowment of
the American Citizen-HOw All
Civic Questions Which Will Arise
This Year Should BE Treated-The
IntergraI, the Magnetic, the Econ
Omic, and the Spiritual Worth of
Man-rwO Companion New Year
Sermons Were DeIivered-SynOpsis
of the Two SermOns-Special Mus
&c BY Trinity Choir.
Rev. A. NJ. Williams. pastor of
Trinity Methodist Church, preached
two special sermons yesterday on sub
jects appropriate to the New Year
from the topic. ideals for 1904" The
evening sermon was from the subject,
Our Worth to the Present World,"
and was built UP from the text taken
from Acts 1895: Fer David, after he
had served his own generation, by the
will of God fell on sleep"
Man lives in this world by the will
of Cod" said Rev. Mr.. Williams,
Endowed with capacities there is
service he should render to it. The
true worth of man is the faithful
ness with which he renders that serv-
ice. Let US estimate that value.
There is what we may call mans
integral value to society. Society is
made of units and each individual is
unit or integer. The perfection of
society is in the quality of these units.
Should each unit be solid, society
would be perfect. Each true man,
each pure woman. each genuine child,
helps the perfection of society. Our
worth then is measured by what we
really are.
A Magnetic Value.
There is also what we may desig-
nate the magnetic value of man.
The attractive power of personality is
one of the most wonderful human
forces. This quality intensifies vice
or increases virtue. One of the most
dangerous things in the world is the
magnetic bad man. On the other hand,
what language can estimate the in
fluence of genial natures dedicated to
good.
Economic and Civic Worth.
THE economic worth of man is an
interesting theme, the power of man as
producer. In the development of
the material welfare of the world the
character Of man forms no insignifi-
cant factor. In this equation mans
intelligence, industry, enterprise, char
acter. constitute the varying elements.
Where thrift, integrity, and thorough
ness characterize the influence of
country, civilization is advanced.
THE civic worth of man next
claims our attention. In this Ameri
ca of ours each man is endowed with
certain civic rights. They are an heri-
tage bought for him by the brains and
blood of his forefathers. The intelli-
gence with which he exercises these
prerogatives constitute his civic worth
to society.
I'm 1904, there will be call for the
exercise of these responsibilities. He
will be called upon to select rulers
from the highest to the lowest. Should
he sell his franchise he degrades him
self to the level of Esau, who disposed
of his birth-right for a mess of pot
| taEe.
Voluntary Slavery.
"Should he barter these sacred en-
dowments to bosses he enters a volun-
| tary slavery of the vilest cast. Should
he trifle with his vote and dispose of
it without the exercise of reason. con-
| science and manhood, he demeanS HIM
self and dishonors his country. The
nation, state and municipality will
soon rank according to the character
of its voters.
'In 1904 let every man resolve to
magnify his civic responsibility. This
! means registering in time, carefully
| considering the issues involved, care
| fully deciding on these issues. with no
bias for personal considerations, and
promptly casting his vote in accord
ance with his decisions. I pray God
that the elections of 1904 will make
an inward step in civic righteousness.
The sermon closed with short dis
cussion of the spiritual worth of man
and its influence on his worth in other
lines.
Preparation for Future World.
The morning sermon was from the
subject "Our Preparation for the
other World" and was built upon the
text from Col 3:2: "Set your heart
on things above" The speaker be-
gan by calling attention to the three
questions which are always suggested
by the opening of a new year and the
dying of an old: Why are we here?
Whittier are we tending? What is
our chief end?
on the answers to these three ques-
tions the sermon of the morning was
built up. The speaker took the posi-
ton that as the chief end of man was
his existence in an endless world that
his chief duty lay in preparing him
self for entrance to that world.
Two large congregations assembled
to listen to both sermons. The spe-
cial New Year musical programme
rendered by the church choir was one
of the features of both services.