Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1905-03-23
Sum- A v n n
CHAINS.

The big word OF today is liberty.
1t is Il harder word to spell than
Ii was in our fathers day. when 1t
meant merely the knocking of the
Shackles from the limbs of the worlds
slaves. Now it is political, intellectual
md social liberty that concerns the
race. The political economist sees the
liberty of the state h~ampered by the
strong ana subtle influence of vested
interests. The thinker finds walls of
prejudice. provincialism and bigotry
shutting in mems minds and limiting
their freedom. The philosopher be-
holds society sAathed, AS with swad-
Hing clothes. in the chains of conven-
tionalitN. matcrialism and fear. The
preacher that the OF
sin is still u potent fact in life. 1t
would AT first glance appear us ii civil
IZation has merely refined and ie.lSth-
ened mans chains.
Thus ii is evident that in its broad
e. aspects this sunday cho lesson
Is altogether timely. For it is a lesson
Of slavery and of liberty, spoken to Il
company of hido-tound provincialists.
in bondage to racial prejudice and re-
ligiouS hiSotiy, by the freest. freshest
and brtvest spirit that mas ever
brcathed blessings upon this old earth.
Primarily a controversy between Jesus
and some proud children of Abraham.
ii reaches out in it's application 10
presen! day conditions. In fact. the
lesson committee indicates that its
bearing upon temperance should be
especially in mind when the lesson is
,onsidered. The central teaching is
that great word which has been the
motto Of almost every movement of
progress for ages past, Y shall know
The truth, and the truth shall make
you free"
MEN WHO ARE NOT FREE.
" -.--
i'eth century politician is his ability
to get a line on the man whom he
seeks to control. Here is IA man of
standing and character elected to high
office. and the decent people of the
city hail him as a deliverer from the
tyranny OF the machine" But, To-.
his fair promises end only in words:
some mysterious power binds him hand
and foot. and the public wonders until
il is revealed that there is a chapter
in the mans official past which can
not stand the daylight. This is the
him in control, for Every one that
conlmitteth sin is he bond servant of
sim" II is fear of past misdeeds that
keeps many a man from present good
deeds. This principle is so thorough
~ understood by men of the world that
The first step toward silencing or rush
ing an opponent is to investigate his
past. If evil is therein discovered, they
usually have him at their mercy. for
men of the stamp of Il certain wealthy
Illinois manufacturer who. on II re-
cent occasion foiled blackmailers by
openly confessing that liz early life he
had been in prison. but that now he
was living Il new life, are as rare as
they are brave.
Happy the yolng nan who car keep
his record clean. as the last words of
John b. Cough exhorted. Jesus long
| fni'.l his nlasA,tnS 1I. his NJ, ra ri, r Ne, ~
tel and true words; they could not
get Il hold upon him. There have been
a few conspicuous instances in the
public eye recently of public officials
who became n terror to evildoers be-
cause they We're free men. and not
would achieve his highest possibilities
must guard With increasing vigilance
his liberty. He must be free from all
habits that e~nsiaNe-even habits that
are innocent IN themselves The march
to success today is so hard that none
can hope to arrive dragging a ball and
chain with him. Ii is a sufficient argu-
ment against intemperance. in the
present instance. hat it steals ones
liberty. The pitiable slavery to the
drink habit of its victims has been
witnessed. alas. by everybody. So it is
with impurity III with gambling and
drugs and even with tobacco. A wise
man h~esitates to assume eve this last
named chain. pleasant and common
though it may be, If he knows that it
will.
Snobs in Chains.
h Jews with whom Jesus was de-
batting this big subject OF slavery. could
not zee any farther than the fact, suf-
ficient in their eyes. that they were
children of Abraham. In them was ex-
hibited the foolishiiess of pride in
Isek1, ,,,4-AI -r
snObbish to the point of ludicrousness-
il snobbery is ever anything less thar
ludicrous. Their ancestry answered
everything. to their way Of thinking
though this very pride was itself a
slavery.
1t is not the MAJ who belongs 20 the
greatest mi of Son of - SO.
~cieties who best represents his fore.
fathers. but the who most truly
exhibits their spirit and virtues. A
Few years ago u man who bears the
name of one of the signers of the dec.
lHi'ation OF independence wrote q
naughty. insolent and utterly ridiculous
letter @ another maj who happened te
bear the same name, protesting tina
the latter really had no right to it
The reply of the mar SO insulted
showed that although he was not q
descendant Of the ''signer'' h. had ir
himself the stun of which the 'slgn.
eTS were mace. Ine pest American Ii
not necessarily he whose ancestor,
came over In the May1ower, but the
one who most truly possesses thu
American character. though his owr
father landed at Castle Garden in ar
Immigrant ship. Says one: THE ques.
ton IL. young man, not what you think
of your grandfather. but what you,
grandfather would have thought al
you"
The fathers annot purchase for The
sons any more freedom than the latter
are able 10 keep. The Jews supposed
that they answered Jesus crushinRl,
when they said. Our father Is Abra.
ham," This wonderful new teacher 81
the democracy Of the spirit and libert,
Of the soul showed them, however, thai
they had really disinherited them.
selves. for III '. were Abraham's chill.
dren. We would do the works Of Abra.
ham,"
Real Liberty.
Truth Ia the highest thing a ma
can keep" raid William Penn. In pur
suit Of truth. and knowledge OF truth
there II the only real liberty. Hence
Christ's declaration. "Ye shall kac.
the truth. and the truth shall make 70,
free" This 10 the highest truth con
corning truth. All the freedom thal
nations or individuals know Il born o,
knowledge at oosne great truth