Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1905-07-06
Looking Beyond.

why try to reform the worIdou
When asked under certain circum.
stances, this sentence becomes an o.
dious, vagrant child OF a thotless
brain. Whenever Reformation de-
mands that the lower and more ~e.-
sual life be relinquished we hear some
one queak, why try to reform the
world" We have met with this i'm
pudent little brat more than score of
times. 1t is heard in the haunts OF
depravity. 1t is the peevish wall of
the libertine when approached by
Virtue. IL lives in the writer's mem
DRY as it fell from the lips of
staggering sot whose dark career of
vice and sin was perspicuously re.
corded in his bloodshot eyes and on
his purple habby cheeks. A meek and
lowly Salvation Army officer had
brought the burly human brute to bay
in a street corner argument, when, in
a fit of evaporation, the question
supplemented an insult. Those who
in such spirit, ask this question gen.
orally retreat in confusion when
asked to explain the mission of
Christianity and the duty of the
followers of Christ. 1t is our serious
belief that the world is deformed
offspring of iniquity the reformation
of which is the mission of Christian.
ity and the legitimate ambition of
the human mind Better reform
yourself first" snappishly retorts
some one. That is true. The proper
place to begin this herculean task is
with our own individual selves, but
we should do 80 from motives to ben
eft the world and regard ourselves as
parts to the whole; parts intrusted to
our care. What is the divine purpose
in regard to the ultimate condition of
this world and its human Inhabitants?
Let me be virtuous from motives to
facilitate the realization of this pur-
pose. AS yet, in the history of the
race, the progress of the world has
been principally incidental to the de-
velopment Of selfish human schemes.
AS we approach perfection this will
be reversed and the comforts of life
will come to the individual as a re-
ward for his unselfish efforts to es-
tablish and maintain wealthy and
happy nation. Here is quotation
from the Sermon on the Mount:
Therefore take no thought, saying,
What shall we eat? or, What shall we
drink? or Wherewithal shall we be
clothed?' This does not countenance
idleness, but has reference to those
advanced social conditions wherein
the products of human industry have
passed from under the control of the
individual, and are manipulated by
social organs so perfected in theil
functions of storage and distribution
as to make improbable the existence
of want and distress. The people OF
a government 30 beneficent would
have no cause to worry about food
raiment, or shelter. The individual
would lose sight of himself in concern
for the welfare of his beautiful gov.
eminent; and those happy conditions
necessary to the practicability of the
sentiment of the above quotation
would be reality. The man of high
ideals will recognize the reformation
of the world as the paramount prob
lem, and defective is the primary
school that fails to SOW in the iuve
nile mind the germs of lofty thot
Today | sat where mild winds
kissed my brow,
Aud gazed afar beyond the troubled
| now.
I saw above the presents coffined
dust,
A race of beings happy, freed from