The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-20

jeet to no small confusion, when we are called upon to give our judgment of values which lie in realms at once so inseparable and yet so distinct as the realms of commercial thrift and that of spiritual service as the realm of men enriched by other men and the realm of man enriching manhood.
 Duty to Felowmen.
 On the one hand are almost unparal- leled opportunities for wealth produc- ton, and powerful inducement to take advantage of them to the utmost, to emphasize and advertise them in every possible way on the other hand Is our
 acknowledged faith in the supremacy of those opportunities for the soul gen erously to spend itself, and whatever 1t commands. in the service of other souls. Here is Gods material treasure stored away in earth, and over 1t all His
 word to men to take and possess 1t and
 possess it for their use; here, too, is treasure of divine revelation stored deep in the sacred vaults of heart and mind, that nothing shall 1t profit man if he gain the whole material world and lose
 his own soul; and nothing profit him seeking the world and the salvation Of his own soul, if he seek both, forgetful of his brothers saving. Surely, placed as we are, we may reasonably expect some light and help in pausing to ask ourselves what kind of monuments we should build today, to be not only me morals of us to our children of tomor- roy, but, also, inspirations to them to do in their time the work that in this world Is most worth doing.
 What. then, shall we build to embody and bespeak what most we value as citizens of the city at this time? The question may have more than one worthy answer, and more than one it has already had The pioneers of this district, men of brave vision, and un- surrenderlng will. and masterful genius blazers out of the difficult paths that
 we now walk with ease-speak to the gratitude of our hearts: and 1t returns a glad and generous response. They are all or nearly all with us still, close at hand; l and worthy would be the fulhllment of 1 the purpose to make record of our sense | of obliga ton to all or any of them in iron, bronze or stone. The monument | that stands to symbolize useful work, | we'll and bravey done is never mon
 ument in the way. nor one without it's
 stimulus of inspiration.
 | | saying, Let us see6 out n point of com mandng vantage. as we begin our mon- ument building, and erect there a statue of huge proportions. to be conspicuous from many miles about; statue in honor of our pioneers, bearing the names O. those who have been here the van leaders in the quick-step of material progress-who took the first bold plunge into the Jordan of doubt and difficulty nd fA caf fpt U and prosperity on the other side n statue in honor of them, and in service or us-declaring to every beholder the
 vastness of undeveloped wealth at it's feet" That is one answer not unworthy of sympathy and admiration; and others,
 like 1t in spirit, differelng only in detail
 may readily suggest themselves.
 A Noble Idea
 But it seems to me the worthlest and ! best possible answer to our question was given a few days ago in a local news paper by one of our distinguished fel- l low-citizens-a gentleman whose right to the title pioneer in the material develop ment of this Birmingham district can be subject to no sort of question. "I should | like to see built in their memory he is reported to have said in speaking of his | fellow pioneer workers of other days, "a monument that would be practically help ! full to the whole community; liVing breathing monument that would be a | fountain of wise charity, that would con- stantly alleviate human suffering, that
 in word. would illustrate the spirit of true helpfuness and Christian brotherll- ness that knitted togetler the old l pioneers"
 | l think in these words we have the very noblest and truest answer conceivable to | the question l have supposed this com munity to be asking itself at this time; | and the noblest and truest to the same question asked by any community. or any individual. at any time. For what is 1 greater than 'wlse charty?" What is l Chrlstlier than the 'alleviation of hu- man suffering?" What is diviner than 'the spirit of true helpfulness and Chris tan brotherllness?" If we can build a monument to serve and symbolize at once the Great. the Christly, the Divine, why build it to fulfill any lower ambition, to realize any lesser purpose" If we can commemorate those we love and honor in
 the practically helpful" as well as in | the practically unhelpful to those most needing help, why should we not chf
 the first rather than the second? " ~ seek to keep green the moD> the useful life in association wiV nigh and | wide usefulness? Why cho1se any other monument for him whose chief glory, llv- ing elsewhere, will still serve his fellow
 men--witnessng to a love that through | death is deathless?
 | Let us bring the question home to our | selves What are we here for? Why this | expenditure of human energy. this living l through the years between what we call
 birth and what we call death? We are
 here for many things. But the chief l thiffg?-that which makes our human living and laboring most veritably worth
 while?--that which when our years are numbered will shine as the bright partic- uIar star In the heaven of our achieve
 ment? Is it not the doing of good2 Is 1t not the realizing of ends that are ends of l human welfare? Is 1t not the soothing
 of human pain. the drying at their | sources of human tears. the feeding or all the fountains of joy that pour glad neas and thanksgiving into human heartsY A Living Helpful Monument What is that regret likely to be rpper- | most in the soul of each one or us. as he | makes ready to say farewell to this scene | of his life ant work2 What but this.- | that his living here did not better more | deeply and fiOre widely the conditions | of all human living;-that his opportuni- ties for doing the one needful chief thing are about to be cut off forever on this plane of his existence2 And along with that regret is likely to be what supreme wish in our souls deepest place? Is 1t not, that being dead to earth, we shall yet be numbered among it's bene- factors :--that good we failed to do here. living will be done here after us. be- cause we lived:-that the energy We de- pended here of heart and brain will be