Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-07-19
SACRAMENT OF SERVICE.


bcr and everyone said to his brother
,,Ra OF good courage. Isaiah rtf:6.
we have been passing rapidly in the last
half century from an individualistic to a
,ccial type of civilization. Paul's words
were never more true than to-day, when
a, aid: "None Of us liveth to himself
and no man die.h to himself" All the
forces and factors pertaining to human
rife mechanical, social and religious
have been moving to such degree toward
each other, that the twentieth century can
saw that the one word which will serve
her best for a watohword is, Together;
together"
In the industrial world the concentra-
tion of forces is most manifest. DR.. Josiah
Strong calls to mind how that fifty years
apo il was the age of homespun. Families
copId meet all the needs OF their house
holds, spinning, weaving and the making
of garments. The fields about the home
supnlied the inmates with the necessities
nj life. Then it was that the main force
was the brawny arm. But to-day manu-
factare has forsaken the home for the mill
and the factory, and steam and electricity
are the regnant forces. Division OF labor
has taken the place OF the single hand.
Then one man made many things; now
many men make one thing.
But as industrially, so socially are we
becoming more intimately related. A hall
century ago there were communities,
many, but small in number and limited in
advantages, yet complete in themselves.
@hidnfa mt h4ynnA hn
of their respective towns. But gradually
these communities have been grouped into
towns, and the towns developed into cities
and cities into greater cities. Whereas
our fathers were independent of all tie
world, we are more or less dependent On
the whole world. This made Robert Louis
Stevenson exclaim: "It is,really dishear
ening how we depend on other people in
this lite."
This complex life has given rise to a
great many social and fraternal organizG-
tons. Men have banded themselves to-
gether for mutual helpfuIness. Fathers,
working by the week and for small wages,
having little ones depending upon them,
have serious thoughts when they realize
that sickness may be lying in wait for
them and short hours may be their lot
When the head of the family is sick and
unable to work, the income ceases but the
expenses increase. To meet all these
possibilities the vorious benevolent soci-
ties and fraternal organizations have come
into existence.
1t is every mans duty to consider not
only the present demands of the family,
but its future welfare. It is a crime for
father to spend his money freehanded at
tbs bar, or in hospitality at the club, or
squander it in sports, when he has not,
either in the savings bank or in Insurance,
made secure the future welfare OF his fam
lily. Ii is every mans duty to endow the
future with as good livelihood for his
family as lies In his power.
We heartily sympathize with fraterni-
ties and societies.in their sick benefits and
care OF widows and fstherless children.
They have mission in society. But, how
ever commendsble they may be, they must
not take the place OF the two divine insti-
tutions the home and the church. There
is but one place where God has set up the
altar OF domestic affection, where con-
iugal relations are .sancified by the pres
ence of children, and that is the home;
and there is but one institution which the
Son of God ordained .while upon earth,
and that is the Christian church. Fra
ternal organizations should be supple
ments, but never attempt to be substitutes
for the home or the church.
But we cannot saysthat because life is
becoming more highly organized it can be
lived more easily. On the other hand, we
are inclined to say that the closer men
relations are the greater the friction and
the more difficult to have every event
work good TO every person. This kind of
life, repeat, is far better but more diff
cult to live in all its''relations. The tone
of three or five bank organ is much better,
richer, fuller more sympathetic and har-
monious than a tone ,of a cabinet organ.
In the one there are few combinations,
while in the other there are hundreds. An
amateur canrplay the one, but only the
master organist can play the other salts
factOrily. Sc in'sthese Etimes Of highly
developed social and religious life it is
difficult TO live full, rounded, Christian
life. company lof people, spread over
large area, can get along comfortably
well, but crowdedrinto assmall Enclosure
they viii suffer embarrassment. They all
have elbows and where.it is ideal to march
through life, touching elbow to elbow, it
Is not so comfortable when men are
cramped and their elbows touch one
another under the arms. Our whole
social life is, therefore, question of
elbows.
This leads us naturally to the question,
how can life be lived SO as to fulfill all
these manifold relations? The answer is
found in the words of the text. ''They
helped every one his neighbor, and every
one said to his brother, be OF good cour-
age" wish these words might lie
placed over the doors.of every church, in
seribed upon the walls of every place of