Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-25
Fixed New Standard.

the fatherhood of God and the brother
hood of man.
Fixed New Standard.
when Christ said: Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thy self he fixed a
new standard for mems lives, and
made it clear by the parable of the
Good Samaritan. That standard was
inconsistent with every idea of gov
eminent up to that time. 1t is not
easy for one who has lived under the
laws and customs of this country dur
ing the last forty years to comprehend
fully the situation of the average citi-
zen of the old world prior to the time
that this government was organized.
During all preceding ages the legisla-
ton and custom of every people were
affected and Influenced largely by su-
perstition and false notions as to the
authority of those who happened to oc-
cupy places of authority. The prevail
ing belief was that the gods made dis,
tinctions between men, creating some
to rule and others to serve. The com
mon law of England. which as sys-
tenn is today recognized by the Anglo.
ScAOH dSS lIC Woi III oNSl do d SlSdt
bulwark of civil liberty and human
rights. contained as a basic principle
the proposition that the king can do
no wrong. Full power and authority
over the property and the lives of his
subjects was generally conceded to be
vested in the king, and his right to de-
mand either at will was not question;
ed. AS Christian civilization advanc-
ed and the idea of the brotherhood of
man became more deeply impressed
on the minds of the people, this old
superstition of divine rights to rule be
gan to vanish, and SO we find in the
latter part of the eighteenth century
the people of both France and Amer.
lea attacking the doctrine and declar.
ing openly and boldly that all men
are created free and equal and endow,
ed by their Creator with the inalien,
able rights of life. liberty and the pur.
suit of happiness
Might Makes Right.
Former civilizations were built on
the thought that might makes right
and he who was most powerful was
recognized as the greatest. But the
standard by which great men are to be
measured has been undergoing a
change from generation to generation
until now, when no man is recognized
as a truly great man whose actions are
prompted by anything less than noble
purposes.
This community is but one Of the
many thousand centers of Christian
civilization in this wonderful country
of ours. You are in the midst Of
peace, prosperity and happiness, but il
is no accident that you are thus fortu
nately situated. Suppose this com
munity had been settled SO years age
with gamblers, thieves, robbers, prosti
tutes and outlaws of every class, ant
had remained under the control of sucl
classes ever since; these groves
might stand as beautiful as today, the
sun shine as bright, the air be as
healthful, and the water as pure, ant
yet il such had been tt , case, and this
honorable crowd of men and wome1
had gathered mere on this green, not
man of you would have dared to leave
his horses anG buggy 100 yards from
the stand unprotected, nor would an,
one OF you have expected to brint
your wives and daughters here with
out having them shocked by drunken
ness, obscenity and vulgarity. Wha
has made it possible that this larg,
crowd could meet here and spend tn,
entire day with SO much happiness an,
contentment and without the though
of robbery or the sight of drunkenness
or the hearing Of an obscene or vulga
expression? 1t is because the earl,
settlers of this community were virtu