The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-06-22
Foresters' Memorial.

iue iOilOWlbS 10 d SYNOPSIS OF Rev. d.
A. Clyde's address to the Foresters at
Baptist church last Sunday morning:
An intelligent study of human re-
lations comes ultimately to study OF
our mutual influence Experience in
tensifies the teaching that we are
all members one of another" 1t is
remarkable how finely planted this
idea is. We realize it more as an
everyday experience than as a princi-
pie or fact of any social system. The
great fact of common consciousness
is that we do infuI Nee one another.
While this mutual influence may be
viewed as inevitable, every normal
mind considers it as most desirable.
The saddest thing for any man to
know would be this, that he must live
his life alone. And the falsest teach
ing that could come from any man
would be this, that We must work out
our destinies alone. The burdens
of humanity are heavy and the diff
culties are great. The burdens light
en- only when many lift. And the
teaching of fraternalism is true to
humanity when it assures us that
there are others who care and care
enough to give us of their usefulness
and strength. This is the spirit of
Christianity, the desire to use myself
for the help of others. BY bearing
the burdens fothers we fulfill the
law of Christ"
When one realizes the value of this
interplay of personal influence, he
would not have it otherwise. He
comes to see the real meaning of
living and of the realest and noblest
life. He approaches the great moral
obligation, the obligation of living
for the good of other men. Remem-
Der the odd words of Christ: "He
that saveth his life shall lose it,"
He implies that there was way by
which a man could save his powers
for himself but in doing so would
impoverish his manhood and lose the
life withal. So also he taught, that
there was a way by which a man
could give his life and save it, en-
riching and ennobling it the while.
Thus we are to find our life only by
losing it in the fulfllment of right
relations. When we run away from
the normal relations Of life we are
running from life itself. / grow in
the growth of another and others
grow in my growth. The only gift
of value that l can give to men is
myself and the worth of that gift
depends on the largeness and richness
of myself. Fraternalism, catching its
from Christianity, aims 10
train men in the work of mutual help
fulness and usefulness. 1t furnishes
the level on which the brethren can
meet with equality and best contri-
butte the influences of common good.
This is the realization of the Golden
Rule, the application Of "the law Of
Christ" Every right conception Of
life involves, as it's core, the moral
obligation of helping men rise from
above their difficulties and assisting
men in the midst of their dispairs.
The normal mind shoulders at the
thought that no man cares for 1t.
The true man cares intensely for
every man he knows.
We are here to make men feel that
We are sharing their burdens, sharing
their struggles, sharing with them
all we, are and all that we can be.
We cannot be true and let another go
alone and desolate. We are only true
to manhood true to brotherhood,
true to Christ and true to God, when
with increasing zeal ne preach and
practice the common coed, the COM
mon helpfulness and the giving of
ourselves for the uplifting of our fell
low men.
To all who would live these, Chris
tianity has its encouragement and
God bends every aid and grace.