The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-12-05
Moral Courage.
The One Great Need of the Moral
Forces of Today.


As this is being written the weird
singing and still more weird preach
ing OF a crowd of men and women
who are holding forth on the sidewalk
outside comes floating in through
the open window. Just what they
believe or what they call themselves
we do not know "Sanctifcatinnists'
is the name generally applied by a
more or less scoffing public that as
ruIe-sees in the performance only "a
thing to be ridiculed or laughed at.
From the cold, critical viewpoint
of logic we would be tempted to join
at least mentally, in ridiculing the
doctrines Of this strange sect, taking
them to be correctly reported by cur
rent rumor.
But there is quite another aspect
to the case, quite another viewpoint
from which one may look for the
purpose of passing Judgment.
One OF the guandest emotions OF
the human heart is here finding Il
distorted but no less sincere express
sion, and he or she who will brush
the externals and look only to the
propelIing cause behind it ali may
learn a useful lesson.
1t is no pleasant occupation, no
alluring pastime to stand in the
street in all kinds and conditions Of
weather and be laughed at, stared at
and regarded with condesending pity
by loafing listeners and passing
throngs. For is it any more profit
able-from q monetary standpoint
than it is pleasant? Solely and
entirely it is q labor of love and
principle that is strong and willing
to suffer and endure.
Because this is true, it commands
attention, cOmpels respect, compels
even a certain kind of admiration:
for there is nothing the world more
needs, more respects or more ad
mires than militant sincerity. In the
past and in the present the human
race has been more afflicted Will
mental Incidence and cOwardice.
| Since this OF which We are talking
is IL religious manifestation, let US
meet a comparison along religious
lines. Without meaning the slight
est disrespect to the multitude OF
earnest and sincere adherents O
OthOrdoX religion, we would like tC
ask if there are not thousands upOl
thousands OF men, yes and womeI
too, who attend services more or les:
regularly but who would never &c
inside a church door if going calico
for the same amount or moral courage
and physical inconvenience and dis
comfort that is necessarily attended
upon this sidewalk performance al
which they scott.
| And no less in secular matters il
the same thing true. Our views may
be OF the soundest, our opinions o
the utmost correctness, our sins o
commission few and far between; bu
what of the moral courage and loya
devotion that is behind our view.
and our opinions? How much are
we willing to endure for the sake O
doing that which our conscience tell
Is we should do? How much cOurag
no We display in Drawing the advers
| opinions of Others to boldly proclaim
our belief? How much are We willin.
to suffer for beliefs that we feel dr.
correct, but know do not meet will
popular approval?
What the world most needs tOda,
is moral courage and strenuous udvU
cacy of the right as each individual
>ees the right.
Not that we should be overbearin;
or intOlerant, for Others have a
much right to their opinions as w
have to ours, but we should feel tina
sins OF comm S ion are not the ODl,
sins. that fear and cowardice ant
supineness rank high i'll the list an,
that sincere, courageous, active de
votion to a principle or a belief com
mand attention and respect ever
from those who think that this prin
ciple or this belief is wholly wrong
The world may not understand
but those street preachers outsid
the windows are giving the worl,
n lesson in its greatest need-wrOn:
they may be, even bit fanatica
perhaps but active propagandists O
the right as they see it.