The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-11-22

1t to the Jew the German, Tie irish;
man. the American that his race .
this party or thate ne ceases not his
efforts to rise, regardless . who Is
In power and his people are. not being
trained 10 barter and trade their high.
est Of NIL rights. the right Of suffrage.
; They havetrespeet for their manhood
and citizenship. This may not como
under this head but is needed under
the broad principle OF citizenship.
The Next Factor In This Battle For
Manhood and citizenship Is Re-
ligion VS.. Christianity.
Our ice as a rule has a wrong con
ception of Christianity. They are Ike
the blaeksmith's apprentice who was
working away upon a piece OF iron.
He would place the iron IN the fire I'M
til It was red hot, then taking It out
he would sweat and pound away until
IT was cold again. This was repeated
so often that the blacksmith inquired
OF him, "What are you making?" 81
don't know" said he. "bat IL I keep
on pounding away I reckon I will make
something" So 1t Is with some peo-
pies religion, They keep pounding
away with long prayers, loud profes.
sions in their places of worship and
yet when you examine the result OF
their lives, their actions In every day
life. their portion in the problem OF
civilization. you will find that they Ike
the blacksmith's apprentice have made
nothing natter all. "They have failed
to produce the goods"
In other words you have failed to
apply the principles you advocate to
your everyday life. You have become
wrapped up in religion and failed %
carry out Christianity. A man or wo-
mar who Is not right with his fellow
mar cannot be right with the powers
above. II he is false and tricky. dis.
honest and deceitfHl with his neigh.
Dor all the praying. singing and church
going will not make him right here nor
In the hereafter, and the worst of all
IS the world knows 1t and loses faith
in your belief. Christianity means to
""be on the square" in the WORKSHOP,
on the ,,reet. In the home and done
the six other days in the week as well
as on Sunday. One u of so little
Christianity is there is too much
church or Sunday religion and too lit.
tie Christianity in DIR every day life
and in u dealings with II fellow
men. Be what you appear to be and
II you can't produce the goods" don't
cause the outside world to lose conf
dence and faith in our ace along
these lines by making a loud bluff.
1t Is upon You who profess to set the
example Of Christian characters and
life up those who are struggling In
unbelief and to. show to the world that
the Negro is susceptible Of Christian
character and American citizenship.
II you profess Christian character pro
duce the goods" The last thought,
but by no means the least Is the
Influence Of Home Upon Our Children. !
Did 1t ever occur to you that yor
owe your child its future living and
the world does not? Later the child
owes YOU a living, but not the world
and 1t is for You and | to prepare them
for these requirements. A wealthy
lady once went to a noted philosopher
and asked him at what age must l be-
gin to train my child in the way r.
would have it go?" what age Is your
child, madam" Upon her replying
that 1t was eight months old, he re-
piled, MADAM, you have already lost
eight months. Too many of our peo-
pie wait until the child is grown up to
begin its training and then suddenly
awaken to the fact that the child's
character is formed by outside infu.
ences. A child is but n shapeless piece
of clay. Influence is the mould that
shapens 1t for future life and must be
either accomplished at home or
abroad. 1t is our indispensable duty
10 mould their characters at home.
Make your home and home influences
and surroundings so pleasant that they
will desire the home fireside as much
as they do the streets. the opera house.
or ball room How many homes Of