The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-04-17


governrnent-and nnally in one mar
as the embodiment OF the State-the
less attention was paid to the inter
est OF the individual, and government
was diverted from its true end. Mans
inhumanity to man under such q
scheme led many to regard govern
nlent as an evil, producing the
..laissez .faire0 doctrine, anarchism.
and finally nihilism. Under these
last extreme doctrines the depend
ence Of the individual upon society
FOR mutual aid-for his highest de-
velopment was lost sight OF. i is
by reason Of his inteliect-nos his
individual streEg gtf-that man don2i-
mates the lower animals; ard it i
.nly in and through sociely-the
clash of mind on nind-tha5 mans
intellect can devzlope or even and
any appreciate fed for It's activities
Between the extreme views OF those
who would haze the government 90
everything for the indiviGual-sone.
times known as socialism or 2sce-.
slalis.n-and The views of those wi2c
would abolish government IS an evil
lies tae HAPPY aoaa. The soir5ioa Is
to De found neither in societs doins
everything Tor the individual, nor in
the individual's Ignoring society.
There are many things that society
can 90 for the Individual setter thar
ae can do Tor himself; but govern
mental action should be limited te
rhose things; for By arrogaring to II
self all activities government would
rob nan OF many of tae funda5neata5
elements OF real maahooa-tnat is
10 say-indiyidual Initiative, respon-
sibil5y. and effort.
OF course. even alter accepting the
principles that the state should do
only those things. that can be
more convenientl9 or advantageoasly
done by it, here is wide room for
difference Of opinion as to the ap-
plcation of the principle. For in
stance, is education one Of those
things that it is better for society to
undertake through some Of its or
gans? There are those who contend
that the ideal education would be
that which is given entirely within
the hons, if that were possible. I
think not. It has been said that
"every rule Of development is a rule
of adaptation The doctrine Of 'se-
lection, or survival Of the fttest" is
based on adjustment Of the organism
to is environment. Only those things
can survive which can bring them
selves into harmony with the.r sur
roundings and make use Of them in
stead Of being overcome by them.
Now the most important feature Of
man environment is man, this be-
ing the element that can affect him
most for good or evil. To the extent
that a system Of education deprives a
child of contact with its kind-falls
to teach him to find his place in So
c;ety-to adjust himself to his sur
roundings-to that extent IT misses
its mark. It narrows instead ri
broadening; it does not prepare the
child to meet the circumstances OF
the case The great German philo-
sopher-poet has said,
..Es bildet Elm Talent sich inder Stille.
sich Elm Character in dem Strom der
Welt
which has been translated,
"a genius forms itself in solitude;
A character in struggling with the
world"
I believe then that education is
proper undertaking for society.
go further; believe that it is the
highest activity of society.
1t is being more and more gener-
ally accepted that religion is nos the
proper sphere for governmental &C
tivity, hence what I shall have tc
say Will not include this phase Of
mans life.
The highest end Of man is the re-
alization of self-the development Of
ali the God-given powers Implanted
in man at his birti1-the unfolding
Of embryonic capacities into the full
flower of matured powers, evidenced
by achievement. Here again it is
only fair to say that there have beer
controversies. Some would make