Oxford Democrat., 1907-07-09

HOW en8ll W6 D00t uBo III OCOeesVs So
thisP, Let rs cherish together wide
looking and inclusive public spirit. Let
us renew our allegiance to the general
welfare. Let us re-write In our own
minds the laws OF equal justice, OF COM
mon interest and of private duty. In the
high spirit of those who made the re.
public possible by the pledge OF life, and
fortune and sacred honor, let % join In
the great covenant-oath of people both
honest and free: "By the Eternal! no
one shall be wronged, and every man
shall have his own"
REV. ALEXANDER MANN, d. ID.
Ladies and Gentlemen, or rather, II q
a very new conner to Paris Hill may be
permitted so to address you-Friends
and Neighbors:
There arc two holidays in our National
calander which appeal to me with special
force, Thanksgiving Day and the Fourth
of July. There are other days which are
sectional or local In their interest, but
these two are national. On the one we
confess our dependence upon common
God, and on the other We reafhrm
our allegiance to a common country.
Local pride and local holidays are good
things In their way, as for example, the
Battle of Lexington and Bunker Hill Day
in Boston, but on the 4th of July an
American from any part OF the country
feels at home in gathering OF citizens
of any section.
So here this morning on this green in
New England village we have met,
some of us are from the South, some
from the West. We nave listened while
the band has played "Star Spangled
Banner" "DiIie," and Marching
through Georgia." etc., and we claim all
the songs, and we are all as one In our
celebration of this day which belongs to
us all.
Indeed it seems to me that no better
e-emplitication of the principles for
which this day stands can be found than
this crowd gathered together in this
country village. There are no soldiers
here, no police. The peace and the good
order of the day are the result simply of
the self-control and the sense OF respon-
sibiity of each individual citizen. Now
where in the world will you find crowd
that needs so little looking after and
is so we'll able to take care of itself as a
crowd of American citizens. Compare
the behavior of the past crowds at the
Chicago Exposition with similar crowds
in England or in France.
And here 1t seems to me is one mean
ing of the day. 1t stands for the Ameri-
can idea, for the liberty and the con-
sequent sense of responsibility of the in
dividual. 1t is not law, not military
force, not police but the sense of indi-
vidual obligation that makes o peaceful
and orderly community. Let nothing
weaken or obscure this American ideal.
We hear much now days of reform
legislation, of the necessity for better
laws and there is in some quarters a
growing tendency to believe that, given
perfect legislation the result will be a
perfect state. That is the error OF
Socialism. 1t seeks to make men good
in a mass, its idea is that good laws
somehow make good men.
Over against it there is what l have
termed the American idea; the idea
sanctioned by centuries of Anglo-Sa1on
history, the idea indeed of the Bible It.
self, that the thing to begin with is the
reform, not of society but of the indi-
vidual; that the good man makes the
good society and the good state.
And certainly gathering like this in
tiny country village is a most excellent
exemplification of the American idea;
for the peace, the good order which !
are maintained here are the result not of
police regulations but of each mans
consciousness of liberty and of obliga-
tion IN his fellows
must not detain you longer. AS the
last in the list of appointed speakers
am reminded that some consideration is
due to this patriotic but possibly some .
what fatigued audience. The story is
told of certain minister who preached /
a sermon upon the prophets of the Old
Testament. He began with Samuel and
went down the line. At last after an
hour or 80 he came down to Malachi,
and said, "Now my friends, what place
shall give to Malachi?" and tall man !
with weary face rose in the midst OF !;
the congregation and said, "Parson, II
you have no objection, Malachi can have
my place, I'm going home"