The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-09
MANS CIVIC DEBTS Rev. Dr. Phillips Makes a Plea for City Spiritually
 Beautiful. SOME DISHONEST DEBTORS Among Them Are Those Who Do Not Take Interest in Community
 Affairs.
SOME DISHONEST DEBTORS


 ject of the third in the present series of eight Sunday evening sermons be- ing delivered by Dr. Watson L. Phil lips, It was given last evening at the Church of the Redeemer. Dr. Phillips made an energetic plea for civic activ- ity and individual interest in commun- ity life He mercilessly flayed the rich men who feel that they are exceeding ly public-spirited and generous when- ever they give a few dollars toward public affairs ana every voter who feels that he is doing a duty when he votes, forgetting that he is really talk Ing advantage of d privilege. Dr. Phil lips made strong appeal for city spiritually beautiful, saying he believ- ed that such municipality is of even greater importance than the city beau- tiful.
 Dr. Phillips said in part: "It is no pleasant thing for the debtor who can not or does not meet his obligations to imagine he sees the mute face of his creditor looking at him appealingly every time he spends any of his mon ey. Yet there is something noble in the honest debtor, in the man who is ex- erting his every effort to meet his hon. est debts. As the debtor St. Paul grips our hearts as do none of his arguments and doetrinal discussions He was a debtor spiritually and he felt it and tried his best to fulfill that debt out nf al Io l.. resources.
 But the dishonest debtor Is one who generally gets but little sympathy from us. The courts will take care of him. But there is the dishonest debtor in public affairs. He is the man per- haps who is rich and has no public | spirit The increase of his own gain means all to him. He rudely pushes aside all 10 get to his own good.
 'The idea that everything that one pays besides his taxes is gratuity pure and simple is one that cannot be | denounced as false one too strongly. Such men think they have no ties upon them in matters of the community life. This men may carry so far that they regard the act of voting as an act for which they should be praised They 1 forget that they owe to the commun- ity. The word obligation" should be written on their hearts. They will be held responsible for 1t in the hour when their lives are reviewed. We all arc in debt to the community and to society for every encouragement that we have received in life. In return we owe the community and society mon- ey, public spirit, kindness and gener- osity among other things.
 There is something due to men be. sides their wages. Why is 1t we regard the man with favor who sends his check to the policeman whose beat goes past his house. when the police fman has shown that he has done his duty well in protecting life or prop erty? Why Is 1t men send their checks to the firemen who saved their house. from burning or their little ones iron death? What men da well In thei discharge of their duty they are en. titled to more than their wages fo' what tLey have done.
 Those who withhold their interes in community matters are dishones debtors. There Is a beautiful custom ascribed to the Seneca tribe of Indi ans. It is said that whenever a maid en dies among them they capture 2 bird and hold it until it begins to sing Then they take it out to the grave Q the maiden with all tenderness anc whisper to it all the tender message they may have for the dead one ant let 1t go free. It IS supposed that tn, bird will never rest until 1t has born, those messages to the maiden who i, ? out of sight. But is it not better f, say the good things about those sbou us when they are alive and with ,ls Let us not wait for post-mortem eulo gies. To keep ont of debt it is encum bent upon us to tell those about II ttese little eulogies when they deserv them.
 There are many debts that can onI- he paid with character That is th, only coin current in the realm. Amoni these debts are the debts to our moth
 
 and to the church.
 We hear much in these days abou the city beautiful. Plans are being lai to make New Haven beautiful cit to look upon and thus pleasanter [ live in. That is we'll But how abou the city that is beautiful spiritually What are we doing toward that end What are we doing toward clearing tn spiritual atmosphere of the city? Yo are running your business honestl, That is good but there is a great dii ference between a cypher and an inte gral number. The selfish, the vicior and others are dishonest debtors. The too are debtore who are inactive l community afffirs in their spiritual as poets. They owe it to their society. {