The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-27

effort; it is the mission of the twen- tieth century to create a social conscience and 10 breathe into these forms of clay the quckening breath of moral and spir- itual life.
 The activities of the first decade of the new century indicate the possible realization of this hope and expectation. The new problems created by the nine- teenth century are already in process of solution by the genius of the twentieth century. The greatest economic prob lem of the modern age is not wealth production, but wealth distribution. Never before has the world seen such vast h. dividual aceumulations of material wealth converted into educational and philan- thropic agencies. Combinations of cap ital for the production, transportation and distribution of wealth can no longer go unchecked with their predatory pro- cesses of exploitation, but must be held accountable to a higher law than that of selfish greed and ambition. Science is beginning to concentrate her best en- ergies, not upon the invention of new types of guns and battleships, but upon improved methods of sanitation and the elimination of preventable disease, while the worlds best literature Is forging a public sentiment that shall eventually force the disarmament of the nations and establish international friendship and uni
  versal peace.
 We are on the eve of a great moral awakening. The conscience of the peos pie is already aroused. Malfeisance in office Is no longer pastime of the few to be winked at and ignored by the many. From Philadelphia to San Fran cisco are heard the warnings that fore tell the doom of knayery and robbery in high places
 The battle ground of the great moral issues of modern life may yet be trans ferred from the church to the political arena, and the twentieth century bids fair to become the century of applied Christianity. In Alabama and in the other states of the south the axe is already laid unto the root' of that deadly upas tree-the liquor traffic. and pro- hibitlon, whether it prohibits today or not, is at least an eloquent prophecy of the mission of the twentieth century. In the distance we can already see the whitening crest of a moral wave that shall one day sweep from it's ancient moorings Alabama's execrable fee sys- tenn, which in the name of justice, op- presses the weak and maltreats the des- titute.
 Young gentlemen, what shall be your contribution to the progress of the twen- tieth century? The new age demands new leadership-political leadership, relg- ious leadership and educational leader ship. The leadership of the future will require scholarship, integrity and cour- age; it will require conservation to noble purposes and devotion to high moral ideals. The leadership of the future will not mean getting in the bandwagon'' for selfish ends, nor getting on the water wagon for the spells of place and power The leadership of the future will require men who are honest, true and brave who will not only regard public life as a public trust" but who will recognize the fact that private life is also a public trust.
 Young men you may fully realize that; We are living. we are dwelling In a grand and awful time,
 In an age on ages telling;
 To be living is sublime.
 On! let all the soul within you, For the truths sake go abroad Strike! let every nerve and sinew Tell on ages, tell for God.'
 As you enter upon your life work may your souls be inspired by the loftiest spirit of the century and may you heed the injunction to have your feet "shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace" to take the shield of faitha the helmet of salvation and the sword Of the Spirit" Thus shall you aid in the realization of the high missions of the twentieth century and in bequeathing to generations yet unborn, century not of "dishonor'' but century of honor. spir itual power and realized moral ideals.