The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-03-09
Schools, Teachers, Pupils and Patrons
Devoted to the Berng Of the School Interests in Polk County

own tribesmen, and rascal and
Theft all outsiders. and there is
some honor among thieves and eamo-
lers. Clifford frankly held that con-
science is a tribal matter. and tnat'
when the individual loses his special
moral interest in the tribe, he loses
his identity with it. But when the
community and its interest become
too large for mans personal loyalty
and too complex for his mental grasp,
when its safety is almost beyond his
help and be is only minute item IN
its general life. the tribal conscience
loses its grip, duty drops TO second
place and a mans rights forge to the
foreground Of his thought he becomes
an outsider to everyone that he trans
acts business with. Nemesis sits IN
the shadow of the tribesman, and the
consequences of his misdeeds are
simple. grave aud direct. In large,
complex society, politicians can be-
tray their trusts, and business men
can make our clothing, food and medi-
cine the vehicles of fraud, because
they are beyond easy reach OF the
victims. Completely is the friend OF
impurity. And when the moral re-
straint is only external corporation
moral becomes stencil and business
drops to the level Of the methods OF
the lonely. rapacious feline.
But tribal morality, even with its
limitations. is hard to kill. 1t devel-
ops itself in a thousand ways within
the great group. One Of its most IN
terestine forms is that represented by
the labor union. Workingmen, be-
lieving with Goldsmith and the most
of us. that laws grind the poor; =
that ecCnmic and social forces are
against them, sit up the sharp and
simple motto, Take care of your own
interest and stand by your own class,
and MAINTAIN tribal standards of 10y
atty among themselves and of con-
duct towards outsiders. do not be-
lieve that the tyrannical elements OF
the labor union are either necessary
or valuable, but even if they are not,
and though the popular conscience
does not approve it, its morality is
better than feline corporation morals.
If we have not already reached the
apex of our moral progress, the work
of the schools is already cut out for
them by existing conditions and ten
denotes. Their task is to make forci-
BILE moral principles of universal valid
ity. 1t is true that Christianity has
not yet made good its promise. The
typical ChristiaadIaits have hardly be-
come our national traits. But Chris
tan teaching has turned into moral
anxious things that the ancients hard
ly understood, and has laid the en-
phasis on those things for which all
men have capacities and which they
approve in their best moods. 1t has
inculcated the virtues that make for
strength and purity, and condemned
not only the deadly sins that make
life so vile but the little ones that
make it so mean; it has put the moral
problem in the heart, and made the
cardinal virtues buoyant by linking
them with the Christian graces. it has
taught not only how to shun sin, but
how to shake it off by repentance.
And history bears witness that all the
finest human characters have exem-
plified the beautiful moral traits on
which Christianity has laid stress. and
that therein lay their greatness.
By laying primary stress on the in
finite value of the human soul, Chris
tan teaching builds new foundation
for self-Iespect. 1t exercises its great
est influence not by upbraiding vice.
but by a model; not by trampling evil,
but by changing desire. II makes not
the state or the general welfare, but
personal spiritual relation. the start
ing point of duty 1t teaches that
self-love is not so vile sin as self
neelecting, and that love for others is
the test of brotherhood By its old in
struction, DO unto others as We
would that they should do unto YOU
it tries to teach US fair play, and
makes the sanest moral plea the world
has ever heard. 1t deals with life as
struggle; and history bears it out.
Virtue runs high only while the peo-
pie are conquering difficulties.
While Christianity cannot and need
not be taught in the public schools, it
will be great gain if the fact is rec
oenized that its tendency is to
strengthen the ideal on which alone
republics can rest. Liberty rests on