The Detroit times., 1911-01-31


happiness, MI salvation mat IS desir-
ed; 10 attain IL must help you, Dut
help YOU merely as means OF heip-
Ing !sei And note the danger IN
this philosophy. The moment 4 thlnk
L see better way OF helplns myself,
forget my netghbor IL 4 come 10
believe that the nIe OF reciuse wlli
give greater satisfaction 10 me person
ally, 1 forget the lie OF service This
philosophy, by making each look TO
himself, must inevitably drive men
apart and disrupt society,
IL IL readily seen, OF course, how snlS
idea grew up and perhaps the tracing
OF Its development Is Its best refuta-
ton We must admit that this prin-
pose and has been OF incalculab1e bene-
mt TO the human race IL Is evident
why men naturally take this attitude,
IL is due 10 the primeyal instinct OF
self pre- seryation. In the beginning.
there was little OF human society IL
was each man for himself and neces-
sarily so, for those who did not look
out for themselves We're eliminated.
The instinct OF self-prsservation be-
came stronger and stronger, and the
development OF this instinct accounts
for selhshness, refined and unrehned.
And this principle Of selfishness. test
, ed by the pragmatlc test or the test of
workableness," succeeded. IL brought
forth a sturdy race OF individuals But
In line IL came about that. in order to
protect themselves against their com
mon enemies, men banded together;
they recognized that in union there IL
strength. the social instinct was devel-
4 oped. Men came to see. although per-
haps vaguely. that II was wise TO con-
tinue this union. so they opposed what
+, ever opposed it, Hence arose the re-
gard for the virtues, for was not a
man foe - this union II he cheated
his fellowman or In any other way
! caused estrangement between them
and himself Then came allegiance 70
a larger group. the nation. Patriotism
began To be extolled. and why? Be-
cause all saw vaguely, and n few clear
: ~. that IL the group were 10 continus
and IL must or else all perishD there
| must be the fullest allegiance 10 It,
And this Fundamentally has been the
J aim OF every great rcformer, TO rouse
I men from self-seeking 10 realization
Of the necessity OF seeking the well-be-
| ing OF society. Their message re-
| duCed to its lowest terms it's simplest
meaning. has always been. You must
aim for the good OF the community
rather than strive for your own per-
sonal well-being" The worlds great
reformers. from Isaiah to Lincoln. and
~ and have pointed out that the good
OF the individual must he subordinnted
10 the good Of society.
However. yor may ask. Can OF.
as the earlier economists pointed out.
serve society best by serving myself?''
In other words. Can l not help society
most by striving for individual per
fectionY' To this, In the majority OF
cases. our answer must be yes" IL a
man seeks what Is really his own good
rather than what seems to be his good.
familiar flower. the SNOWFALL. II the
cluster rs to be perfect tho individual
MOWERS must be perfect. so In society.
IL IL "a to he perfect the individuals
which compose ~ must be perfect But
Just word OF caution. The good OF
the Individual does not always CORES
pond TO the good Of society Many in
stances may he s, YEA where Il III, does
burning II the passengers are 10 be
saved. the pilot must stay at the wheel
This ho does. bringing the ship safely
10 land. but IL himself devoured by the
names Has he not given up his own
good for the sake OF others?
Thus in the light OF what we have
observed, we may now define the old
terms Of right and wrong Right IL
anything which helps society. wrong
anything which Injuries IT, IL Is a mans
duty. and he sins II he does not do ".
TO develop himself as completely rs
possible He must strive Tor individ-
uai perfection so that society may be
perfect
self-DenIai the Essence of Christian
And now. what nave tried TO say:
Someone mas said that speaker
should always first tell what ne In
tenos 20 say, say II. and then tell MS
hearers that ne has said 1t. Now, /
have tried to show you that the prin-
ciple Of selnshness developed. served
its purpose anu must now give place.
! To it's opposite IL the race Is TO endure
The individual IL no longer to be taken
as the unit, but society itself Each
one atm should be the good OF all to
seek not his own, but his brothers
welfare. realizing. OF course. that he IL
primarily responsible for himself and
| that he must not neglect his own we'll
being, but that whenever there is "A
! conflict between self and society, he
tnust choose society. And "a seems to
ma that even he who denies a personal
oIod aud Immortality can unite with us
| I'm this aim. for IL we are but poor
worms in tine dust, how much more
Qua M W.. to help one anotherl
And this. friends, this denial Of self.
IL the very essence OF Christianity as
christ taught IL. He recognized that
society could be supported on no other
basis than love OF the neighbor. In
dividualiSm must defeat Its own aim
Hear the Master as lie says. whose
ever will save his life shall lose IL. but
whatsoever Will lose his life for My
sake. the same shall save IT," THIS
was his basic teaching. And when
every Individual shall answer this
question. What Forg with the reply
For the good OF ALL" then, and then
only. "srhy watchmen shall lift up the
voice and with the voice together
shall thew sing" for the Kingdom OF
God Will have come.