The Detroit times., 1911-01-30

happiness, MY salvation that Is deslf-
ed. TO attain IL 1 must help you, but
/ help you merely as a means OF nelp-
ing my self. And note the danger IN
this philosophy. The moment think
see "a better way of helping myself.
forget my neignbor. III 1 come TO
believe that the life OF recluse vii,
give greater satisfaction TO me person
ally, forget the life OF service. rms
philosophy, by making each look 10
himself must inevitably drive men
apart and disrupt society.
Ii is readily seen. of course. how thlS
idea grew up and perhaps the tracing
OF it's development is its best refuta-
tion. We must admit that this prtn-
ciple OF selnshness has served pur-
pose and has been OF incalculable bene-
tit TO the human race. IL Is evident
why men naturally take this attitude.
Ii is due To the primeval instinct or
self pre- seryation In the beginnings
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 were eliminated.
The instinct OF self-preseryation be-
came stronger and stronger, and The
development OF this instinct accounts
for seltishness. refined and unrefned
+ And this principle OF selfishness. test
\ ed by the pragmatic test, or the test OF
4 'workableness. succeeded, IL brought
forth sturdy race OF individuals. But
+ In lime IL came about that. In order 10
protect themselves against their com
mon enemies. men banded together;
they recognized that in UNION there IL
strength. the social instinct was devel-
cped. Men came TO see, although per-
haps vaguely. that IL was wise 10 con-
ttnue this union, so they opposed what
ever opposed 1T. Hence arose the re-
gard for the virtues, for was not
: man a foe 20 this union II he cheated
I his fellowman or In any other way
caused estrangement between them
and himself Then came allegiance to
larger group. the nation; Patriotism
Z began to be extolled, and why? Be-
I cause all saw vaguely, and a few clear
ly. that IL the group were TO continus
tand 1t must or else all perish) there
must be the fullest allegiance 10 IL,
And this fundamentally has been the
aim OF every great reformer. to rouse
men from self-seek king TO a realization
7 OF the necessity OF seeking the well be
/ ing OF society. Their message re-
duced 10 its lowest terms its simplest
meaning. has always been, You must
\ aim for the good OF the community
rather than strive for your own per-
sonal we'll being" The worlds great
I reformers. from Isaiah TO Lincoln. and
those or our own time have seen clear
ly and have pointed out that the good
| OF the individual must be subordinated
20 the good OF society.
! However you may ask. Can OF,
! as the earlier economists pointed out.
serve society best by serving myself"'
In other words. Can ! not help society
| most by striving foe individual per-
fection?" To this, In the majority OF
cases our answer must be yes" II a
man seeks what is really his own good
rather than what seems TO Toe his good.
! he viii be aiding society. As In the
, familiar flower. the SNOWFALL. IL the
I cluster is TO be perfect the Individual
F, towers must be perfect, so I'm society,
! IL II - 20 he perfect the individuals
which compose IL must be perfect But
| Just a word OF caution: The good OF
the individual does not always CORES
! pond TO the good OF society Many In
| stances may he given where II does
not. but one will suffice A ship Is
hs,r ,iV-ar hn IN hn
saved. the pilot must stay at the wheel
| This ne does bringing the shin safely
10 land. but is himself devoured by the
! flames Has he not given M 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 Sd,n wrong ons,o Right Is
anything which Injuries IT, IL Is mans
duty, and he sins IL he does not do IL,
to develop himself as completely rs
| possible lie must strive Tor indivld-
| uai perfection so that society may be
perfect.
seif-DeuiaI the Essence of Christian
And now. what nave l tried to say?
! Someone has said that speaker
! should always nrst tell what ne IN
tends 20 say. say Il. and then tell ms
| hearers that he has said IT. Now,
have tried TO show you that the prin-
| cIple Of selfishness developed. served
it's purpose and must now give place
l
Tn. individual Is no longer TO be taken
as the unit. but society itself Zach
one atm should he the good OF all, TO
( seek not MS own. but ms brother :
welfare. realizing, OF course. that he is
! primarily responsible for himself and
| that he must not neglect his own Well
I being but that. whenever there Is "a
! conflict between self and society, he
must choose society. And u seems TO
me that even he who denies. a personal
God and Immortality can unite with us
/ i'm this aim for " we are but poor
( worms In the dust. how much more
| ought ". 10 help one another
| And-thIs friends. this denial OF Self.
is the very essence OF Christtanity as
/ christ taught IA. lie recognized that
! society could be supported on no other
/ basis than love OF the neighbor. IN
4 dividualism must defeat It's own aim
/ Hear the Master as He SAYS. whose
\ ever will save his life shall lose IL, but
| whosoever will lose his life for NV
sake. the same shall save it This
4 was his basic teaching And when
every individual shall answer this
question What For?" with the reply
i For the good OF all" the1, and then
4 only. ''rhy watchmen shall lift up the
! voice and with the voice together
! shall they sing" for the Kingdom Of
God will have come.