Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-06
WANTED: SALT FOR THE CITY.
rhs Intern atlonaI Sunday School Les
con for March Is ne Destruce'o"
of Sodom," Gen. 1918, 12-zs.
rRY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

The editor of a Gainesville daily
paper asked one out OF town lnVes,l
gator, Immediately after the iyhcn
ing which has given that little town
a worldwide infamy, to express ms
opinion OF the situation. Inc mes
cage the visitor wrote was. Thero
was no man for the hour TWO
rirhteous or brave men could nave
saved Coatesville and Pennsylvaniae
this biting disgrace. The salt OF
noble character Is essential to the
life of any community. Ten men
could have saved even Sodom, but
MT r. the test the ten men were
lacking. Io
The davis lesson is a study in the
saving power Of goodness anu tns W.
stroying power of badness. "A LILLE
salt may leaven a large lump ne
most practical, effective form Oh GU,
zenship is for good men ana soou
women to bear loving. fearless pray.
tical testimony for the Things tuat
are true and honorable and pure
Boards of trade alone cannot make
city great. The final test Is IN the
character of its citizenship.
This testimony must be by WORKS.
In the practical things of citizenship
the Christian man must pear HIS
share of the community's burdens.
10 remain away from the voting
booth In order to attend a prayer
meeting is poor citizenship anu
equally poor religion.
In the extreme issue, If the pad
community cannot be reformed, then
the good people must flee from 1T IN
Testimony for Righteousness, even as
the best citizens are said to be ieaV-
ING a certain western city where
shameless corruption rules.
The New Civic Loyalty.
In this day there is new civic
sense spreading throughout tho con-
tinent Boys and girls in school are
taklng the old "Athenian oath" OF
LOYALTY. There Is no reason for a
christian to be respondent about the
condition OF our modern cities. me
forces of righteousness which
abound In almost every large city
are an inspiration to every beholder.
The multitudes of men and women
who In public service and In private
living are standing steadfastly 1or
the noblest ideals are host beyond
any mans counting.
This lesson upon old Sodom, how
ever ia summons to renewed civic
service It is a call for a clean per-
sonal life and an active citizenship.
It should be the concern OF every
rood man to make his personality
count for the best things. In some OF
the many ways that the moaerh
times afford he should express MINI
self in behalf of righteousness.
If Lot had done his part down IN
Sodom, there would have been AT
least ten righteous men, and IN an
swer to Abraham's prayer the city
would have been spared. Lots re-
liRion meant so little that his own
sons-in-law had not confidence
enoueh in it to leave the city with
him at his summons.
An American In China.
Abraham's plea for the cities OF
the plain seemed the acme Of mag
nanimity and intercession, until we
come to Christ pleading for the for
riveness Of his slayers; and then TO
his apostle Paul, who was willing TO
be accursed for his brethren's and
COMPANIONS sake. This great, sell
forgetting passion Of intercession Is
the mark of noble spirit.
The capital of Chi Ii Province,
China, and the military center OF the
empire is the city Of Pao Ttng-fu,
which, during the Boxer outbreak,
slaughtered a number of American
missionaries One missionary resi-
dent of the city, DR.. Walter F. Low
RE CHANGED to be away from home
when the fire of fanaticism broke out
and he was chosen to guide the punt
tive expedition Of the allied troops
Of the powers. The decree had gone
forth that as an example to the Box
ers the city of Pao Ting-fu should be
RACED to the ground. Did DIR. Lowrie
Eloat over this, and encourage the
commanders in their purpose? Not
so. Day after day he interceded for
the city that had destroyed his home
and slain his friends. BY his inter-
cession Pao Ting-fu was spared; and
when recently walked through the
streets of that city with DR.. Lowrie,
found all classes Of people, from
coolies to high officials, paying honor
to him as the man who had saved
their CITY, Pao Ting-fu was spared
for Walter Lowrie's sake.
Lots family was saved from Sodom
for Lots sake. Thus in all of life
we are bound up in families. The
world last month witnessed how a
nation could pour out its gratitude
to family for one mans sake. Elk
plorer Scott's dear ones never went
to the frozen south, but Scott did,
and for his sake the nation honors
and cherishes them.
Sometimes things reach limit,
with communities and with nations.
Thus Turkey seems to have run her
race to doom. So Ninevah and Baby
lon filled up their cup of iniquity,
and today they are mere hills of dirt
In desert waste. So the governor Of
Pennsylvania. in message to the
legislature, urged that the borough
charter of Gainesville be revoked.
Sodom had nothing to redeem it. 1t
had reached the limit and must be
wiped out
Doubtless trade was good in Sodom
and as the banks count prosperity it
was prosperous. But the final issues
for community as for an individual,