Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-09-19
WHEN DEMOCRACY
BEGAN.
The international Sunday School
Lesson for August 81 10, "ls-
raei at Mount Sinai" Exodus
10.
by WIN. .. EMS.


D~emocracy's day is coming W the
whole earth. It is sweeping forward
in q tidal wave that ID, engulfing even
tho Oldest Of the nations OF the east,
long accustomed to dependence and
class distinction. In North America.
b Renaissance of democracy IL the
times.
It ID timely to 60 back to the begin
ming Of this movement, which 10 10Y
world conQuering. The present Sunday
school lesson deals with tho birth of
democracy. Amid the a~utocracies Of
the ancient world, the Hebrews were
( Our days study Kinds sf1Sms drawn
.up In spectacular array before Mount
Sinai, TO learn the lesson Of self gov
eminent, and the cardinal principles
thereof. There are few old testament
episodes that link themselves more OPP
,portunely with the mood Of the day
1tvored from Egypt, taking its first les
son In national citizenship on the plain
of Sinai.
Bsfore Democracy, Thseeraey.
Tho very. first lesson Of democracy
10 th~eocracy. There must be govern
mont by God before there can be self
government by man. Men have to learn
TO be true to Q sovereign Diety, before
they car. be true to M another. Faith
,erhood comes before brotherhood, It
sfs not In the nature OF selfish men to
rise to the heights Of democracy-whlch
h The loftiest conception Of government
eve entertained by mortal-unless he
has first come under the sway Of divine
.o~bediencs. Man needs help from shove
unselfishness which IL at the root Of
democracy. This now idea Of q ma
ton was worthy to be born amid the
:thunders Of he mount.
T, Practical politics. and not senti-
mental postertty. leads us to remind
ourselves that democracy cannot live
without religion. Every form Of gov
eminent has its own peculiar dangers.
The enace Of . democracy Is irreve-
ierance, which begetS ~fselfishness. No
people wholly dominated by material
istic ideals an really fulfill the demo-
cratic mission. This new spirit of
{. brotherly self government, and Of one
spiritual ideal. The most direct serv-
ice that anybody can render the state
10 to keep alive the fires Of vital re-
ligion In the community Kipling sensed
this when he cried to the British Ia
ton:
Hold We the faith, the faith our faith
ers sealed VI,
Whoring not with visions, over-wise
and ovor-stAle,
Except you pay the Lord, single heart
and single sword,
OF your children in their bondage shall
He ask them treble tale"
Prineiplee 9eSere Men.
Ono trouble with the Jewish exiles
was that they leaned too heavily, on
'AG0sep.s y They. regarded him AZ their
d~eliverer and reSponstble leader. Up
on him they imposed all the cares Of
the patriarch. Did water fail at Re-
phidimf To Noses they carried their
murmurings. Was Amalek to be
fought? TO Moses they looked for de-
.liverance. Joshua might lead the
flghting. but Il was the uplifted hands
OF praying Moses that brought the
victory. Well might Moses cry. IN
vexation, IKE + mother distracted by
noisy and unreasonable children.
What shall I do with this people?""
All this Sinai region. be It remem-
bored. WA0~known gr0und 10 Moses.
Here no had graxed the floclGs OF his
itifatherinlaw. Jothro. n touching incl
dent Of the present story - the meet
ing ol 3looeo With his fAtherinlaw, hia
wife ana hts two Sons. a veil - drawn
Ieyec tAe rstnion. but ~ have . picture
seL1GdeaD ,s3teln6 under the tent. telling
gtp Jaehro fehe;matchl91es oteFY a. how
ss111iabtt Wa1tk 0oltveFede AomH 141FoeAa
st6rall.s Wkat.a privilege 20 hateshe6fd
that story hot from the 1lpo o8 the prin-
otDol actor n g! We do net Wondag