Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-18

heartless diplomat. He must be just
before he can be generous
Conscience has a large part to play
| in diplomacy The plan which he
| adopts is to show them that he will
not deal with them in the matter OF
| public business until their own rather
| can trust them in their own personal
| character Diplomatic relations are
confidential But confidence is based
upon character No matter how fa1r
the promise or what bond may be oHer-
I ed, there is not assurance in TINS
world in the delicate relationship
| the character is the pledge of fidelity
| The simple proposition that Joseph put
up to his brothers is this: when JACOB
will trust you with his favorite son. i
will trust you with the corn. In this
single proposition We have the gist OF
this lesson. In the large transactions OF
life 1t is never safe TO trust man VINO
is not trusted at home. The home is the
place to try out the genuineness OF char
acter If the sacred obligations OF home
are not fully met, there can be no as
surance of faithfulness to a public trust
Many millions of dollars of trust funds
might be saved every year if those who
are at the head Of great banking insti-
tutions would inquire how their employees
treat their younger brothers. The knowl-
edge of the home life is an infinitely
better recommendation than those that
are usually sought after These men
who had come to deal with foreign
nation had sold their own younger
brother into slavery. How could they
be intrusted with the treasures of corn
from the rich granaries of Egypt.
The men in every community who by
their practice or example sell the boys
as slaves of sin, are not men TO put INTO
places of public authority or power. And
the larger lesson is true. The nation
that neglects the moral and religious in
terests of the young, that is indif-
ferent to the development OF tie intel
! lectual life of the children, il not such
as can be trusted on the terms of dip
In this we see illustrated the teaching
| Of the great Master and King. who said !:
Take head that We offend not one Of
| these little ones that believe in me-
That man whose home life is pure
| can not do much harm in the larger re-
| lations of life On the other hand trust
no man with your fortune whom you
can not trust with your boy.
| today is: The way to deal with wicked
men is upon the basis Of their conscience,
Joseph set at work here series of forces
| that We're destined to arouse the con-
| sibly no character so hardened by the
ha bits of evil that it may not be
awakened by the patient ministry of
devout soul. The history of all Grim
inals attests this In our time We are
beginning to test this great principle IN
our modern prison systems We are
ONLY in the initial stages of a new and
most important experiment in govern
menC.
The old theory of punishment was an
eye for an eye and tooth for tooth
That is, there was to be so much punish
ment for so much crime. But We know
God better in our times. Retributon
belongs TO Him alone. All human in
Fiction of punishment is corrective, and
rests in its highest and most effective
form upon those processes that appeal to
conscience The plan of Joseph here was
to send these men back to their father
| without another brother. And not only
| that. they were required to bring back
| the youngest brother in order to liberate
| the other. What q chain of influences
| are here set at work to stir the sleeping.
but not dead, consciences of the men.
| After all il is not by railing accusations
that we produce the deeper and more
lasting effects in the Sphere of morals
but by the slow and patient appeal tic
| the better nature of men. Present but
the shadow of the evil that men comfnit
and conscience will make coward of
| him.
| Another lesson to learn here is that
| the true ruler of men cannot afford 10
| compromise with his faults ana sins
This sin of the past, OF the Ear past gnu