The Republican journal., 1913-09-25

| OF The uecilne and 1all OF people Is iIes sH'
story of decay ing manhood and loss of spirit
uaiity. In our American life there is a serious
! decline, first of Idealism. The plain living
and high thinking Of past generations naf
ceased. In the increased desire for materla
gain, Lowell, Longfeliow and Whittier have nc
successors. This age does not produce poets
Each year fewer young men fit themselves fol
the ministry. There are fewer great scholars
1lliteracy is gaining. People do not attend
church as in former years. They have forgot
ten how to listen; they are restless and bored
The sermon is dull. because minds trained in
wrong directions have become incapable OF
absorbing that which is lasting. Fine art has
fewer supporters, because hard to appreciate
without study. Any hill of difficulty leading
to narrow gate is avoided. 1t is day OF
short cuts and the general trend is along the
broad easy way. There is decay in the am
bition of the young. Young men daily and
young girls fit amlessly about Genius is
rare because it requires purpose and sacrhce.
Genius is a capability for taking infinite
pains. Raphael's genius burned away his
garnet mixed colors in broken tea cups to paint
the wonders of the sunrise that he had risen
to behold, Darwin was willing to study the
earth worm to prove his theory of evolution.
Dickens did not reach old age Such lives
We're short: but the candle burned at both
ends gave light for the future. So busted are
today with our small affairs that we have
- Ill
and worked late, winning honor-today they
rise late and stop work early, inning ease. A
merchant wishing to retire gave his clerks the
opportunity of taking his place with capital
supplied Not one OF the hundred employ
could he find willing to assume the burden of re-
sponsibility. All were content to go on with
daily wage that allowed easy hours and afford
ed cheap pleasures. There is an increase in
frivolity, less regard for that which is sincere
and permanent There are fewer heroes; for
q hero must be both a thinker and doer.
There is less of seriousness, md without seri-
BUSINESS th5re is art The master artists
all deal with God. The finest music was
Age also the most serious-"In Memo
Ram In the thinking age snort stores were
unknown. Today this diluted literature has
injured the capacity for good reading. The
ancient Greek crowned with the laurel wreath
the poet. In America the football hero is far
more popular. More than forty thousand will
assemble to do him honor. Then there is de-
cline in Reverence, disregard for law There
can be no true character without a surrender
to the laws of nature, man and God. The
greatest gift from parents to children is res
pect for and ready obedience to these laws.
Because of disobedience there were fifteen
thousand murders in the United States last
year. Last, the decay of Faith. Without
Christian Faith there can be no prophets, no
reformers, no great art, no lasting literature.
Once bring back faith to the people of this
land there will be Victory. There will be
SEEING of opportunity, realization of the
visitation of the Holy Spirit a desire to
achieve and rendering to God the things that
are His. The evening service was along the
same line of thought; topic. "Ho~ to get the
most out of the school year, leader Mr..
James Duncan.