Norwich bulletin., 1914-04-20

St. Paul, Acts NXII: I am a citizen of no mean city. The preacher said:
 St. Paul asserts with pride his cit izenship, in a city of distinction. His native city held honorable place among the free cities of the Roman empire. It was beautiful in situation between the Taurus mountains and the sea- bearing at this day to the traveller and tourist this distinction among Asistic cities. It was distinguished in the older political history and especially notable as a seat of learning, being one of the university cities of the East hence; all of which lIaEHarted distinc- nence; all of which inspired distinc ton to citizens who could boast of birth and training amid such favorable surroundings; a legitimate pride in those who have lived worthily of their city's fair name.
 Responsibility of Each Citizen.
 In a citys distinctive eminence ev- cry citizen has 9 share, if es.e ec3a1ly he contributes something to it's wealthy assets. A city's eninence rests on the integrity and public spirit of it's sep arate units. A city is no greater and no worse than the character and ideals and achievements of it's citizens. If nations travel on their morality and their high civic ideals, so do cities and so the responsibility is borne home to the citizen and the duty
 
 himself to exacting standards of per sorral integrity.
 A Heartening Word.
 I am requested in connection with the movement on foot for the awak- ening of the public and the commer- ciaI spirit in our community to speak 9 heartening word on behalf of those who are eager to deepen interest in the city's prosperity and we'll being.
 I think we can all take up the boast of the apostle and say, T am cit izen of no mean city''-as I think we are all willing to assume responsi- bility for the transmission of it's hon. ora,ble traditions, as well as to con tribute in worthy ways to it's high est welfare
 inherited Obligations.
 Others have made larger contribu- teions to the well being of it's pres ent citizenry and have obligated us to add definitely to it's assets and send on a better city to those who are t1 come after us We do not live worthy Of our predecessors unless We live bet ter than they have lived. The work of those who have gone before us is to Tiff us to higher vantage grounds than those on which they stood. We to do as good work as they, must dc better work than they did
 
 No one needs to be told that this is a city of noble traditions. IL was settled by thorousahreds. st the start and has had g, great and notable sue cessaon of high-ninded citizens. | Is doubtful If any city of its popula- ion in this fair New England haS had & worthter bead roll. They were men for their time and bore well theil parts and have made Norwich citizen ship the pride Of their successors-s thing to be maintained by oursaivs: on high civic levels.
 Not All in the Past
 will let no one surpass me in hEgl appreciation of the work of older gen. erations in this city: but I would Ela, to enter my protest against the asaer t1on sometimes made that the city, best hlsSoTy has been written. Tn. worker dies, but the work is carries Forward. But 1t must be carried for ward. on new lines and enlarged ideals New occasions tea.ch new duties les one bad custom should corrupt tn world think am within the bound of truth when say never was pubIi spirit so concrete, so explicit, 30 DO tent1aI In this city as today.
 A Progressive Citizenship. Norwich has never had a citizenshi l so progressive in spirit, so aggressive l so constructive, so insistent on bet ! tered conditions as at present. Thi 1 IS partly due to the fact that the tim Is new and the instruments in ou hand are vastly in excess of those i | the hands of our predecessors. 1 think not many of Us would b | willing to go back to the good ol | times of which we hear through tn eloquent industry of some pessimisti l tongues l think can recall much c | the unfaded glory of the golden ag 1 which the valetudinarian exploits; bu l as citizens We would scarcely care [ l go back to the Norwich of thirty year l ago, when half the avenues and street | were unpaFed, or unnacadamizet phones, no postal delivery. no Boar 1 of Trade, no Business Mems associa tion, no Young Mems Christian asso citation, no large hospital where W
 now have two, no city park, | | Slater museum. No 'adequai | railroad system such as we have tc | day No lighting of the city wit l electricity, no complete water suppl ! and no numberieSS conyenienceS thE l the enterprise of our citizens has ger | erously supplied. New industries ha1
 come to us and vast enlargement already existing ones. New lines l communication with surroundir
 towns by trolley. not one of which e
 isted thirty years ago. You could n, l put the existent life of the city in u diminished mould of thirty years az
 And the public spirit and the fortt reaching toward a large and comple life for the city is so distinctively at
 Wanced aS to be regarded as essentia ly new.
 | Possibilities Of citizenry.
 And to all this there is today a vas ly larger class of young business al
 professional men out of whom a gre;
 citizenry can be developed than ";
 present three decades ago; who on } need to forge forward into open pul
 ltcity and definite aggressiveness
 make this city greater than in all i l past. Now facing the future, may ) emphasize a few of the element characteristics of a progressive, col l structive citizenship?
 Winston Churchill has lately defin, the New Patriotism as inhering in SC
 vice, a militant righteousness, opel
 mindedness. They are no less |
 characteristics of the citizen VI would worthily serve his city.
 Two Kinds of Citizenship. There are two kinds of citizenship , the one which uses the city as mini , strant to one's personal interest al
 another which resolves itse1 into Sc
 vice to the city. The one class wan : a nest and the other wants an areE z A famous king said, T am the sta 2 and will bend it to nay will and plea ure." Better kings have saids T 8 the servant Of my people, AltFuis | philanthropy, begins at heme, l do H a believe it should stay at heHs, b I 1 begin it heu4d in our own town: T \ philanthropy which everieaRs two a three oceans and continents te beg and end it's work, and does nothing ones deeEs, is not philanthropy on 5 level keel
 A man should be a sewiee-reRde I