Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-06-08

of the commonwealth. These II Is
who make the churches, the schools
and the homes of the land, and give
to the country that by which in the
last analysis IL must not only be
judged, but must stand or fall--its
character.
Importance OF Character.
mo doubt in the affairs OF life,
private as we'll as public, the import
ance OF character is often overlook
ed. This omission is due not only TO
the disposition to exalt success, but
also 20 the impulse to follow those
who In one way or another appeal to
our admiratin or our sympathy and
act as the spokesman OF the emo
lions, no matter how temporary or
changing the ebullitions Of feeling
may ne. Against tendencies such as
these II Is necessary always to be on
our guard, bearing in mind that ex-
citement readily lends itself to distor-
ton, that grievances often prove to
be fancied rather than real, and that
the scriptures admonish us TO listen
to the words of wise men-men, we
may suppose, of known and approved
character-spoken In quiet.
but, while the constitution or
your society inculcates a due regard
for what has preceded us, IL also, as
we have seen. expressly enjoins upon
US. in the second place, the duty OK
striving TO leave the world a little
better Than we found It. And herein
we recur again TO the example Of
those who lived and died that we
might possess the accumulated pflVi-
leges which we now enjoy.
There Is never any dearth OF ad-
yisers who have al hand remedies
for all the Ills, actual or imaginary
to which humanity In it's various
stages 10 heir; but not infreqnently
the prescription savors of empiricism
and its application would only tend
TO aggravato the disease. Quackery
is, however, by no means always dis
honest. Like other fallacies, 1t may
have It's roots in simple Ignorance;
but II is not for this reason the less
dangerous. It's fatal defect lies IN
the fact that it rejects or neglects
the lessons of experience.
"When we come to consider
schemes for the improvement OF the
world, the first lesson that expert
ence teaches is that progress is made
only by persistent effort The idea
that labor is curse imposed upon
man for wrongdoing has always
seemed to me to be unfortunate.
Nothing Is more unlovely or more
TO be reprobated than an idle lie.
Not only is labor useful to Others
but It Is the highest form OF sell
discipline AS our own Longfellow
has expressed It, we must learn 10
labor and to watt Our faculties are
entrusted TO us for use, the highest
use of which they are capable, and
In our methods OF education, when
mission on earth and help to make
the world better.
Perhaps we are disposed in OIL
plans of improvement to underesti-
mate the value of self-discipline
This mlsconception OF the relative
importance of things is often show
| in our methods OF education, wehr
the superficial acquisition OF a Ger
tain variety Of unassimilated facts q
permitted to exclude the cultivation
| OF habits of reasoning and of observa
ton. Such methods, In so far al
they dispense with the necessity o
thinking tend to create a false sens
OF security and are mischievous.
Spirit Of Justice.
another lesson the Importance o
which experience has demonstrated
the development of a spirit OF lustie
and forbearance. We couple iustkc
and forbearance, because, taking int
account the infrmities of human ma
ture, il is hardly possible without for
bearance TO be just. Justice consists
in giving to every man his due. IL i
for this that laws are made, and courts
established. BY our laws we undertake
to define what is due, and courts arr
created for the purpose of interpreting
and enforcing them. In this way we o
necessity make justice compulsory, ant
in so doing civil society fulfils one OF IT.
loftiest ends. But this will not of IL
self suffice. The ideal for which tn
tribunals stand should be the ideal o
each individual citizen. The success
full maintenance Of civil authority re
auires not only obedience but co-Ope
ration. IL is only when this support i
/ lacking, when obedience becomes sullei
and antagonism takes the place of co
operation, that the thought of institu
| tions broad based upon the people
win becomes disquieting. Fortunately
the community in which Old Drawer
stands is one in which a long and nm
broken tranquility, with prosperity an
contentment, happily cNcmpliiies On
benefcence of the tradition of obed
cnce to law and of cooperation in th
administration OF justice. In the cor
tinued observance of this spirit, eac
succeeding generation may contribut
to the increase of human happiness.
IF experience teaches that W
should cultivate the habit of bein
Just, Il no less enjoins upon US IN
cultivation of a spirit of brotherhood
the spirit that makes 1t easy not onl
TO render TO every man his due, bu
also TO be generous and helpful, in
spiritual as well as in a materiI
sense. There Is nothing In recer
times OF happier augury than the Of
ganized efforts so widely put fort
to alleviate human suffering, and
improve the general lot. This effoi
denotes the growth Of the sentimeI
, Of humanity, sentiment that traI
{ scends national boundaries and seel
: to claim the world as its own. Ar
{ yet when we reckon what II has a
complished and consider what r,
mains to be done, we feel as If il hi
scarcely made a beginning. Materi
benefaction is not difficult; Il is Il
spiritual that encounters and, vi
happily, by reason of an inconside
, ate attitude. often creates resistanc
I, Among the things that are har
F, est to develop, the most promine
! place may be assigned TO the hal
c of federation. Difference In opinio