The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1918-08-16
Community
Conduct
An Address delivered to The Phyllis
Wheatiey Relief Corps
By Rev. j. N. samuels-B Belboder

| take it that the work Of the
Phyllis Wheatley Relief Corps is 50
well organized and managed that It
needs little 10 say to them in that
particular. | take it, also, that the
industrious spirit Of its members is
SO evident Of loyalty and brimful of
patriotism that it needs no stimu-
lation from without.
lit is almost waste of time, In my
opinion, to speak of patriotism TO
a colored organization such as this.
1t is no less a waste Of time to speak
of or advise patriotism to any col
ored American gathering. The patri-
otism of the Negro is birthright
and an inheritance, perennial, un-
wavering, dependable. It needs no
cultiyating. 1t admits Of no debate.
The noble combined ideal and work
of the Phyllis Wheatley Relief Corps
is proof positive Of their patriotism
to the country; it is a demonstration
Of their loyalty to its cause.
But while thoughts are pregnant
with the ideas that fill the air, the
ideas that accompany the grim and
bloody deeds of war, let me, beg
you, invite your attention to some-
thing else something which, if we'll
pursued, if well understood, and il
we'll practiced, will make war against
war, and lessen considerably, if not
end completely, the causes of most
wars. | invite your attention to In
dividual Personal Conduct in ones
Community. A community cannot
rise higher than the individuals that
compose it. Nor state; nor a ma
ton; nor nations; nor the world. The
personal conduct and character of
each individual gives quality, tone,
strength or weakness to his commu-
nifty. if your personal character is
weak, or cunning, or skulking, or
avaricious; If your personal char
acter is enyious, or malicious; selfish
or cowardly; conceal it as success
fully as you can, that you personally
contribute to your community; and
so to the nation, and so to the state
and so to the world. And conversely
il your personal character is sub
timely ambitious, honest, or daring
if it is industriousiy aggressive
aspiring, grand, and self-respecting
be modest and retiring as you will
that You will pc, sonaily contribut
to your community, and so to th
state and so to the nation, and so t
the world.
National arrogance plus nationa
avarice on the one hand, against ma
tional refusal and national resistanc
on the other most often results il
war. But there can be no nationa
arrogance where there is no individua
arrogance, accumulated and ad
mired; nor can there be nationa
avarice where there is no individua
avarice, accumulated and approved
In many instances such individual al
rogance is misnamed superiority, an
such ayarice is interpreted as dc
sire to progress. Both are wildly az
plauded, encouraged, and widely res
commended. And herein lies thei
greatest danger. For they becom
national traits in economic and sem
economic fields. They dominate til
national character Soon they com
in contact with other and differer
national valuations and interests, an
colliding, crash and break out ini
war
Now what really is arrogance? an
what the cause of it? Arrogance
false exaltation of ones worth an
Importance, resulting in proud cor
tempt of others. 1t is caused by
feeling of false superiority. 1t
brought on more or less by unbroke
success in life, success in things {
the mind as well as in things of an
for the body Arrogance is ofte
caused by ones abundance as con
pared with another's scarcity.
A classic example of arrogance
the treatment of the colored citiZer
by white citizens in America. Thi
of course, it is the colored mans r,
ligious duty to overcome and con
pletely change. How can it be mo.
quickly done?
The American Negro is in all point
rightful citizen of this countr
Whatever public method is adopte
and introduced to improve and NAL
American citizens mentally, moral
and industrially efficient appertail
by right to the American Negro ,
we'll But the American Negro cit
zens in the large, by his small viep
and general backward behavior h;
shown himself as quite different fro
the white American citizens. The
is q difference, say, other than cor
plexion, which the American Neg
accepts on imposes upon himself
existing between him and whi