Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-19
Rev. j. F. Albion-"Facing a New Day"


The old day is passing and the new
day is coming, likened to the pass
ing Of yesterday and it's troubles ana
the coming Of a new day with its
promise. \ new day-with its light
Frightening the eastern Sky, coming
stronger and brighter until the tip
Of the suns. edge peeps over the
horizon prociaimins the arrival o1 Il
new day and its hopes
But there Is . sense OF chill ana
darkness in our minds and We Won
der how the new dag is coming. Tor
there is the samc uncertainty in these
DAYS of trial as there is in the sun
rise.
Some say the new day is but the
same thing we have been having, the
same schools, colleges. manufactures,
everything the same, but If there ever
was a transition. period, sharp and
DEFINITE, if there ever was the be-
ginning of new epoch we are now
in the midst of IL. Truth and Ideals
were never before 80 stirred up and
brought to the attention of men.
1t is our disposition to exploit our
selves, to profiteer. TO make money.
to feather our nest, to overstcp lib
erty. All this fakes for confusion.
II is distractins, it tends to blur our
vision, to parolizc our energies.
So the frs. step is to get the right
attitude. We must have faith IN our
ideals and willing to maintain these
ideals against tho mob. We must
have patience for peace cannot como
in a day and we must be broadly
tolerant for not all capitalists are
greedy profiteers and not all laboring
men are ungrateful or unrcasoning.
We must stand firm as Gibralter
for law and order and for authority.
We must make law so just, so equal
for all. so binding on all that men
will reverence and love it.
We break many laws that make
for the common good. We evade vi
tai responsibilities. We make jest
Of marriage. home. parentage, the
most sacred relationships. We make
faith. church and religion often the
subject of Jokes and banter and we
banter and jest about our civic lead
ers, even our President.
All tUlS CISdkSS Il pSS SuoI~
ogy Of irreverence, 1t harms more
than we realize. We lead Europe
and Asia in many things but not in
this.
In our home. our schools and Guy
churches we must create deeper
sense OF honor and respect. even love,
for the rights of others and for the
law Of our fair land. ~-s"
1t was inspiring to see the love
and devotion that was manifested for
our flag during the war. 1t was
almost like religious devotion. We
could feel it-as we lifted our hats
AS devotion to all the noble prin-
ciples, the great deeds, the heroic
sacrifices. the great matchless soul
Of our nations history. It points the
way to the reverence for which we
plead. for all that is sacred in our
nations life.
Thea We must reconstruct our phil.
osophy pf wealth. This Is the keystone
Of our recent distress and confusion.
{, II was the cause OF our world tragedy
the stosas-csnter OF our present unrest
and the reason - that autocratic wealth
has been our modern feudalism-arbi.
! traFy ana arrogant. II has infrlnged
upoa the public domain through the
lsgsslatiao Of privileges: II has used
lAD3Ulatoys for IL selfish ends: It has
0ueily. tNgicaily stEangied oompeti'
i, tiea. Individual economics and liberty
u has fattesed On the public health
tAse0oA swsa& shops. foul tenements
~ cAnd laheT. aad 1t has combined IN
/ 1i0Aty volume for selfish. lavish and
/ personal ands-aat for the con,mox
Soe& Il has taught the laboring man
in svn arbitrary. arrogant. despolis
meeAedA
Tie tailoring ma has learned AFRO
saaos ana The bitter war 10 on. Arb.
t-asy wsastA p setting khe national
hsat AFsn The seed It sDved. but the
DeoYae. The commonwealth. an are suk-
fssla9. an sure this cannot continue
80 ooiy csnAict. war and strife II
does Men are going to change this
they ~ going 10 SEE that wealth Il
not a personal but . corporate product,
built UP out Of the influencing OF a
thousand contributing factors.
The crucial and immediate pro6isn
II reconstruction II the industrial preb-
'em. All Others wait upon it. It ID
primary in Ito demands on our interests
and our efforts. 1t seems revolutionary
IN its spirit and methods today. but II
evolutionary. not revolutionary. in it,
I history andsits purpose. 1t is gradual
4 TONNE bae1 TO the day when labor
had lose cq6Smie or commercial i'ower.
tHa4been,a slow. steady gain from
1cshSys ee serfhood, and has been
wons4hyouxA struggle. conflict and at
'rE aligoAticivil war. That is the sad
saet.s -sassssI
- he-saasas heen aggravation. Capital
mas been made to seem the enemy of
a'gor.y Every advance in better working
v~,di.i2n,. tani!ation, safeguarding
lain. accident, insurance. shorter
hours, larger pay, has been won by
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