Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-10-01

discovered and appropriated it to his
own use. Recently, scientists have
developed an electric current Of the
amazing potentiality of one million
volts, and subjected it to the service
of mankind. Yet, no living man
knows what electricity is. Its manic
festations, though manifold. are
recognized The laws of its behav-
jour may be studied; but it's nature
and essence remain. as ever, mys-
terry. 1t may be that electricity is
the great cohesive force that, bind
ing electron to electron, holds the
inanimate world together.
So of the Rotarian spirit It is
that great power in the world for
the service of man that man did not
put here, but which he has .discov-
cred thdough enlightenment and
applied to mans use. Rotary
is the spirit of humanity raised to a
million volts. through tho more pow
erful transformers of more enlight-
ened and unselfish souls. The spirit
and essence of Rotary may defy def
milton, but it's manifestations are in
finite and we'll recognized. 1t may
be the great cohesive force that,
binding soul to soul, shall hold the
social world of the future in one,
great, harmonious whole.
What are the manifestations of the
Rotarian spirit? They are innum-
cradle, but these are some of the
things by which you may know it:
Rotary is the expression of a new
and saner social conscience. 1t is
the knot wherein is gathered to-
gether every strand of community's
life. 1t is a congregatio of service
wherein our strength and kindly CT
fort are raised to a higher power. In
the brecepts of Rotary are happily
blended the ideal and the practical,
heretofore so blindly kept apart.
Originating among business and pro-
fessional men, Rotary early taught
that civilization, itself, rests on bus
mess; that work is a mans saliva
ton from idleness and iniquity; that
business, properly conducted, gives
to every man his best opportunity to
do his part in the worlds work; that
Truth and Service are the hand
maidens of business success and per-
sonal satisfaction; that bushes recti-
tude makes for civic righteousness.
Rotary is based primarily upon ac-
quaintance, which leads to fellow
ship, and through fellowship to
friendship; not the fair-weather
friendship that reioices in success
alone, but the real friendship that
stands by with heart and purse and
kindly deed and word in the darker
days of failure and the sadder hours
of trouble, distress and sorrow.
Rotary tells us that the Golden
Rule can be lived in the daily lives
of men; that it is more blesse to
give than to receive; that co-opera-
ton among men is better than COM
petition; that we need not struggle
and compete for the worth while
things of life, TO rthe worth while
things, world of field and for
est, snowy winter and golden spring,
song of bird and fragrance of flower,
the sunlight and the starlight, love
of woman and child,-are free and
common to all men.
Rotary teaches us that there is
something more important than MAX
ing a living, and that is making a
life; that the same heart beats in
every human breast; that all men
are brothers. mutually dependent one
upon the other. and that we rise or
fall together: that only through I'M
selfish service ito others can man
find true happiness, genuine success
and real survival value.
Rotary believes that the hope of
tomorrow's better world lies in the
boy Of today. and that every boy is
entitled TO an opportunity to grow
up into healthy. Intelligent decent,
useful man; and Rotary pledges it's
best efforts % see that every boy has
that opportunity. Rotary says that
every man should have but one flag.
that of the land in which he lives,
that he should love. honor and re-
spect that flag and the institutions
and laws for which its stands. Ro-
idIH cues ldTlneI. IL says tnaC every
man should respect the institutions,
the laws, and the rights of every
other nation. be it great or small.
and that he should join with patriots
the world over in bringing to accom-
phshment the mighty mission of the
present century.-the reduction of
ornaments. the abolition of war. and
the substitution of reason for force
in the affairs of nations. We realize
that we are still, far from our goal;
that many are tho undreamed of
beauties and possibilities yet to be
wrought in Rotary, but such are a
few of its present-day concepts.
Finally, my friends, is Rotary a
constructive force? There can be
but one answer to this query, and
that I have aleardy given in several
forms! Let me give it in one other,
and am through. In it's lofty ideal
ism. Rotary is proving itslef one of
tho great constructive forces of the
age. In the development Of charac-
ter, either individual or national,
there is no more constructive force
than the recognition and acceptance
of high ideals. Ideals are wonderful
transformers. We tend to grow into
the likeness of that which we admire.
and to become like the best that we
nrOfecS Tho le; -.