Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-06-20

rorttuoe ~ Ae8e the corner Aone0
of a good LIE. But Hope We are in
cliAeA to tAiAk Of - . mere aeviee
for KEEPING things Soing. - . vague
ly bAAutifAi. but IN the whole a sen-
timental companion Of the other vir-
tues. Yet HOPE conceived Of. not az
happy eo-lutky optimism that trusts
in the beSt, but ~ an earnest expec-
tati6h Of the better, IL Q positive. in
tellectual fierce q well Is a DEFINITE
Christian duty. Furthermore. the
strong and manly feeling that we
immediate results Of our efforts.
makes Of Hope an incentive to noble
deeds.
No man who has had a sound
Christian education has any business
to despair. If morals and manners
sekm loose and deteriorating. il the
World itself seems to 20 awry. the
good man regards 1t all as a passing
phase. For it il hideous to suppose
that. endowed as we are with free
will and with all other glorious at
tributes of man. We are placed in a
world where good efforts do not pre-
vail. II some men who cannot bring
themselves - belief and faith ought
to rely far more than they do on
Hope. If such souls will allow them
selves to go through life, doing the
best they know, like men. and leav-
ing the result to God. saving as have
many other noble spirits. Il accept"
they can mould not so complete a
life. perhaps. yet life that is sincere
and strong. For if a man keeps
hope alive he can labor and fight on.
But man without hope in man or
God or immortality does not live at
all. He has no motive that lifts him
above the animals. He goes through
life a mere automaton. A man, a
country. civilization without Hope
is pagon and dead. The wise Dante
placed over the portal Of his He'll
Abandon every hope. all We that en-
ter here" On the other hand. the
old motto. While there is life there
is hope" lie true OF the spiritual as
OF the physical world.
Men Of faith and vision labor ar
IDENTITY in the Lords vineyard. But
some credit surely is due the work
man who is not certain that he is
ever to see the results Of his efforts
but who tolls in the heat of the day.
hoping there will be some reward.
If we turn for Illustration to some
common phases OF life. we can see
how important a factor this virtue
may be. The runner in relay race
exertins himself to the utmost, does
his level best in the hope that he
may contribute to the victory Of his
team The scientist in his laboratory
works for months at his problem
with hope rather than faith to in
spire him. Many a statesman who
has striven to build up better order
of government for mankind, relying
on experience. has hope rather than
faith that some day reason and not
national prejudice will rule. Many
of the forward steps that man makes
on the long track of civilization are
made when there is shining Hope,
That star of life's tremnlous ocean"
In Roman history We read that it
was the custom of the Senate publicly
to thank those leaders who in times
NJ stress had fought and won DE
cause they had not despaired of the
republic" We need today more men
of that antique virtue. We hear far
too much of a lack of faith in our
democracy and our institutions. We
are not thanked because We do not de-
spair Of the republic; we are told by
shallow men who mscall themselves
liberal. that all is wrong with the
state. Others sheer at our public ser
wants and cheaper public service by
Attributing unworthy motives to men
who give their best efforts to the
public veal. During the war we sent
TO Jail men who had SO little faith
in what we were lighting FOR that they
tried to persuade the youth OF our
land to avoid military service. But
today we allow complete freedom and
do not even condemn well dressed
complacent citizens who have SO lit
tie interest, so little hope in the state
that in hotel lobbie sand smoking cars
and clubs they with emphasis strive
to prevent man from taking public Of
fee by asserting that politics is a
rotten game and public service. graft.
And we allow a man to represent US
abroad who brazenly asserts that all
we're false. To despair Of our coun-
try's high aims is to descend very far
from the patriotic spirit during tho
war and the high hopes we had No
vember IL, 1918. We would indeed be
desolate If on desperate men like
these the safety Of our state depend
ed. Their voices are shrill. to be sure
but their influence is As thin. For the
real American citizen from his study
OF Valley Forge and Gettysburg. from
his knowledge of Chateau Thierry. has
an abiding hope in the principles of
democracy and faith in the worth OF
sacrifice. And believing in no narrow
or provincial or nationaiistic way that
America is the hope of the world. he
will render political service in peace
as he bore arms in war, and strive T.,
keep her honor, as her flag. unsuAied
by base defeat.
There is likewise too much said Of
the breakdown Of our Christian civil
ization. In times of Aux and change
it is inevitable that there should be
much loose talk. During the past de-
cAde the surface of things has altered
and shifted and turned like land
and empires have been overturned. A
great war has been fought and won
and almost lost again. The youngest
of us have seen changes in our own
government so fundamental that We
are still out Of breath. The standpat-
ter who -consiie these changes rev.