Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1922-01-17
A fAAYER FOR OUR TOWN.

y God, we pray thee Tor this the
town OF our love. We rejoice IN
her beauty, her trees, and her IN
situations, IN her factories where
hand joins hand in toll and In her
blessed homes where heart joins
heart Tor rest and love.
Help us to make our town the
common work shop Of our people,
where every one will find his place
and task, in daily achievement
building up his own life to resolute
manhood, keen to do his best with
hand and mind. Help US to make
our town the greater home of our
people, where all may live their lives
in comfort, unafraid, living their
lives in peace and rounding out
their years in strength.
Bind our citizens, not by the bond
Of money and of profit alone but by
the glow of nelghborly goodwill, by
the thrill of common joys, and the
pride of common possession. AS
we set the greater aims for the
future of our city, may we ever re-
member that he true wealth and
greatness consist, not in the abun-
dance of the things we possess, but
in the justice for her institutions and
the brotherhood of her children
Make her rich in her sons and
daughters and famous through the
lofty passions that inspire them.
We thank thee for the patriotic
men and women of the past whose
generous devotion to the common
good has been the making of oul
city. Grant that our own generation
may build worthily on the founda
ton they have laid. If in the past
there have been some who have solo
the city's good for private gain, fill
US, we beseech thee, with the right
eous anger of true sons that we may
purge out the shame lest it faint the
future years.
Grant us vision of our city, fail
as she might be; a city of justice
where none shall prey on others; 8
city of plenty where vice anC
poverty shall cease to tester; city
of brotherhood, where all success
shall be found on service, and honor
shall be given to nobleness alone; 8
city of peace, where order shall not
rest on force, but on the love of al
for the city, the great mother of the
common life and veal. Hear thou
o Lord, the silent prayer of all oul
hearts as we each pledge our time
and strength and thought to spend
the day of her coming beauty anC
righteousness.
"Am ] My Brothers Keeper"
With the advent of the Woman's
Club in Charles Town comes great
responsibility-that of better hous
ing for our colored people. Can we
blame them for going to other cities
in search of better living conditions
Is not this the secret of unrest
among the laboring classes that they
have not homes, no comforts, no JOY
in their lives? Can we as Christian
people shut our eyes to these con
ditions? They share our homes II
the day time but at night go tt
novels unfit for human beings. Dur
ing months past there has not been 8
place for rent. The low, damp sit
nations, lack of pavemens, and I'M
sanitary conditions threaten disease
not for the poor jewellers only, but
for the town The State pays out
thousands collected. by taxation fol-
tuberculosis sufferers, whereas some
law of cleanliness in living might
prevent the disease.
If each town had commission on
buildings-women who would see
that no house unfit for human habi-
tation be allowed, it would solve this
problem. If those with capial
should erect up to date small houses
pretty, convenient, and sanitary in
some segregated quarter of our town
with some sane and sensible restric-
tions and conditions, it would make
for health of mind and body in our
community.
There are men and women in
Charles Town who could begin this
good work by investing few thous-
ands most profitably. Might not
those interested, land we should all
be-, meet together and decide on a
course? Perhaps it will be left for
the Woman's Club but they need CO.
operation in a big work which we all
should share. M. P. D.
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