Evening star., 1925-04-05

i startling revelations and devo-
ton to plain truth
When l write my book l think ]
shall confess that during my life
made every mistake possible and then
got along fairly we'll. All my life
have had unnecessary trouble from
doing nearly everything wrong, al
though fully advised of the right way
of doing things, and / am compelled
to confess late in life that there Is so
much mercy, forgiveness, opportunity,
charity, in the world that / have done
surprisingly well.
How / have idled, sinned and made
mistakes How 1 have neglected the
rules Of health! How 1 have butted
into dangerous places in spite of red
lanterns plainly displayed.
And here / am-an old fellow with
enough; more friends than 1 deserve.
think others have been charitable
with me because they themselves have
been guilty of many mistakes, and
often mean. They are charitable be-
cause they need charity.
x X x
II am peculiar about some things.
I heard a man say lately, referring to
his notions 1t is a frank and useful
admission to make. We all are.
=;
In one of our Eastern States there
is a very old town, as age goes in this
country. At the moment of writing
do not recall the name, but will call
1t Sodom.
History recalls that before the
Revolutionary War good men were
trying to improve the morals OF
Sodom. For more than $50 years ef-
4, da O
it. Constantly certain good men have
devoted all their time to rescue work
and have had the assistance of a large
number of men who cheerfully do
mated a part of their time. No effort
has been spared. There have been
public Indignation meetings, the as
sistance of a virtuous press and
prayers public and private.
And what has been the result?
On the night of February Z, 1925, a
Sodom pastor arose in his pulpit and
held in his hand a paper which a
reporter present estimated at -four
feet long The pastor said the paper
contained an authenticated list OF
places where liquor was sold in vio-
lation of law; that he knew from per.
sonal investigation that the liquor
dealers paid city officials $4,000 q
month for protection.
The pastor made other charges
equally serious, and closed with the
statement that the town was worse
than Herrin, ILL.,, heretofore regarded
as the very worst town in the world.
leave the story as it stands in
the hands of my readers.
Here is town that has been
prayed with, scolded. helped, warned
threatened, and has grown steadily
worse during a period exceeding a
century and half.
My opinion is that Sodom is a much
better town in 1925 than it was in
1174: that its people are better, more
creditable: that the reverend doctor
was wrong about them. But I shall
rot insist upon the opinion. I'm tired
of arguing.
Most people find a great deal OF
fault with others but none with them
selves.
1 have always been disposed to take
my share of the general blame.
I'm ashamed of ourselves.
Here is a vast aggregation of fool,
doing foolish things. / cannot avoit
the conclusion that l am one of them
1t doesn't satisfy me TO complain
about the conduct of others-I know
1 should improve my own.
We shall never do better as race
until individuals realize their respon,
Sibility.
There is nothing in the talk that
can do nothing, that you can do moth.
ing. because of the folly of others.
The folly of others, in fact, helps
me and it helps you.
If our neighbors carelessly throw
away opportunities, we may pick
them up. Why is a polite, industrious
reliable, capable man so greatly ap-
preciated? For no other reason thar
that men of that type are scarce.
x X =
The world is agreed that Whistler
was one of the great artists of al