The gazette-times., January 23, 1919, Page PAGE TWO, Image 2

THK ('AZETTK-TIMFS, HF.PPNFR. OREGON. THl'RSD V, JAN'VAKY 23, 1919.
f AGE TWO
THE ACCEPTING OF
OUHRESPONSISIUTY
By Rev. H. A. Noes.
G.i'A'iai's 6:2 a ol 3. "Hoar y
on' another burdens and so fulfil
the law of 'irist- K r every man
hall bear ':S i i bunl-e.."
Rew rsin.-r t'.ie order i those verses
we learn, fir-: that every one is called
to actej.it his own burden, then he is
to look ar . ;.! him to see whether
there be some one w ho needs heip
and .h..-e b.rdeu he ca". share. No
very profound reflection is necessary
to the discovery that the i nditions
of human Hie would be very greatly
improved if all should aet upon this
principle. As a matter of fact how
ver, we have i:i society as It is
those who do not even bear their own
burden. We call them shirkers or
loafers, deadbeats, taxdodgers, or by
some other similar term. We shall
do will iu Landing out these com
pliments to stand before the mirror
and remember Christ's words about
the beam and the mote
Responsibility Complex.
To bear oae's own burden In life
Is no simple nailer. We are related
to fellowmen in so many different
ways that our responsibility is com
plex, and to bear one's individual
burden becomes a lifelong acceptance
of ccm;.licat9d duties.
A man has a duty toward his
fami' and to the community. He
is a citizen of Ins own town, of his
state, nf the vati:i and of the world.
He has a certain responsibility to his
customer or his client and another
to his next door neighbor.
A man shares the responsibility of
las community for the illiterate, the
tramp and the criminal. According
to his ability, he is responsible for
public opinion, for social conditions
and for the administration of jus
tice. He cannot successfully dodge
his share of responsibility for the
public inati'utions tf his community
its schools, churches, hospitals
and library facilities, condition of
sewers and streets, fire risk or any
thing else that affects the public
health, wealth or welfare.
But our obligation is not even
limited to our own generation. We
have a duty toward those who have
gone before us, whom we honor ac
cording to their deeds and from
whom we acquire wisdom. Likewise,
we must ask ourselves what kind of
conditions we are establishing for the
unborn generation that is to succeed
us.
Nor have we exhausted the catalog
of burdens. We are responsible for
our speech, whether clean or pro
fane, our manner, whether kindly or
repellant and for our influence over
the lives of others. And when we
have covered the whole range of out
ward duties wo should remember
that we are responsible to God for
our secret thoughts and purposes,
and for the use or neglect of every
talent that he has conferred upon us.
To Him as our Creator we owe
reverence, as the Moral Governor of
all men, obedience and for his in
finite goodness, gratitude.
How Meet Responsibilities.
To face such an array of respon
sibilities might naturally be con-
Dropping Them
r- -
In the very face of fashion' decree that skirts "will not" come
down is the appearance of the new mod nit in eastern cities of new suit
models which are dropping tbem below the shoe tops. Fashion hints
that woman likes the short skirt and its freedom better even than
,her desire to be In the exclusively dressed ranks We shall see. Here
are two new suits the sash and skirt on that shown on the left be
ing the feature of that cloth suit On the right a gray and black
checked velvet Is relieved of its severeness with the Utile tunic skirts
at.thesideS;,
'sideivd disoourauns and mis lit lead
I us to ask "why have so many bur
ider.s been laid upon us"" Rut think
:a moment. The range of our re-sj-onsi'-iMtirs
i the measure of our
' :oa:n ss. Your dog has far less re
1 sponsibility and the gatepost has
! -i Rut you are a man. with
' power to know, to reason and to feel. !
You i an l'o.dd intelligent intercourse1
with other respoisiblo people. 1 on
are privileged to love and to hope,
i i pray and thus enter into com-
j miinien with your Maker. To you
has been given understanding.
These you cannot have without eom-
; mensurate responsibility.
I To accept your responsibility the;!
is to recognize iho worth of the
nature wiMi which fled has endowed
you. and he who seeks to escape be
littles himself, he who accepts take.
"i:h the burden the honor which it
brings. Not the unburdened but the
burdened life is deep and joyous.
Not the shirker, but he to whom
duty is welcome is happy in the re
spect of fellow men and he alone has
true inward satisfaction.
Responsibility of Parents.
Briefly let us examine some prac
tical forms of responsibility. Let
us begin with parents. Toward the
children they have brought into the
world they certainly have duties
which most parents gladly recognize
and seek to perform, in doing so
they are prompted by natural affec
tion for their offspring. To provide
food, clothing, shelter and care is a
paternal obligation which is the out
growth of the relationship.
But in an enlightened state many
farther responsibilities appear, and
these higher duties are not so univer
sally acknowledged.
An American child is entitled to an
education which will equip him for
liis duties as a citizen. Indeed he
requires at least a common school
education in order to hold his own
among his fellows. For these reason',
the state has enacted a compulsory
school law requiring parents to send
j pupils to school whether the parent
realizes the importance of so doing
lor not. So far the child's' physical
land mental welfare lias been pro-,
I vided for.
I But there is an element of that
'child's nature which is not satisfied
i by physical and mental culture alone.
He has a right to know something
about hfs own destiny and those
higher qualities of his life which
differentiate him from the animal
and ally him with the divine. In the
multiform relationship which he
must fulfil in life, he has a right to
all the help which can come to him
only from moral and spiritual
sources. Every child born into
a christian civilization is entitled to
the welcome uplift that comes from
a knowledge of christian truth. There
is no compulsion upon parents to
secure such help for their childreu,
but the responsibility is there just
the same, for which the parent must
give an account before a higher than
earthly courts. Parents who fail to
provide religious training for the
children whom Gcd has given them
send their children out blindfolded to
wander and stumble along life's path
way. To acquire a practical educa
tion, to learn a irade and so becjiue
able to make a living or get wealth
is not sufficient. Every child has a
right to such training as will secure
the development of the best and
i highest forces within himto a
healthy body, a sound mind, a dis
ciplined will, an awakened con
science, and a moral nature quick
ened by communion with God. If the
tragedy of earth is death, the glory
of the human spirit is immortality.
Below Shoe Tops
It therefore becomes the duty of
parents to afford the child an oppor
tunity to secure these blessings and
to" encourage htm to desire and seel;
them. If parents fail iu any of
these respects it is either because
they do not realize the value of such
opportunities for their children, or
because they are unwilling to uial
the required effort. They are no'
willing to "bear their own burden."
Young; People.
Let us in turn take up the respon
sibility 01 the children. No amoun.
if care and sacrifice on the part of
parents can accomplish the desired
result for their children without the
icr o cooperation of the child him
self. Hew often have we seen child
re 1 coming out of homes where
very provision is made for their
welfare who have failed to profit by
their parent's painstaking effort, in
?arly childhood this may be over
looked in the hope that years will
bring appreciation and a better
choice. But when these children have
reached years of discretion, if not
before, we have a right to look for
more insight and wiser self-direction.
What an inspiring opportunity con
fronts every young man and woman!
To stand upon the threshold of life
looking out upon Its thrilling possi
bilities, to be vigorous and hopeful
as is the right of youth, to see before
them prizes well worth striving for
and to feel equal to the strife this is
the glorious privilege of youth.
Some truths about life however youth
is not apt to realize, at least in their
fullness. Young people do not
usually appreciate the fact that life
is a battle where every ounce of
strength will surely be called into
exercise. With their abounding
energies how can they know that
they cannot afford to squander any
portion that all will be required in
the discipline of circumstances, and
they will even pray for more that
very likely they will come to the end
of the day feeling that its work has
been only half done. "Tiejoice, 0
young man, in thy youth, and let
thy heart cJieer thee in the days of
thy youth, and walk in the ways of
t'-y heart, and in the sight of thine
eyes; but know thou, that for all
these things God will bring thee into
;;ii;-;iieut. Therefore remove sorrow
from thy heart, and put away evil
from thy flesh; for youth and the
dawn of life are vanity." To enjoy
the fresh overflowing vigor of youth
and at the same time to forget its
responsibilities makes youth itself
'vanity," something which has come
and gone, like a morning idled away,
never to return.
Youth is the time for preparation,
realization comes later in life. Gen
eral Foch when he was a military in
structor used to say to the yonng
men in his classes, "You will be
called on later to be the brains of
the army, learn to think." Hear
these' words from the greatest
christian statesman of his genera
tion, "Be inspired with the thought
that life is a great and noble calling,
not a mean and grovelling thing that
we are to shuffle through as we can.
but an elevated and lofty destiny."
You will need in life a strong
body, for life Is a strenuous business,
therefore give the body vigouous
training and do not abuse it. St.
Paul writes to the young man,
timothy, "Flee youthful lusts."
You will require a sound mind there
'..re toil faithfully for instruction.
And with all thy getting get under
standing." You will need moral
discernment which can come only
.':om conscientious exercise of your
rairouure. This training of body,
ind and soul can be acquired by
,'ur own personal effort and purpose
j one can do these things for you
here are noble tasks awaiting you
Jper satisfactions in life than youth
. in appreciate, a richer Inheritance
l vails than you can now measure
Be strong, we are here to play, t.
dream, to drift
We have hard work to do, and
loads to lift
Shun not the struggle, face it, 'tis
God's gift
Be strong, be strong!"
In the face ot all the need In this
world, will you be an idler or a toil
er? A self-indulgent shirker think
ing only of your own pleasure, or a
true benefactor in a world that needs
your help? Will you selfishly con
sume your glorious inheritance of
youth or acept the responsibility of
God's gifts to you and joyously,
gratefully consecrate yo'ur youth to
his service?
UesiHUisibility of Muturity.
Much that has been already said
applies with equal force to men and
women In the active duties of later
life. New duties however confront
us in each new situation. The alter
native is often repeated which forces
us to accept or to dodge respon
sibility. This seems to be God's plan
to give us many opportunities to re
deem ourselves, and give value to his
gift of life.
One cannot fail to be impressed
with the fact that the triumphs of
modern civilization are possible only
because there is a great multitude of
men and women who are responding
nobly to the call of duty, so that all
the complicated machinery of our
modern life runs smoothly. The
great mass of Americans are living
In peace and comfort because there
are millions of faithful people iu our
homes, shops, stores and offices who
are accepting their responsibilities
and patiently bearing their burdens.
What a debt of gratitude we owe to
.at vast army of toilers who thus
ontribute to our welfare. Not a day
ot we are enjoying the services of
' ousands of our fellowmen who, in
lie forest and on tiie plain, in the
mines or on the sea, in the printing
huit or on the rati, and in countless
her useful employment toil for the
common good.
When new responsibilities sud
; nly arise the spirit of service
answers the call. For a thousand
vears the dauntless response of
"wueiiean citizens to the challenge
f war will thrill the souls of coming
ti -iterations. Before the war it
seemed as though the heroic had I
gone out of life. But it was evidently
there wailing only au occash n.
When the bugle call was heard, from :
tho boy behind the plow to the
oii'.ionaire in his pamtial ollice, from
the lonesome mother in the home
kitchen to the heartsick nurse sur
rounded by the dying, came the
universal response "Ready." It was
the shout of a mighty nation, sud
denly aroused from peaceful pursuits
to champion, at God's call, the rights j
of his oppressed children. It must
give us a new respect for humanity, a
new love for men who can so rise to
the stern demand of dark-visaged
duty. It was like the lightning which
flashes across the bosom of a black
cloud from one of the heavens even '
to the other. j
Now that the storm has passed
other conditions will summon to ;
duties equally as imperative. The !
responsibilities of peace also require !
vigilance and consecrated effort
Many vexed problems press for imme
diate practical solution by the
people problems economic, civil
and religious. To undertake the
discussion of all these is beyond our
present purpose. Let us briefly con
sider the religious outlook. '
Thoughtful people everywhere
have discovered that fundamentally
the war was fought over hard Issues.
The vital conflict was between right
and wrong. Americans did not enter
this war for greed or gain, nor for
military prowess. The consciences
of the people were stirred, their
moral convictions were aroused, their
appeal, like that of the fathers in j
1776 was to the God of battles.;
Never in our history has the soul of
the nation so responded to the appeal
of truth and justice, and in our re
lief of the distress we have not fcr
gotten mercy.
The consciences of the people are
alive. Never before has such grave
responsibility faced the churches of
America. Contentions about dogma,
sectarian disputes and differences in
ritual become insignificant in the
presence of the greater question,
shall the people bavc the simple
Gospel which above all other things
Is needed to steady and guide them
in these critical times. It is hearten
ing to see how our great leaders
almost without exception have divin
ed this deeper need and based their
appeals upon -it. '
To bring duty near and avoid more
extended discussion let us ask a
practical question. Are the good
citizens of Heppner willing to accept
their responsibility for the progress
of their church forces. A church is a
community enterprise for which
there Is no substitute. There are
fifty substantial men within the
sound of the church bells of Jleppner
who seldom enter a church. They j
are good citizens, honorable in bus-:
iness, faithful to their families, and
good men to know. Most of them
contribute to the support of the
church and would not like to raise
their families in a churchless com
munity. Do they realize that
churches cannot prosper on a diet of
bank checks. The Apostle Paul
wrote to the people of ancient Cor-,
lnth," I seek not yours but you."
If even half of these men should as
a matter of principle, begin regular'
attendance at the church of their
preference they would bring to the
churches an encouragement which'
nothing else can supply. Their
example would be effective with the
boys and young men growing up(
here, and incidentally, they might
themselves receive a personal benefit
in the course of the year which would
well repay the effort.
The Enacting Clause.
The acceptance of responsibility
involves a threefold process. First
an outward look. Jesus said to his
disciples, "Lift up your eyes." Par
ents, young people, mature men and
women, lift up your eyes, that you
may discover the responsibilities
that surround you, the need that
appeals, the good awaiting your
strong hands and courageous hearts.
The second step in the process is
an act of the will. This is the
motive power of your nature by
which you initiate a course of con
duct. When a young man or woman
says sincerely "I will," the battle is
more than half won. "I will," goes
over the top, and the power to will
for righteousness 1b the highest God
has bebtowed upon us. Without its
right use life will slip away in use
lessness. The third requirement in accept
ance of responsibility is to trust God
for the power to keep going. Fresh
every morning and renewed every
evening will he silently pour into the
souls of those who seek to do his
blessed will from the Inexhaustible
fountain of his own life. "But who
soever shall drink of the water that
I shall give him shall never thirst,
but the water that I shall give him
shall be In him a well of springing
up eternal life."
THKODORK ROOSEVELT.
At the moment when his heroic
spirit, his matchless mind, his daunt
less courage, his flawless American
ism w ere m eded most by a nation
groping for leadership in an hour of
great deeisiou. Theodore Roosevelt
has laid his body beside that of his
soldier son in France In the last
sleep. But not before lie had spoke:;
words of counsel to his countrymen
which will live after him to shape
and determine the issues of a nation
al emergency perhaps the gravest yet
faced by the Americon people.
Alone among American Presidents
it was reserved to Theodore Roose
velt to perform larger service to the
American people following his retire
ment from the Presidency and in the
final months of his life than during
his executive Incumbency. His was
the voice which, in the months before
the war, sounded forth the warning
of impending national danger and
the call to national preparedness.
His was the voice which, when the
war came, summoned the American
people to unity 'of sentiment and of
endeavor in behalf of the national
cause, where, in every former na
tional war emergency, leaders of the
party opposition had failed in un
reserved support of their country's
cause. Upon the altar of his country
he offered himself, only to be re
jected; and then he gave his four
sons to make in the service of their
country a proud record of heroic
sacrifice. The war over and the
victory won, the voice of our last
soldier President was heard reaffirm
ing, in an hour when departures
from American tradition and pre
cedent and spirit seemed Imminent,
the sentiments of our first soldier
President in behalf of AN INDE
PENDENT NATIONAL EXISTENCE
FOR THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA, free from the domination
or interference or preponderant in
fluence of any alien nation or group
of nations.
Contemporaneous opinion does not
finally fix the place of any man in
history. Some men whose fame fills
the world for an hour are forgotten
by succeeding generations. Only to
the extent that the names of men are
linked heroically with eternal princi
ples are they gratefully remembered.
The time server dies with the time he
serves, the demagogue must take all
his pay as he goes. It is asked of the
men who aspired to greatness in the
past of a nation: Wherein did their
service contribute to the permanent
well being of the republic? What
principle did they stand for that
lives and serves the nation? It is
not enough that men should have
commanding ability or lofty position
or persuasive oratory or inspiring
personality; the test applied to fame
by Time to men's - reputations is:
Were they champions of truth or of
error, of right or of wrong, of prac
tical wisdom or sophistical theory,
of good or evil to the nation and the
people? Judged by that inexorable
Btandard Theodore Roosevelt's fame
will live beyond that of any other
American leader of his day and
generation; for his creed of single
track Americanism will tomorrow, as
it was in an earlier era, be the faith
of the American people.
Theodore Roosevelt's career was
one of almost continuous battle from
the days of his youth to the moment
of his death. Born to wealth which
invited him to a life of ease and re
pose, his dauntless spirit called him
to the arena of conflict, and there he
bore a warrior's part in the arena of
municipal, of state, of national and
of international politics. That he
was ambitious, that he was not In
variably just In his judgments, that
he was not always wise or temporate
or fair in his utterances or his
actions, that he made many mistakes
in a career crowded with aetlon, that
there were times in his career when
many, even a majority of the Ameri
can people did not feel Justified in
following his leadership, is true.
But there never has been a moment
when Colonel Roosevelt was not first
and foremost a lover and servant and
warrior of his country. In the light
of that unquestioned fact the hatreds
and prejudices and grievances of the
past will be forgotten, and Americans
without regard to party or race or
creed will join in doing honor to this
great national and world leader,
Allied Powers Greet Wilson Here
m waMKXW- iiimiftMini'iimiM i Mrnirtnitninrtirrminniiiiriwii
e' Here Is where allied powers will welcome President Wilson to
Europe. It ts the grand conference room in the Peace Palace at Vor-'
sallies, France. King George and Lloyd Ceorge of England, President
polncare and Premier Clemenceau of France and Premier Orlando
Ot Italy will hold a conference here with President Wilson as a pre
liminary to the peace meeting.
whose wonderf-il career now becomes
part of the rich inheritance of Ameri
canism. GEORGE B. LOCKWOOD.
KORlIil THE RED FLAG.
By an overwhelming majority, the
legislature of the state of Washington
has passed a bill against criminal
syndicalism. A similar measure has
been introduced at Salem. The
menace at which it is directed is thu3
defined:
Criminal syndicalism is the doc
trine which advocates crime, sabo
tage, violence or other unlawful
methods of terrorism as a means of
a"cimplishing industrial or political
reform.
While there will always be differ
ences of opinion, according to the
points of view, on what constitutes
terrorism and violence, there can be
but one sentiment among normal
Americans on the greatest crime of
the Bolshevists and the extreme
leaders of the I. W. W., and that is
their outspoken contempt for our
democratic form of government
their determination to substitute the
red flag for Old Glory, and anarchy
for law and order.
Some well-intentioned folk hold
that we should be patient and lenient
with certain foreign-born men and
women who through Ignorance alone
misconceive the spirit of our political
institutons. This view is not alto
gether without merit, but it does uot
and can not be made to apply to the
American-bom agitator whose prin
cipal oDject in me is 10 raise ueu.
I It is to kill off the dangerous activl-
ties of these open-eyed leaders of the
I blind that Oregon must have laws
! which will choke thorn off.
j Their object Is not to Improve
labor conditions but to destroy the
j property and the capital with which
j labor is associated and by which
alone employment may be made per
I manent and profitable. Their chief
desire is to bnlshovlse America after
the maimer of Russia, they to be
j miniature Trotzkys and Lenines.
! Tiie time to stop this lawlessness
'and terrorism is right now. Those
j who would march and shriek under
i the red flag have started an organl
j zation in Portland. It must be
i throttled before It can begin Its
i work of overturning law and order
in the effort to establish a reign of
i anarchy. Let us decide to have one
I flag and one only. Portland Tel
egram.
INDUSTRY MAKES BREAK.
Many industries have announced
a reduction In price of their product
in order to stimulate buying and
enable them to get back to a peace
production basis.
No corresponding reduction has
been made in wages, however, the
Industries having decided they would
rather give up profits temporarily
In the hope of eventually making up
the loss In increased output.
Of course this policy cannot last
indefinitely but industry has made
the start and Indicates the precise
way to escape what has been called
the vicious circle of high prices and
high wages. Labor says it cannot
accept wage reduction while prices
remain high. Manufacturers say
they Cannot reduce prices while
wages remain high. Men of affairs
contemplating extensions or new
enterprises say they cannot begin
construction while both prices and
wages maintain prohibitive levels.
Some one must make a beginning
If the vicious circle is to be broken
and business is to be stimulated.
Industry has made the break and
the wholesome and necessary process
of deflation has been set in motion.
Labor will not object to reduction
in pay if purchasing power of the
dollar is increased, and the American
standard of living Is not threatened.
Manufacturer.
$00 REWARD.
LOST -600 head of sheep, be
tween Echo and L. P. Davidson ranch
In Morrow connty. Sheep branded
K on wool. Old ewes, mixed year
lings and mixed lambs. Will pay
$1.00 per head for retnrn of any or
all of these sheep, or for Information
leading to their recovery. lm
L. P. DAVIDSON, lone, Oregon.
IVtfi'iiMiififci