Humanly Speaking | Page 4

when these are depreciated they feel that there is nothing to keep
the wolf from the door. After reading a few searching articles in the
magazines they feel that, so far from being excellent citizens, they are
little better than enemies of society. I am not pleading for the predatory
rich, but only for the well-meaning persons in moderately comfortable
circumstances, whose predatoriness has been suddenly revealed to
them.
Many of the most conscientious persons go about with an habitually
apologetic manner. They are rapidly acquiring the evasive air of the
conscious criminal. It is only a very hardened philanthropist, or an
unsophisticated beginner in good works, who can look a sociologist in
the eye. Most persons, when they do one thing, begin to apologize for
not doing something else. They are like a one-track railroad that has
been congested with traffic. They are not sure which train has the right
of way, and which should go on the siding. Progress is a series of

rear-end collisions.
There is little opportunity for self-satisfaction. The old-fashioned
private virtues which used to be exhibited with such innocent pride as
family heirlooms are now scrutinized with suspicion. They are
subjected to rigid tests to determine their value as public utilities.
Perhaps I may best illustrate the need of some receivership by drawing
attention to the case of my friend the Reverend Augustus Bagster.
Bagster is not by nature a spiritual genius; he is only a modern man
who is sincerely desirous of doing what is expected of him. I do not
think that he is capable of inventing a duty, but he is morally

impressionable, and recognizes one when it is pointed out to him. A
generation ago such a man would have lived a useful and untroubled
life in a round of parish duties. He would have been placidly contented
with himself and his achievements. But when he came to a city pulpit
he heard the Call of the Modern. The multitudinous life around him
must be translated into immediate action. His conscience was not
merely awakened: it soon reached a state of persistent insomnia.
When he told me that he had preached a sermon on the text, "Let him
that stole steal no more," I was interested. But shortly after, he told me
that he could not let go of that text. It was a live wire. He had expanded
the sermon into a course on the different kinds of stealing. He found
few things that did not come under the category of Theft. Spiritual
goods as well as material might be stolen. If a person possessed a
cheerful disposition, you should ask, "How did he get it?"
"It seems to me," I said, "that a cheerful disposition is one of the things
where possession is nine tenths of the law. I don't like to think of such
spiritual wealth as ill-gotten."
"I am sorry," said Bagster, "to see that your sympathies are with the
privileged classes."
Several weeks ago I received a letter which revealed his state of
mind:--

"I believe that you are acquainted with the Editor of the 'Atlantic
Monthly.' I suppose he means well, but persons in his situation are
likely to cater to mere literature. I hope that I am not uncharitable, but I
have a suspicion that our poets yield sometimes to the desire to please.
They are perhaps unconscious of the subtle temptation. They are not
sufficiently direct and specific in their charges. I have been reading
Walt Whitman's 'Song of Joys.' The subject does not attract me, but I
like the way in which it is treated. There is no beating around the bush.
The poet is perfectly fearless, and will not let any guilty man escape.
"'O the farmer's joys!
Ohioans, Illinoisans, Wisconsonese, Kanadians,

Iowans, Kansans, Oregonese joys.'
"That is the way one should write if he expects
to get results. He
should point to each individual
and say, 'Thou art the man.'
"I am no poet,--though I am painfully conscious
that I ought to be
one,--but I have written
what I call, 'The Song of Obligations.' I

think it may arouse the public. In such matters
we ought to unite as
good citizens. You might
perhaps drop a postal card, just to show
where
you stand."
THE SONG OF OBLIGATIONS
"O the citizen's obligations.
The obligation of every American citizen
to see that
every other American citizen does his duty, and
to be quick about it.

The janitor's duties, the Board of Health's duties, the
milkman's duties, resting upon each one of us individually with the
accumulated weight of every
cubic foot of vitiated air, and multiplied
by the
number of bacteria in every cubic centimeter of
milk.
The
motorman's duties, and the duty of every spry citizen
not to allow himself to be run over by the motorman.
The obligation

of teachers in the public schools to supply
their pupils with all