Freedom and Loyalty by Golden Rule

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Sep 14, 1882

Freedom and Loyalty.

By Golden Rule

Personal freedom is a grand principle in human society, but it works disaster when it is not subservient to the higher principles—the universal good. Law and virtue are based on the latter, rather than the former. Personal freedom that tends to the universal betterment of mankind is the standard to be aimed at in ideal society. If America ever fails, which catastrophe does not appear imminent, it will fail from the false notion that the first end to be achieved is the broadest possible personal liberty.

It is time to call a halt all along the line, and teach the necessity of loyalty, for a while. It is not true that one man has as good a right to be President of the United States as another; that one has as good a right to be rich as another; that one has as much a right to command as another. He who can rule best has the best right to rule; he who can use his wealth to the best advantage has the best right to be rich; he alone who can command men wisely has the best right to lead. The right to enjoy blessings is proportionate to the ability to appropriate them. The true principle of liberty is freedom to prepare ourselves for the best work and the keenest enjoyment along any line we may elect. The secret of the power to command is the power to obey. A great leader must have learned the art of obedience, must have inhaled the spirit of loyalty.

A man who chafes when he is told to do a thing, will never succeed in getting work out of others. It is a rare thing that a rebellious pupil makes a good teacher. A fault-finding workman can never be promoted wisely.

The men who attempt to rise to eminence by pulling other men down, never rise. Loyalty when coupled with intelligence is the best of recommendations. The application of this to the church is too apparent to need emphasizing. The Christian who is valuable in the life battle is the loyal man or woman. The Christian who is always looking after his rights, or the rights of some friend, is a nuisance. The man who thinks he has as good a right to hold office, to have his say, to be a leader as anybody else, is a religious hindrance. The only right any Christian has to serve loyally; and the only one who has a right to lead is he who having been most efficient and most loyal in service, can do more good in directing the loyalty of others. No man who is by nature disloyal in the ranks, has any right to be promoted. Here is food for thought among Christians everywhere.—Golden Rule.