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1905
The Problem of the day.
69
of life. So great is the contrast between the two that the latter would flatly refuse to recognize the former as his issue. The resemblance between the two exists in name only. It is an open secret that our past glory based on our high social status, moral standard, political power, and religious eminence is gone. Wlio is to blame? Assuredly we ourselves. We wasted our forefathers' patrimony, marred their names, encouraged and welcomed their foes viz. pernicious customs and ante-religious practices, and in short sacrificed anything and everything but their name. We ought to take 110 offence at their addressing us as a disgraceful posterity.
It is worth our while if we trace the causes of our downfall at this stage. They are many but not far to seek. As an exhaustive list of all will occupy inuch space and tire the patience of the reader, it is sufficient for our purposes if we note the principal ones..
Want of general culture, the loosening of the bond of brotherhood, and a spirit of " don't care for our sacred religion and religious instructors followed by a retinue of prejudicial and pernicious customs, irreligious ways and manners have one and all made a common cause in bringing our degradation-complete degradation—that is to say, social, moral, political and religious.
To praise the past, to inourn for the present and conceive extravagant hopes for the future is a general human frailty. To indulge in the above sentiment brings no good to us. We can improve our present lot if we seriously and earnestly handle the question with due care and diligence. Our efforts in this direction will surely be crowned with success if we in a body apply ourselves with heart and soul to the solution of the problem before us preserving patience and perseverance with unslackening zeal and enthusiasm keeping at an arm's length all petty jealousies, differences and prejudices. Let “Be up and doing" be our motto. Keeping to the main line with always an eve to the goal is a necessary precaution to our handling the question with effect.
The question for solution stands thus :
“How to release and diffuse our sacred lore at present confined in dark and stinking cellars to the care of heaps of dust and corroding insects;
how to ameliorate the condition of our needy, indigent and helpless broI thers who are struggling in vain in the ocean of misery and wretchedness;
how to introduce measures to raise our social status by eradicating customs and practices opposed to our sacred religion and blocking the path of our progress; how to create an insoluble tie of brotherhood amongst all the followers of Sri Mahavir with a view to secure cordial co-operation; how to bring about and promote our general weal and happiness and lastly how to regenerate, repair or preserve our holy temples, past traditions,
