The second important fact is that the body is dependent upon its members for its life.  If the hand is cut off, or an eye put out, the body does not necessarily die, but it is seriously handicapped.  If a member is paralyzed or diseased it may be a positive hindrance to the body, and the disease may spread to other members.  The body may suffer merely because its members are poorly trained.

IN THE COMMUNITY

That is what it means to be a member of the body; and membership in a family, or a school, or a club, or a community, is just the same.  We have already seen, and we shall see more fully as we go on with our study, how completely we are dependent upon our communities for food, for the protection of life, for education, and for all else that makes up our life.  The community that does not provide for its members in these things is like a sick body.  On the other hand, as members of a community we are always contributing something to its life—­either to its advantage or disadvantage.  Of course, each of us is only one of a great many members in a large community, and we may seem to be very unimportant.  But each performs his part, whether it be great or small, and whether he does it well or poorly.

CITIZENSHIP MEANS MEMBERSHIP

Now we often speak of members of a community as citizens of that community.  Citizenship means practically the same thing as membership in the community.  As a good community is one that provides well for its members, so the good citizen is the member who does well his part in the life of the community.  A bad citizen is the member who hinders the progress of the community when he might be helping.  A citizen has certain rights and certain duties.  His rights are what the community owes him; his duties are what he owes the community.

TRAINED AND UNTRAINED CITIZENS

There are many members of communities who are like the diseased or paralyzed hand, or like the hand that is untrained.  A member of an athletic team who does not “train” will probably be dropped from the team—­he fails to become an athlete.  A member of a community, or a citizen, who does not “train” still remains a member, but an inefficient one.  He is a handicap to his community and interferes with community team work.  The part that a member plays in community life may be more important than he realizes.  Even in small things, “the falling short of one may mean disaster to many.”  Each member of a community, like each member of a body, must be not only in a healthy condition but also well trained.

WHO ARE CITIZENS