St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
SUNDAY CHATTER.

Occasionally good people try to sat-
isfy themselves that they have not
stirred from the steps of their Puritan
fathers by the vigor with which they
repeat the ancient formulas, but little
analysis shows that they are using
words and wind rather than the old
constructions. They have moved in
spite of themselves. Relatively they
may have had little change of position,
for the whole theological world has
swept forward, in the train of the prog
ress of the age, as the atmosphere moves
with the planet. This letting down of
the barriers and broadening of orthodox
dogmas affords no ground of apprehen-
sion as to the stability and usefulness of
the Christian structures. Statistics
show that in this country the churches
more than keep pace with the popula-
ton. If there is less dogma there is
more work. 1t cannot be questioned
that the churches and Christian prin-
ciples are more potent factors in shap-
ing the worlds affairs than in earlier
periods. They were never more active
in promoting, eleyating, and reform
atory movements. 1t there is less of
the ethereal and Intangible, there is a
warmer contact with the actual and
human.
The general eye has followed the
American base ball teams around the
world, and winked with pleasure at the
triumphs achieved and honors paid
them. National pride has throbbed ex-
ultingly over the panoramas spread be-
fore the world. The tendencies now
are to muscular culture, muscular
Christianity and muscular conscience.
The most alluring feature of the Y. M.
c. a. is the gymnasium. One of the most
popular pulpit orators in this city is
said to be an expert in the bowling
alley and on the billiard table. The
president of Yale college, on being in
augurated, at once put in telephone,
with this explanation: -'AS president
of this university, must hear the result
of the base ball, foot ball and rowing
contests just as soon as they are over.
Yale's success is next to my heart" 1t is
probable the drift in this direction may
go to excess, as that Is the tendency of
popular currents; but it will perhaps
give US finer specimens of the human
animal than have been known in mod
ern times. Some peril may be encoun-
tered. if needful to show the highest
physical possibilities.
~
In all parts of the world the growth
of cities is out of proportion to the ag-
gregate of the country. This is as true
of the other side of the water as
this. In SHAKEsPEARE's time London
had less than 200 population, accord
ing to the best authorities. 1t now has
about twelve times those figures. Fifty
years ago Glasgow had but 10000 peo-
pie, and is now as large as Chicago, and
increasing as rapidly. In all the
European countries the disproportion be-
tween city and country is rapidly lessen
ing; in some in startling ratios. In this
country hundred years ago the pro-
portion of city to country was one
twenty-ffth. In 1910 it was one-twelfth.
At the last census. in 1880, about one
fourth of the population of the country
lived in the cities. At the ratios of the
past it will not be long before majority
of the population of the United States
is in the cities. A fruitful field for
moralizing is presented by these figures.
1t may be urged that demoralizing in
fluences are more prevalent and active
in the cities, and that the bucolic tonic
is needful for the health of the body
polite.
1t is becoming serious question in
New England whether the descendants
of the pilgrims and Puritans Will not in