Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-19

mammon OF unrighteousness-that the pee
pie had grown Indifferent to the evils Q
nepotism and bribery and boodlerism b
reason Of public school and Sunday sehoo
and primary meeting teachings, what
howl of contradiction would have gone a.
from every pulpit and every platform? How
the religious papers would have teeme'
with figures and statistics to the contrary
The colleges, the schools, the hospitals, tn
works OF charity, the grand achievements
the church In the redemption of the worlt
would have been cited as proofs of the op
position from every stump and pulpit In tn
land.
And yet this is just what Bishop Pottel
has done, and has been backed up in By
hundreds of pulpits all over the land. Ii
trumpeting the wickedness, the depravity
the corruption Of the present as compared
with the past they, in sober reality, pro
claim the failure of Sunday schools, relig
ious institutions, church enterprises and al
others that have been established for the
promotion of piety and the spread of gospel
ideas. If the Government of this country
to-day, which Is in the hands of protesting
Christians, such as Harrison, Blaine, Wana.
maker, Attorney Miller and such other
subsidiary good men as "Lige Halford, u
Brother Quay ct al is worse, vastly worse,
than that of a century ago, as Bishop Potter
asserts, when many ofthe magnates who filled
high positions in Washington's day were
tainted with Tom Paineism and Voltairean
ideas an inference may be drawn in favor OF
Washingtonian dignity and Jcfersonian
sim mplicity that would hardly find favorable
recognition by the clerical brethren of the
present age.
ODIoUs COMPARISONS.
When such comparisons are drawn as
those by the good Bishop Potter they are
apt to stir up controversy and provoke in
quiry. If, after hundred years of Chris
tian teaching, gospel evangelization, pulpit
propounding, and Sunday school education
of the masses, the Government is more cor
rupt, public nen are less honest, pure and
patriotic, does not the inference follow that
something is very wrong in the system of
education, the code of morality, the creed of
public opinion?
In convicting the public men and society
of the present of being behind those of a
hundred years ago the worthy Bishop throws
shadow in the church he represents, dis
counts its effectiveness in the matter of re-
ining mankind, and gives the whole system
of Christianity a setback as means of civ
ilization, a prime agent in making men
honest, truth-loving and given TO growth in
all that is good and pure and true.
The year book of every religious denom-
ilation that publishes such record, shows
growth In numbers, churches, power, money
and influence. The Methodist Church
boasts of building church every day in
the year, and of furnishing fabulous sums
for evangelization and Christianization.
The Baptist denomination finds encourage
ment in ever growing numbers and spread
ing ideas as to immersion. The Presby-
terians record growing churches and In
creasing members, who believjngly and
humbly accept the doctrines of foreordina-
tion and total deprsvity and original sin.
The Episcopalians, whom Bishop Potter
represents SO ably, report vast increase in
numbers, great advance in church
growth.
AN AMAZING SHOWING
in the way of reaching the masses and the
aesthetic classes; the Roman Catholics who
pride themselves upon their union of moral
and religious teaching are reported to be
growing as never before, and of showing un-
precedented advancement in the way of ac-
cessions to the church and added power,
and in addition, all the minor sects are re-
ported as increasing in numbers and grow
ing in influence, and yet withal, Bishop
Potter makes prognosis est pessima and
proclaims the wickedness OF this generation
as compared with the sinners Of a century
ago. 1t is really sad and rather tends to
weaken the idea that civilization is advauc-
ing in all that tends to the best interests of
mankind, and that the course of the church
is ever onward and upward in all that re-
lates to morality and the happiness and
sweetness of life.
1t is sad to know that in the opinion of
Bishop Potter and others of high note and
position that the tendency Of American in
sEitutions is downward from Washington's |
day; that public men are degenerating; that
society is becoming more wicked; that |
women are becoming demoralized and un- |
in their demand for higher educa-
tion; that public men, who are protesting |
are not to be trusted, and are |
away off from Washingtonian examples |
and Jeffersonian ideas. 1t is dreadful 10 |
think that notwithstanding all of the glow |
ing and encouraging statistics of the church |
that the world still lieth in wickedness, and |
that in reality it has down-graded for the |
last hundred years. If Brother Bishop Pot
;er has given a real picture of the decay |
md Generalization of the people OF the |
D nited States and their government, it |
would predict the failure of the church. |
But such pessimistic ideas cannot be enter |
aimed.
THE WORLD GROWS,
deas germinate, and ultimately dominate.
Every reform, every advance, has been
pushed, crowded and finally forced by public
opinion, when backed by truth and the logic
# events. 1t is hardly creditable to the
.hurch that skepticism is usually the motive
power in effecting great reforms in society.
It is matter of sorrow and regret to many
hat Bishop Potter has exposed the weak
less of the religious forces he so ably repre-
ents. If good Presbyterians like Harrison
md Blaine ct al, aided by extra good Meth
'dists like Wanamaker and others,
annot establish an administration free
rom reproach and odium, then "Jeffer-
oman simplicity" with radical accom-
may become popular. Ii the
.ood deacon of the indianapolis Presbyre-
ian Church falls short of his high calling
n the management of the Presidency it
Till tend to weaken reverence and trust in
ighteous men. If Brother Wanamaker
oes not run the Postoffice better than less
'ious men it will have a tendency to weaken
aith in Sunday school ideals.
The fact of the matter-if Bishop Potter
ould only realize it's that Washingtons
owadays are not so rare as OF old, and
7ould not be so hard to find if demanded,
nd that the mass of mankind is growing
etter rather than worse. Evolution tends
D excellence. The world is growing
ut of ignorance, hypocrisy and supersti-
on-and toward sweetness and light.
Washington in his day was pre-eminent for
irtue, public spirit and integrity-thou-
snds OF such could be drummed up to-day
q demand. The patriots of the past could
e duplicated by millions to-day if need be.
Bishop Potter in his sermon showed him
If more as pessimist than patriot. That
many churchmen agree with him seems
show that the brethren have not the faith
icy profess in the power of the church to
form mankind and establish righteous
ess. BESSIE BRAMBLE.