The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-14
THERE'S A REMEDY
FOR THE DISTRESS
Present Financial Crisis Considered by
Rev. DR.. c. M. Gifiin.
SERMON ON A POPULAR SUBJECT
Nations Difficulty Brought About by
Luck Of oderatiOn..Casting Aside
OfFear and the Taking On of Cheer
Is the Remedy.-American People
Can Rise Above ANY Great Trouble.

The sermon in Elm Park church last
night was characteristic of the pas
tor, Rev. DIR. G. NJ. Giffin. In text,
theme and subject matter it had to do
particularly with the present financial
distress from II preachers standpoint.
but was calculated to interest the pro-
fessed and non-professed Christian
alike.
DR.. Giilln'S argument was that there
was too much supposed political science
and its consequent chickering's and too
little brotherhood and cheer. He en-
phasiZed the peculiar American trait
that makes it possible to recover from
any kind of national misfortune and
argued that the present financial and
political crisis had been brought about
by too much haste and too little moder-
alton. He was sanguine that all pres
ent troubles would be soon rghted.
And now I eXhort you TO be of good
cheer: for there shall he no loss of any
mans life among you, but on the ship
Acts xvii: ~, was the text. He said,
in part:
CAST ASIDE FEAR.
In case of great distress, critical situa-
tions. the presence of impending calamity,
there is one thing that must be east aside
fear. AT such times cheer is the duty OF
the hour, and it is paufs suggestion that
| am going 10 throw out TO you tonight;
II is not a violent remedy: 1t is Il peaceIul
one and is in keeping with a minister's
duty-that of being peacemaker, not IA
peace diSturber.
/ am not going to tell you the Theoretical
i.4snl
scientists, though among their number
there seems TO be too many counScllors
and not enough comforters. In behalf of
my class shall suggest the advice of PAU
and not of supposed statesmen. lie was
not mariner. but he was a good coun-
sCiior. Narious remedies, technical, most
of them are mentioned. but we must turn
aside from all of them at the start ana
"be Of good cheer"
First, it is necessary to find the cause.
If the cause was Gods will there would
be no need for trying to trace it, but the
condition of this case is very much like u
physical pain. we get the pain and we
scurry around after the doctor to find out
what is means. 1t is the most idle kind of
nonsense TO imagine that the thing which
has been must have been. That's plain,
isn't it? To make it palmer: Ii is nom
sense to suppose a thing which has been
must have been If the cause can be re-
moved. If that is possible there is no
wisdom in saying that the cause was Il re-
SUIT Ol Il natural law.
IT'S RANK IDIOCY.
Yet we find pcople--I don't know what 10
call them-who say, well, it is something
that could not have been prevented: let
the storm rage in all its fury: will wealth
cr it as best | may" Rank idiocy!'
We are here to say in just few simple
words just how this present state of un-
rest was brought about: There has been
a lack of moderation. The sober, thought
of the American pulpit has said to you
long ago, Move slowly" Americans,
however, don't like moderation. "impa-
tiencc" is a natural characteristic; there
is too much of foolish dash, rush and
push: too much foOlhardy headlonEness
without a proper and previous study OF
consequences. The best way out of it Is
prudence; perhaps IA better way OF put
ting it would be by using the word ''econ-
omy" in its broad sense, economy OF re-
sources. of energy, of thought, of wealth
If you please. ~ wise expenditure on
certain outlay" is commendable, but too
much hanging on to what we have got
through fear of the future Is reprehensi-
BILE
Things might have been worse; there is
a deal of consolation in that. Some one
says, ''lt couldn't be worse" so? You
say | don't know what ! am talking about
| say you don't know what you're talk
ing about. If furnace spark burns u
serious and painful wound in your hnSer,
that's bad; but If II burns your eye out
that's worse. isn't ii? We can lessen our
distresss and bring cheer TO our souls IN
standing by one another. deieat selfish
ness; on board the ship let the sailors
the passengers and the soldiers stand by
togethe". brotherhood is not idle talk
in times like these. l tell you these are
times when the poor emphasize the lact,
through a condition brought about through
the forced hurry of business and finance.
that they are the brothers of the rlrh.
I'm not endorsing communism, though; |
don't want to sit down to II good square
meal and have some tramp come and take
it away from me-I'm not preaching that.
ENTITLED TO BREAD.
Every man is not willing to work but
every man who is willing is entitled to
bread. That's sense, that's brotherhood,
that's Gods law. BE charitable: be SEN
sible about it, and don't beget pauperisn.
Some of you say there is SO much misery
in respectable households that there is
nothing left. oh yes there is: There's life
left There's a man who can't invest his
services; he's good. capable, but out OF
work. There's pinchng in the house
The happy. ruddy-faced children: there's
the great satisfaction of living for them
and making your and their lives success,
and finally there's enough left on which TO
begin a song BE of good cheer
/ know that there are many wealthy
men who cannot get money from the
banks on any kind of security. Such is
the consequence of lack of moderation and
IL gives tnt liDOltT WflU Sfl
at the corner grocery chance to get
even and grind the capitalist.
Put your face toward God and be thank
full Ii will soon be over. am not tell
ing how but | know how. | am preaching
citizenship, patriotism, brotherhood.
CANNOT BE CRUSHED.
The great American people may be
crowded down. but they cennot be COM
pletely crushed. We are of the Anglo
Saxon race. never subdued and never
will be subdued. 1t is an always evident
truth that the fittest will survive. We
are "a concern rich enough to give food TO
all the poor strong enough 10 endure and
hopeful enough to tack on our front door
sign telling that business will resume
tomorrow.
Praise God for all this. Do not pro-
fame the qualities and the power he has
given you. BE moderate: cast aside fear,
well.